what do you consider yourself?

Today's class discussion was on transgender. In the world we live in today this topic is very uncertain on just exactly what this means. To many people this means that you're just ignorant of what god made you. You're either gay or lesbian. You're confused as to what gender you are meant to be. You feel as though you were born in the wrong body and nobody knows what you're going through. All in all transgender people will face problems to the extreme that most of us will not even come close too and as human beings we need to respect them as such.

Transgender: Identified with a gender other than the biological one.

You are classified as to what gender you are when you're in the womb. From then on society plays off of that and accommodates everything to your specific gender. For example, when your parents find out you're either a girl or boy everything becomes either pink or blue, sport themes or princesses, dresses or pants, and so on. So what happens when your parents tell you you're a boy when inside you feel like a girl? In your mind everything tells you that you were meant to be a girl but you were born in a boys body? You won't understand what that feels like unless that personally happens to you. I can just imagine the pain and ridicule you will face. I feel for the people that are in this confused process but i also applaud the people that take action in order to fulfill their needs as to what gender they feel that they truly are.

There is so much discrimination and hate towards these groups of people. So much that many are forced to quit their jobs, not able to find jobs, unable to compete in pageants, sports, and many are killed because of what they consider themselves as. Many are stared upon by others who are trying to figure out just exactly what they "are". Many don't know whether or not they should call them a "he" or "she." Many are just confused.

So what do we do? We, as human beings, need to consider their feelings and problems that they're facing. We need to respect their choice and decision as to what they need to do for themselves to feel complete as a person. We need to understand that what they're going through is something that you will never know and you need to respect that. DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!

Below is a 3 part serious done by Barbara Walters that looks into the lives of 3 children who are 6, 10, and 16 years old who are facing transgender issues.

Hope you enjoyed my post! I leave you with your thoughts!

sexism.

obviously this topic well talked about and well know throughout the world. it has been around for ages and sadly is apart of our society. it has affected many lives and changed peoples perspectives on certain things. its like with this we wouldn't be able to declare who we are as a person.

sexism can affect many people. mainly women because we are the victims of it. as soon as the doctor tells our mothers, "its a girl" we are instantly labeled with well as being a girl. certain restrictions and expectations that we need to live up to as women. we cant do certain things because were girls and we don't want to get hurt because its a boys sport or game. were to weak to lift things that boys are strong enough to lift. when we grow up it all becomes more real. were not good enough to get paid just as much as men. we don't get many jobs that we deserve because its best suited if a man takes the job. we are seen as only house wives that take care of the children and the household. and even seen as not smart enough to run this country. sometimes daily stereotypes affect us on being women.

today i worked the texas relays, which was my first time ever attending and let me just say it was quite interesting ;) haha, anyway i was recording times and this older guy was taking measurements and i would write them down. simple job. then the next shift a women was taking the measurements and a thought came to my mind, "ahh i hope she knows what she's doing. i rather have that guy doing it because i'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing." with that i realized what i was doing. i was already assuming that this women wasn't capable of doing a good job just as the man had done. i assumed that the man would do a better job than this woman becuase well, it's what society shows and tells us. it automatically makes you think that a man would be capable of performing this job better than this woman. i felt bad because i didn't even give this woman a chance to show me that she can do this job just as well as that man.

turns out she knew what she was doing. actually more accurate than that man. i was like, ahhh your stupid for thinking she wasn't going to be able to handle it. when she flipped it on me and did a great job. situations like this happen on a daily basis and it just shows you society views on sexism.

i personally will no longer conform to this sexism society. i think i'm capable of accomplishing things just as men can. just because i'm a woman doesn't mean anything. just the fact that i'm smarter :D but like i was saying with more and more people taking on this sexism world we live in, one day it will change and WE will be on top. starting with ruling this country. yea thats right i said it. one day there will be a woman living in that white house and she will NOT be the first lady.

colbert report,

       the case on trayvon martin has skyrocketed across the nation. alot of people are speaking up about it and has brought alot of attention to this issue.
       i ran across this video on facebook about the case. of course its the Colbert Report but it sort of gives a humor side to whats going on and how ridiculous this case is.
       so check it out!  

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/411137/march-26-2012/the-word---dressed-to-kill?redirect=true

thanks!





     

gender roles.

re-cap of this week. we went to this lecture on the achievement gap. i thought points of the lecture were interesting but i was expecting more out of it i guess. i wanted to hear what the possible solutions were to solve this but all we were left with was..what do you think? reallllyyyyy. i wasted an hour and a half to hear you ask me what do i think!??? come onnnn...

back to reality. this week were talking about gender roles. whats more to say about that. this society has that set in stone. men know where they stand and women know where they stand. but there are people that choose to defy those roles and do what they choose.

now a days people do what they want regadless of how society used to be. back then who stayed at home and watched the kids? the woman did. who went to work and supplied for the family? the man did. now in some cases you see the man at home with the kids while the woman goes to work. or both the man and woman go to work. since the times are changing so are the people.

personally, i challenge those typical gender roles. i want to a bread winner for my family just as much as my husband will be. i want to be a part of my kids life just as much as any other parent would want to be. i plan to take on all the roles that i possibly can. just because i'm a woman doesn't mean that my path is already paved for me. i will pave my own path.

i'm sure there are many others out there like me. and i'm not saying that those who chose to stay home are bad in any way, i respect that. its just something i wouldnt consider myself doing. well not in the early part of my life at least.

G.O.S.P.E.L

I ran across this video on Facebook. Seeing as though our discussion on Wednesday was about religion I thought this would tie in with that.

i thought it was interesting. i leave you with your thoughts!

#Kony2012

This class is about social justice. Well what I'm about to show is amongst those lines. I came across this video yesterday and I couldn't believe how fast it spread. I'm pretty sure you've heard of this already but if you haven't check it out!!

I first came across the film "invisible children" in high school. I couldn't believe that this guy hadn't been caught yet. So this movement means alot to many people across the world. yes that's right i said the world. It has caught the attention of many and I would love to be apart of it. Me and family and friends are already talking about buying a kit :) and painting the town red with these posters on 4/20. As a social worker this is something that I would love to get my hands on. Maybe many more of you too as well.

I hoped you enjoyed this video and this post!

Have a great spring break! :)

religion

this is another touchy subject. i feel like everyone has their point of views and beliefs as to what religion means to them. personally i don't know where I stand. I mean i believe in god and Jesus and I do believe in what's right and what's wrong. but as far as these certain type of "guidelines" that you have to live and how the churches represent themselves is something that i really don't like.

i was born into a catholic family, just as my parents and grandparents were. but as i was growing up my family's religious views have changed. i am the only one out of my siblings to be baptized by the catholic church. from then on we really didn't practice our Catholicism.Then when i was in elementary school my uncle, my mom's brother, was in a really bad car wreck along with some of my cousins and things changed from there. my uncle started going to a christian church and he liked it. he began to bring us around and for a while me and my family were a part of this christian church. then we started getting these bad vibes as to why we lived the way we lived and were sort of questioned as to our commitment with the church. it just made me, including my family, really uncomfortable so we left. we still attend services here and there but just to hear my uncle speak and that's about it.

i feel like when I'm ready to commit my life to this "religion" than i will. i don't want to do it because i feel like i have too. like i said before i believe in god and jesus. i turn to them just like any other person when i am in need and it gives me a sense of comfort and thats all i need in life at times. i dont need a church telling me what i should and shouldn't do. i rather do it on my own knowing that i can fulfill the same needs just as everyone else.

so i leave you with this verse,

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

=)