Twelfth Blog

            Reflecting back on Women’s Studies 250 is something that I don’t usually get the opportunity to do in other classes.  I really enjoyed Women’s Studies 250, especially being that I am a female in today’s society.  As a class, we have discussed many important themes, including bodies and sexuality, politics of art, oppression/privilege, and struggles for liberation.

            In the beginning of the semester, we watched Killing Us Softly 4.  It exposed advertising companies and their trends of negative images of women in the media.  Women’s bodies are sometimes viewed as objects for males, such as cars or beer.  On the other hand, I liked that Urban Bush Women performances was something that contrasted this issue.  The women who danced in these performances challenged negative views of African American women’s bodies and expressed their thoughts through dancing, song, and outfit choice.  It was considered a “celebration.” 

As the semester continued on, we discussed power images in our society.  Males have usually been seen as superior to women in our society.  In Gloria Steinem’s article, “If Men Could Menstruate,” she challenged this idea of male power.  I really enjoyed this article because Gloria Steinem put a funny twist to the topic of menstruation.  It’s something I’m sure has not crossed a lot of people’s minds before, but is something to really think about.  Her writing is a piece of art that can alternatively re-imagine power relations in our society.  Similar to this, the movie Boys Don’t Cry reproduced controlling images of the rural working-class and transgender individuals.

            After all of the course material, I feel that I am able to analyze our culture more easily.  In addition, I am able to create my own interpretations of various types of artwork, while using evidence to back it up.  I will definitely use these skills in other classes and even beyond the classroom. 

            As far as recommending this class for others, I definitely would suggest taking Women’s Studies 250.  I have already told many peers about what the class is like and what they will get out of it.  For those reading this and want to consider taking Women’s Studies 250, here is what I have to say about it: you should expect to learn a lot about women and how they both are seen in society and how they see themselves, whether it is currently or in the past.  Many have expressed their feelings towards a variety of different circumstances through pieces of art, including drawings, paintings, dances, songs, quilts, and much more.  In our class, we have evaluated fictional and non-fictional movies, such as Frida and Boys Don't Cry.  I have learned that everyone is entitled to their own opinions and ideas.  In addition, there have been many artists and feminists who have devoted their lives to the topics we learn in class and have had an extreme amount of courage to speak their ideas to a very large group of people; they are great influences.  It is interesting to evaluate all of these factors in order to see where our society is heading in the future.