Group items tagged

According to a survey of 3,500 Americans performed by Families and Work Institute released in March 2009, traditional gender roles are changing: there is has been an increase in the expectation of men and women to share in paid work as well as taking care of the home and children. This article discusses some interesting changes in percentages (compared to prior years) in the increased role of men in the home and women's increased ambition for jobs with more responsibility.

Are women in the media only portrayed as sex icons? Statistics Show a Massive Gender Imbalance across Industries. This site touches on some really central issues women in our society are collectively faced with, - with no fear change in the near future. The Women's Media Center has provided dismaying statistical data on the status of women in U.S. media. The report draws attention to the striking underrepresentation of women who determine the content of news, literature, and television and film entertainment, as well as the negative portrayal of women in entertainment television and film. As a consequence, the role of women has had major societal effects, including gender inequity. MissRepresentation.org, an organization that "exposes how American youth are being sold the concept that women and girls' value lies in their youth, beauty and sexuality," is campaigning to shed light on this issue and empower women and young girls to challenge the limiting media labels and recognize their other potentials. The goal of MissRepresentation.org is to expose how media influences youth in America into believing that youth, beauty and sexuality are the driving forces behind a girl's values. The media is a powerful instrument of change and change can only occur once we are able to see the type of force this tool has cast on society. It's up to us women to use the force of media to influence positive change and correct the representation of women. Lastly, stated in this article by Marie Wilson, Founding President of The White House Project, an organization that seeks to get more women into elected office, says, "You can't be what you can't see." This site is useful in exploring this week's image because it describes the leading force that drives the culture of society and the accepted notions constructed towards "woman"; the media. Heidi Beckles

This image of the first African American President sitting in the same bus as civil rights icon Rosa Parks speaks volumes. The courage of her stand was part of the civil rights movement that brought about change and still continues to this day.

The reason I chose something other than the discussion of Rosa Parks is because I do not think that you can speak about one thing without speaking about the other in the Civil Rights Movement.  This is just important as its former.  Also, in this picture is Martin Luther King, Jr., who is another iconic figure in the Civil Rights Movement.  This is particularly important as we have just reached the 50th Anniversary on the March on Washington.  Voting rights was not only a race issue, it was a gender issue.  The article speaks about the optimism that many people had during these times.  People thought that change was possible.  You cannot have change without optimism.

Today, we can look back and say: "It was worth it." However, be sure to know that the effort Rosa Parks made was changed many things in the world. Locally, it gave African Americans rights. It eliminated segregation between whites and blacks, it reduced the lynching of blacks by racial organizations. (i.e. Ku Klux Klan) Rosa Parks actions enacted law protecting the civil rights of African Americas and later on served as basis of creating more laws, even as far as protecting women's rights. Even though many things have changed and many bottles have been fought and won; we still are not there. Thank you Rosa Parks for your courage in really trouble times.

This website not only discusses how Rosa Parks helped African Americans, but how she also helped women. In those days, women weren't allowed to do much as it was. Rosa Parks changed that in some way when she stood up to a white man on a bus. Rosa Parks single handedly changed the bus rules where African Americans were not only allowed to ride the bus and sit anywhere, but were allowed to apply for jobs as drivers as well. This website is useful in exploring the image because it shows you how one woman had an effect on an entire race. The website even uses the image on it's main page.

Rosa Parks is considered not only hero, but an African American woman who stood up to injustice and decided to take a peaceful stand against segregation. Rosa Parks gave African Americans a sense of dignity that was soon reaffirmed by being able to ride the bus, just like the "whites" did. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was able to use Rosa Park's actions as a platform to claim freedom and equality. This action, caused the African Americans to start realizing that they were equal to the whites. This gave them a sense of entitlement and lead to other movements that benefited all human beings, not only in the United States of America, but all over the world. This "woman" is truly a hero. Walking alone the street in Montgomery county, just like the whites did, was a triumph step towards equality.

This source and site is very pertinent as it provides information on the life of Rosa Parks before and after the Montgomery Bus incident and subsequent boycott and the impact her legacy remains with us today. In particular, this source provides both video of a segment done on the subject as well as the text transcript. The reason that this site and source is important and relevant to the analysis of the image at hand is due to the fact that it provides us with the context of Rosa's struggle and how her struggle helped change the nature of America. This is a very relevant source that helps us place ourselves in the shoes of Rosa Parks and the struggle that she fought and overcome.

This site and blog is relevant to our discussion on race and an analysis of the image at hand as it provides us with the background information of race in America and the influence that Rosa Parks had in this regard. Specifically, the site discusses the actions of Rosa Parks and the context in which she lived in how she challenged the Jim Crow Laws and how her actions helped spark the movement that would change American society and culture. The site also provides some background information on the famous photo that we are analyzing in this unit. The contextual and background information provided in this site is useful with our analysis in this unit.

This webpage presents a table outlining the many and varied programs brought forth by the New Deal. The table describes the program and its outcome. The New Deal changed the lives of many Americans through the implementing of a minimum wage, the creation of jobs, the banning of child labor and especially the Social Security Act.

This is an interesting (without being very lengthy) site which describes life during the Great Depression."Practically everyone had to deal with major losses and drastic changes. Children had to cope with the loss of a stable life and an education. Farmers had to learn to live with the loss of their farms that had supported their families. The middle class had to deal with the loss of money and the potential disappearance of their social class."

This page from the Oberlin Collge LGBT Community History site describes the link between the Women's Movement of the early 1970s and lesbianism. The page offers insight into why many women were undergoing huge changes in the way they thought about traditional gender roles and sexuality in the late 60s and early 70s.

This site reports the the correlation between the income gap and mortality rates. A chart is available revealing the life expectancy change in the last 20 years of the 20th century, including the difference between the life span of men and women. Cause for the financial separation in the U.S. isn't identified, but some ideas are that "Lower-income people are more likely to not have health insurance..." and "Smoking has declined more rapidly among people with greater education and income". In the appearance of the man in the photo, I definitely make the connection with him and not having poor health care and habits.

History.com displays a very informative set of videos, images and articles discussing the meaning behind "Rosie the Riveter", the iconic image associated with gender equality. World War II marked the beginning of changes in gender ideologies as women found themselves carrying out duties that were typically filled by men. Women were also called to the war and the empowerment of a revolution began. 

The Birth Control Pill introduction into society was instrumental to the feminist movement and sexual revolution in the 1960s. Young, single women, who, with the help of this new contraception, took personal control of their sexuality. Sex before marriage entailed risk. Each and every time an unmarried woman had intercourse, she risked pregnancy, and was left to face life-changing options such as an illegal abortion, a shotgun wedding, forced adoption, or single motherhood of a child whose birth certificate would be stamped for posterity with the word "illegitimate. The Pill allowed American women to delay marriage and motherhood, while remaining sexually active. Women were able to control there time of pregnancy allow them to get a higher education and obtain better positions in the labor market. This article relates to the image as it demonstrations how the Pill became an effective tool in the women's right movement.

This site explains many components of the Stonewall Riots. I kept reading that this event occurred the year before, and was a huge motivation for, the Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day. It quotes a part chanted by the girls apart of the riots, speaks on how sexuality and its changes and expansions led to the formation of a subculture, and the beginning of gay rights and activism.

This site is rather short and to the point. Francisca Stewart summarizes what happened on the bus and how civil disobedience was used to make change. She also shared what happened in the years to follow, including the new rules that allowed both blacks and whites to sit where they chose. This site is useful to get a quick understanding of what the picture is about.

The US Supreme Court to the case of Rosa Park's, actually never got a chance to hear Mrs. Park's case. Rosa Park's was arrested on charges of misdemeanor disorderly conduct, and appeared before judge John B Scoot. Her lawyer Fred Gray, immediately filled an appeal, but then realized that her case would not be upheld in the Alabama court system for years. Although Mrs. Park's case did not make it to the Supreme Court, her experience on the Montgomery Bus, largely aided the African American community to organize the bus boycott.  Four attorney's decided on a strategy in dealing with the bus segregation issues. Fred Gray, Thurgood Marshall, Robert Carter and Charles Langford, with a plan of action approached three other women (Aurelia Browder, Claudette Colvin, Susie McDonald and Mary Louise Smith). These women had also experienced abuse form the Montgomery bus system.  The women became plaintiffs in a federal civil action law against the city and Mayor W.A. Gayle. Affirming the District Court ruling without issuing a written opinion, the US Supreme Court denied the cities petition. Racial segregation on buses within state boundaries became outlawed, the city of Montgomery received an official order to desegregate buses in 1956. Although the four attorneys, and including the other four women may have provided legal change, this write up point out how Mrs. Park's determination, dignity and courage catalyzed the national Civil Rights Movement.  Heidi Beckles 

It takes a lot of courage to stand up for something that is morally right, especially in a time when standing for what's right was not popular, due to the results that would follow after. Rosa Parks in the year of 1955, as many know it, kept sitting to stand up for what's right, and furthermore human rights. Although she was jailed and fined, her bravery helped society in many ways, like the end of the segregated transportation law posed by Jim Crow. Mrs. Parks did not care about the odds against her nor the criticism; in an era of ample bias against people of color. This sites content is useful in exploring week two's image of race in America, because it places focus on how change "can" happen with just one person, in the toughest of social times. A focus on courage not just for self help but for all (as Mrs. Parks was a member of the NAACP; an organization up in arms with the Jim Crow laws) who were the victims and the conscious or unconscious offenders, a social movement that was another zenith to the ascent of man. Heidi Beckles

As I was a big fan of the Scholastic book club flyers that I would receive in school, I was excited to see what their website had to offer.  The website contains resources for educators and young readers alike with sections dedicated to teachers, students, and librarians.  The site encourages literacy with the use of bold and colorful images.  The famed photo of Rosa Parks can be found in the section of the website entitled "Culture and Change: Black History in America."  Here, we see several pages dedicated to pivotal moments in Parks's life.  If you click on "court ruling" you will see the photograph.  This page informs us that the day after the segregation laws are deemed unconstitutional, Parks is accompanied by Martin Luther King, Jr. onto a city bus.  This shows us the magnitude of Parks's contribution to the cause.

          Well, I am not sure that this is wrong, as much as it is important.  Rosa Parks was not the first African American woman to be given a statue dedication.  However, I think that she is "deserving" of such an honor.  I would like to ask what took so long?  I know that if Parks would still be with us, she would be 100 years old, but being a century old does not precede what she has demonstrated and given to this country.           People say that the best way to change the issues of race is to stop making it an issue, but I have to disagree.  The problem is that people do not want to talk about it, and avoid the discussion by any means necessary.  Hopefully, this article will continue to enable the discussion of race here in the United States of America.