Difference between revisions of "328--Week 5 Questions/Comments"

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You bring up a good point, Jessica.  You can see the same sort of thing happening with the end of the Civil War, and clerical work.  Like we discussed in class, women took clerical positions while men were away fighting, but soon after the war ended, those who kept their jobs soon learned that their jobs had become "secretarial."  Those who once had the opportunity to move up in the business world while they were clerks soon found themselves stuck in the same place since secretarial work didn't provide much opportunity to elevate.  But I agree, the question is, who decides what makes a position honorable? -Kelly Wuyscik
 
You bring up a good point, Jessica.  You can see the same sort of thing happening with the end of the Civil War, and clerical work.  Like we discussed in class, women took clerical positions while men were away fighting, but soon after the war ended, those who kept their jobs soon learned that their jobs had become "secretarial."  Those who once had the opportunity to move up in the business world while they were clerks soon found themselves stuck in the same place since secretarial work didn't provide much opportunity to elevate.  But I agree, the question is, who decides what makes a position honorable? -Kelly Wuyscik
  
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In reading "The Fair Women, Chicago, 1893" in Modern American Women, I found it interesting how Bertha Palmer is obviously struggling with the conflict between the idealized woman and the reality that many women face. At one point she says that it is the board's "belief that every woman, who is presiding over a happy home, is fulfilling her highest and truest function, and could not be lured from it by temptations offered by factories or studios." And then a few sentences later she talks about how it is only the favored class that can live in these conditions and that the majority of women are living under much poorer conditions. In a way, it seems as though she is still holding those ideals of women, but recognizing that most women cannot live up to them. I guess I'm just wondering how that differs from the rest of the people who simply hold those ideals, and is it even any better to recognize that the majority of women can't live up to the ideals but still hold them anyways? --Katie Nelson
 
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In reading "Speaking Out Against Lynching" in Modern American Women, the thing that struck me most is the obvious double standard that exists between sexual relations that happen between a black man and a white woman in comparison to those that exist between a white man and a black woman. I know that I may be looking at this from a present perspective, but it just strikes me that it is considered rape for a black man to have sex with a white woman, but nothing is said when a white man has sex with a black woman (which happened very often). I think that this double standard brings up issues with both race and gender. It brings up issues with gender because it indicates that white women are incapable of consenting to sexual interactions with a black man (but men can consent to sexual relations with a black woman). And it brings up issues of race because of the differential treatment between the races, and thinking about the likeliness that black women have of being raped. --Katie Nelson
 
  
 
I've decided that Nellie Bly is my new hero.  The way she stood up to her boss and threatened to go to another paper if she weren't allowed to "travel the world in 80 days" was incredible, especially for a woman of her time.  What's even more interesting is how some of the stereotypes she faced still plague women today.  For one, she's "too delicate" since she's a woman and would need protection.  Second, her boss was concerned she'd have too much luggage, and if you think about women today (I know I, myself, am guilty of this) they pack much more than necessary.  She even said herself, "Packing that bag was the most difficult undertaking of my life."  It's just interesting to see the correlation and then quite impressive to see how she overcame gender stereotypes to beat "the man" at his own game.  -Kelly Wuyscik
 
I've decided that Nellie Bly is my new hero.  The way she stood up to her boss and threatened to go to another paper if she weren't allowed to "travel the world in 80 days" was incredible, especially for a woman of her time.  What's even more interesting is how some of the stereotypes she faced still plague women today.  For one, she's "too delicate" since she's a woman and would need protection.  Second, her boss was concerned she'd have too much luggage, and if you think about women today (I know I, myself, am guilty of this) they pack much more than necessary.  She even said herself, "Packing that bag was the most difficult undertaking of my life."  It's just interesting to see the correlation and then quite impressive to see how she overcame gender stereotypes to beat "the man" at his own game.  -Kelly Wuyscik
  
 
Kelly I also agree with you Nellie Bly was an incredible woman, however I find it amazing that she traveled all the way around the world and the most interesting passage this book could print was the one about her packing her carry on bag. I would have liked to hear more about her actual travels. - Landon Davis
 
Kelly I also agree with you Nellie Bly was an incredible woman, however I find it amazing that she traveled all the way around the world and the most interesting passage this book could print was the one about her packing her carry on bag. I would have liked to hear more about her actual travels. - Landon Davis

Revision as of 02:19, 7 February 2008

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