Blog Entry 10- Gender and Sex

There are many roles that come with being a man or woman. Men are seemed to be given the responsibility of providing for his family, taking care of wife, kids, and parents. Women are often prepared from childhood to be house wives through the toys they play with and the teachings of their mother and other female relatives. An important educator to the sexuality of men and women is society and its expectations of behavior and what is acceptable. Chapter 11: “Gender and Sexuality” spoke of gender and sexuality and the inequalities tied to each. Sex is the biological distinction between females and males. Gender is the socially constructed cultural expectations associated with men and women. Much like race, gender is too socially constructed. The belief of gender has deviate amongst culture and over time. Gender roles influence characteristics like appearance, behaviors, emotions, activities and aspiration that come with identify with a gender. Inequalities and stratification of gender has been a part of society’s structure. Sexism is one of these inequalities, which is the ideology that one sex is superior to the other. Men have always been described as the superior sex from the home, workplace, social institutions media, politics and religion amongst many. For these and many other reasons women have been subject to domestic violence, a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another partner. While women are often subject to inequalities so are member of the LGBT communities whom are often subject being victims of hate crimes. Whether its race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or education, someone always has to find a reason to oppress others.

 This article was about the first modern study of sexuality in the United States which opened the doors for people to speak freely about sex and the stereotypes attached to it. The article states that there are only two types of groups that represent the human race in the sexual world, heterosexual and homosexual and one can ONLY be one of them and that the bisexual group is insignificant. It is stated that human sexuality is predetermined from birth and throughout one's lifetime leaves little room for change. The sexual preference of one is linked to their physical and mental qualities and that the personalities of heterosexual and homosexual are different in totally. "It is generally thought that these qualities make homosexual person obvious and recognizable to anyone who has sufficient understanding of such matters." This quote directly from the article was one thing that I found to be very stereotypical. It went on to say that psychiatrists discuss this personality and the qualities of a homosexual such as fine skins, high-pitched voice and obvious had movements. These are just a few amongst what is considered as the homosexual personality. Present day study shows that heterosexuals or homosexual is not just one or the other but can sometimes be both.

This last chapter touched a lot of home bases for me. My older brother is gay and I remember him leaving home to move to Florida mainly because he was tired of pretending to be someone he was not. I remember the day he told my parents over the phone and my dad asking my sisters and I if we knew and us saying in unison "Nooo duhhh." It took a lot for him to "come out the closet", but it also took my dad a lot to accept it because of how he was brought up and his religion. Now little by little we are exposing my baby brother who is eleven to the difference of the world. He, too, was taught by religion that homosexuality is wrong but we are teaching that regardless we are all human and that's that all that really matters. The pictures on the left represent two bible quotes, one of homosexuality being an abomination and the other of a gay man quoting the bible as well. As a women and a Hispanic I am often fighting against both of these intertwining issues of inequality. There are always stereotype attached to someone, like Hispanics having babies at young age. Not I. I am 23 years old and have NOT ever been pregnant and although I am engaged, I don’t plan on having kids until maybe after completing my B.A. After taking this course and seeing that we do not all start at the same line I want to offer my future children a chance at a better future where maybe race and sexuality would not be such a big deal. 

Blog Entry 9: Racism and Ethnicity.

Chapter 10 was mainly about what race and ethnicity. Race is described as a category of people widely perceived as sharing significant physical characteristics. These characteristics are often referred to as skin complexion. Ethnicity is shared cultural heritage which comes from common ancestry and homeland. Race and ethnicity are both social constructions. By categorizing people into different races and/or ethnicity group dynamics of majorities’ vs. minorities become part of the social structure and demonstrates the inequalities associated with the power the majority have. Through history, race has been used to justify slavery and inequalities upon "minorities." Racial and ethnic discrimination were diminished slightly with the civil rights movement which helped transform society. Diversity was then introduced allowing other races and ethnics groups to migrate to the country, mostly Asians and Latin Americans instead of Europeans. Regardless of the civil rights movement, inequalities of race and ethnicity still continue to occur at different levels of society which varies from attitudes, behaviors and structural barriers implemented by social institutions, racialization of the state. Racism, discrimination and prejudice still occur due to the differences between cultures or by the goals certain groups want to achieve. All these are possible by the color-blind theory, a form of bias in which the promotion of race neutrality helps to maintain existing racial and ethnic inequality. Race is social constructed to benefit those in power and help them remain in power.

The article which I read was “The Hispanic Dropout Mystery,” by Susan Headden. The article's main idea was about the percentage of high school drop outs of Hispanic students. The article underlines the idea that 30% of students who drop out are Hispanic, which is far greater by three times than whites and black students. The causes of this problem varied from economic problems (students having to work to support their families), language barriers (43% of Hispanic drop outs are foreign born), and being marginalized by public school system (students' cultures are disrespected and their language problems are often neglected.) Another main cause is the peer pressure. Some Hispanic groups consider doing well in school to be "nerdy". The society these Hispanic kids are in expected them not to do well, to drop out and to become low lives. Another point addressed in the article, which in my opinion is very essential, is the parental influence. Hispanic parents are often not well educated or illiterate. Their children often don't attend preschool and they do not read to them probably maybe they are too busy working to provide for their families. The article states that a way to prevent this drop out rate to increase is to have more courses in Spanish, have more Hispanics role models, smaller classes to accommodate students’ work hours and tutoring to help them succeed.

The video "Race: The Power of Illusion," was about the differences between human beings of different races. Most of these differences were appointed as being physical, such as skin color, eye color and shape, hair and body form etc. These differences have been use to classify people into races which is what divides us. People can be identifying by their phenotype. Assumptions about the physical are made about the abilities of one because of their race such as athletic abilities, musical aptitude and intelligence. The video went on to showing experiments done by students to find the similarities and different students had with each other. As expected those of the race stated that they would have more similarities with each other than those of different race. Race is NOT biological, but an idea ascribed to it. Many assumptions are tied to the abilities of different races, like blacks having an extra muscle in their bodies. Race's definition benefits those who want its definition to mean something else. Bottom line is that genetically there is only one small amount of variation.

I remember not to long ago walking into Walgreens in my neighborhood and as I walked down the aisle I experienced something that will forever stay with me. A Hispanic mother was with her baby girl and a Jewish mother with her son, who was about 5 years old. As the boy's mother looked at items on the shelf the little boy walked over to the Hispanic mom and her baby and started playing with her. The baby girl was laughing so much that attracted boy's mother attention. For a moment both mothers looked at each other and I looked at them and the son said something to his mom and the mother said in English "yes, she's a beautiful baby." I was shocked at this remark not because the baby wasn't beautiful but because I had never experienced something like this. I was in awe. Racism does not only occur outside the different races but within races as well. As you may know I am Dominican. I was born in the Dominican Republic, but grow up in New York. My fiancée is Puerto Rican. These two ethnic groups have a constant battle with each other of whose better than the other in every single way possible. There are times when he and I are conversing and he'd say something like "You Dominicans", or "Your people" and my answer is always the same, "if you don't like it get yourself a Puerto Rican girlfriend." This usually shuts him up. Although we are the same race, our ethnicity is different.

Extra Credit Blog Entry

The video entitled, "Ted Talks Education", hosted by John Legend whose main focus is to address the crisis of high school drop outs all while delivering powerful and persuasive short speeches about the importance of education. Each person that spoke at TED primary purpose was to share their ideas about why kids drop out of high school and what can be done to prevent that from recurring. The first speaker was Rita F. Pierson, a dedicated teacher for 30 years, noted that kids don’t learn due to poverty, low tendency, and peer influences. People failed to recognize that as humans that we all are we all need human connection and relationships to significantly learn something new. Students would learn better they actually LIKE the person teaching them and if teachers took the time to actually emphasize WHY education is important. Many teachers fail at their roles to inspire their students and believe that they can achieve and these educators should teach to become the best you can be. Dr. Ramsey Musallam stated that curiosity enables students to draw themselves to their teachers while creating another connection.

Amongst the speakers were psychologist Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth, who spoke IQ not being necessarily the only means to being successful, millionaire Bill Gates who expressed that students need coaches to guide them in the right path, and Dr. Geoffrey Canada remembered growing up in a time were the school system was really bad and even now in this time there are school who still fail at meeting the standards. There was also Chicago poet Malcolm Lincoln, who spoke about labeling and something inspiration needs to be done in order for education not to continue to fail, Pearl Arredondo who spoke about growing up poor and the issues attached to that, Sir Ken Robinson who was my favorite speaker spoke of the No Child Left Behind act which is a curriculum that limits the only focus of standardized exams and allow students to succeed with a more diverse broaden curriculum and education is about engaging , stimulating and provoking students to learn and begin to learn without any assistance.

            As an education major I enjoy these different speeches and how these people approach the topic of adults engaging themselves more to create more successful students to put a stop to the crisis. I believe that with teachers who actually enjoy teaching and who want to build a human connection with their student this crisis will decrease whether is by allowing technology to be a major part of education that allows students to think deeper and in many different ways or similar allowing students to express their creativity such as Musallam’s student. Coaching students to go beyond their limits is something that can potentially change their lives. Building relationships that allow them not to see themselves as failures but as approaching the limits they want to cross.  Organizations like TED bring about awareness to us and different ways we can win these constant battles such as the high school drop out crisis.

Blog Entry 8- Inequalities Amongst Us!

The article I choose to read was "Cause of Death: Inequality" by Alejandro Reuss. This article basically underlines the idea of inequality being the top cause of death amongst poor people due to their lack of education about major diseases and cause of deaths. It is said that as status decreases mortality increase although women have a longer life expectancy than men by six years. Education and family income is a major factor as well as race. The more education you have and the better income the less likely you are to suffer from any type of cancers, diseases, accidental injury and homicide. Your physical health and how long you live are determine on where you are in the socioeconomic hierarchy. The article then goes on to provide evidence of how different  parts of the world's poor people, men and women alike, are more prone to infectious disease and disease of the circulatory system unlike those in the United States. The lack of access to health care also affects the inequalities Reuss is stating, which is also a major factor. Higher income adults and poor adults have difference of how effectively they are treated when it comes to health. Environmental and occupational hazards mainly affects and are dangers to the lower income people of this country than those with higher income. Education, income and race all conspire to how long people live in this country which ultimately results in inequality. The richer lives longer while the poor die faster.

The film "People like Us: Social Class in America," is about the different class systems in America and how each class measure who belongs where. These measures are described by the people we live amongst with similar background and are comfortable with. "Tribes" are spoke about in the film are basically the class systems which are defined by our occupation, income and what we aspire to be in life. We try to separate ourselves from those who do not fit in our social groups and belong to our class. The film stated that America is a country divided by class, social distinction and is defined by where we live, what we eat, how we look, and education. Social class defined the inequalities in the class system. The film states that the choices you make reveal your class. This means that whatever it is you decide on doing, buying, believing in defines the class you are in. Many people believe that class can be changed if you are not entirely content to the one you belong in. It is not all about money but also the practices and customs of the class and mastering it in order to feel part of it or learning how to be a part of it. Since appearance is something that ultimately rules our society it is important to look the part we are trying to play in order to believe we can up our changes of changing our class system. One particular speaker in the film believed that it is impossible to successful change social class without studying really hard to learn everything there is to know about that class. Many people seem to dislike people coming into their social class as people that no matter how they behave they can not escape not belonging to that class. There are unwritten rules to each social class in the hierarchy of class system.

Both the article and film connects with Chapter 9 on inequalities because this chapter is based on the inequalities amongst different class systems in our country. A person whose parents are well educated, married and were born into a wealthy family has better opportunities than a person who was born into a one parent family who lacked education. Although it is not always the case it does help to better your chances at education which ultimately leads to a better career and better income. This country wants us all to believe we all have the same equal opportunities but it is not the case. Without education we are not. As mention in the article uneducated people have higher chances of suffering from either a disease or illness. Uneducated people are often subject to many inequalities that is a detriment to them climber the social class hierarchy. Education is something I always believed in. As a young child my parents always enforced that my siblings and I concentrate more on better grades and further our education than anything else. Homework always came before anything. Before I was allowed to play on the Nintendo (yes I owned several different Nintendo as a child and which I still did!!!) I was required to do my homework plus read a few pages of a book a night. Now as I work towards completing my degree and further my education not only do I enjoy reading I rather read a good book than to watch a reality TV shows. I often read books who had been made into movies before watching the movies, in some case I reread the books and make comparison between the two…The Great Gatsby which I read in high school in next on my list !

Bog Entry 7: Is Deviance What It Seems or Are We Just Living?

            After ready Chapter 8 on Deviance I learned about what our society/culture considers as deviant behaviors. Deviance is a behavior that does not conform to basic cultural norms and expectations. It is situational. Deviance is also socially constructed which varies on time, place and setting. For people defined as being deviant it can have a negative effect on them which can last for a very long time. What is defined as deviant in our society has no written rules on how not to cross the boundaries. These six deviant acts are just a few of many I was able to identify as I look around in my own community.

1. Smoking weed in the park/public places:

In my opinion this is a deviant act one because smoking weed is illegal in this state, two because if you are going to break the law you should not do it in the public eye thus exposing the younger generation to this act and three because parks are for the most park for young kids and adolescents to play. Parents are careful not to have their young ones around when people are smoking cigarettes, so you can just imagine how cautious they are when it comes to weed. The behaviors of those smoking weed is label as deviant because of those with enough power to enforce that label. The labeling theory in chapter 8 argues that deviance is the result of how other interpret a behavior and those individuals who are labeled deviant often internalize this judgment as a part of their self identify.

2. Teenage Pregnancy:

Teenage pregnancy is a deviant act because society says people should be married before having kids or they should attend college and pursuit a career before becoming parents. Society expects teenagers to graduate high school and continue to get some sort of higher education and in most cases that’s not the case. Although society frowns upon teenage pregnancy they mostly dislike Hispanics and blacks who are engaging in sexually acts at a young age which results in pregnancy and the mother usually dropping out of school to take care of their offspring. There’s a stigma attached that these children (both parents and kids) will not go to college therefore creating a continuous cycle of uneducated minorities. Stigma refers to the shame attached to a behavior or status that is considered unacceptable or discrediting. I’m somewhat indecisive about this topic because my mother was a teenage mother and here I am doing a blog for sociology class in COLLEGE, and even though she did not attend college it was because she hates school (loll) unlike my dad who did graduate college and made a career for himself.

3. Roaming the streets while under the influence or drugs or alcohol:

Just like the smoking weed in public places, there are many people roaming the street WHILE under the influence of alcohol and drugs. I believe this is a deviant act because being under the influence in public goes against the basic cultural norms and what is expected of people. As members of society we are expected to behave a certain way while in public that does not cause a disturbance to others. Many people get fines and arrested for disturbing the peace such as drunken disorderly or disorderly conduct. This can be a result of labeling people which may lead them into secondary deviance, deviant behavior that is a response to the negative consequences of labeling. A person who is label a drug addict or alcoholic can become hostile or purposely act a certain way because of their label.

4. Homosexuality and Transgender:

These two are consider deviants because they go against the basic cultural norms. Although it is not as severe as it used to be in years before, people are expected to be heterosexual and be happy with the way they were born. Man are deviant if they are gay and women are deviant is they are lesbians. This topic had been causing controversy especially when deciding whether or not to legalize gay marriages. Many people believe that homosexuals and transgender are sick or have a mental disorder and that they will benefit from medical intervention. This referred as medicalization of deviance, when the label of deviant behavior as an illness that can be treated by medical professionals.

5. Auto Clubs/Bike Clubs:

This is another example of deviant behavior in my everyday life. In my community being part of a bike/auto club can be seem as deviant because many times the auto clubs double park on streets playing their loud music at any time of the day and night. The bike clubs usually make commotion as they are driving. Often there are conflicts between these clubs which usually results into altercations. Many times parents do not want their children to become a part of these clubs to due to the fear of them becoming deviants like the people they associate with. This is referred to as differential association theory which is that deviance is learned through association with other people involved in deviant behavior. This theory explains deviance as a behavior that it’s learned.

6. Panhandling:

Last but not least, panhandling is viewed as deviant because it goes against our basic cultural norms. People are not expected to be poor and to be begging on the streets or trains. Society has expectations of people to be educated, working, to be middle class and white, but since we can not all be that being poor, uneducated and any other race is considered deviant. Panhandling is deviant because sometimes the people doing it become aggressive when money is not given to them or if people just walk by them without acknowledging their presences. Panhandler do this act alone which can be tied to loner deviance, the activities of individuals who commit deviant acts without the social support of other participants.  Sometimes panhandlers use their kids to panhandle as well which can also be a deviant act because some may argue that children should not be exposed to that lifestyle but many people should remember that we are not all middle class white men. This deviant behavior occurs with a specific goal which is to receive money to either eat or get another fix.  This example of deviance goes into my next topic, the article by Herbert J. Gans and the undeserving poor.

            Herbert J. Gans wrote an article named “Positive Functions of the Undeserving Poor: Uses of the Underclass in America.” The article speaks about how poverty is described as a social phenomenon which exists based on the consequences it follows. It talks how it affects both the poor and non-poor because the poor usually involve themselves in activities that are hazardous to their physical safety and well being. Among these activities are those which society portrays as deviant such as bearing children during adolescence, not married, failing to work and be an active member of society and depending on welfare. Gans continues on discuss 5 sets functions of the undeserving poor such as microsocial, economic, normative-cultural, political, and microsocial, which he divides into 13 specific functions each having their own sense of importance and how they of positive effect. These functions in divided; two microsocial functions are risk reduction, scapegoat and displacement and three economic functions which are economic banishment and the reserve army, supplying illegal goods, and job creation. Another three normative functions are moral legitimation, norm reinforcement and supplying popular culture villains. Three more include political functions such as institutional scapegoating, conservative power shifting, and spatial purification. The two last ones are reproduction of stigma and the stigmatized and extermination of the surplus. None of these are place by order of importance but as ordered in the article.