Gender Communications Topics: Advantages/Disadvantages, Labeling, Second and Third-wave Feministis
- Privileges and DisadvantagesDiscussion TopicDue December 28 at 11:59 PMThe author of your textbook talks about privileges and disadvantages that are part of her social location (and standpoint) that she did not earn and explains how they shape how she sees the world. Choose one privilege and one disadvantage that is part of your social location and explain how it shapes how you see the world.
- Labeling of Men and WomenDiscussion TopicDue December 28 at 11:59 PMPopular psychology books often profile the behaviors and characteristics of the “opposite sexes.” Based on your understanding of material from Chapter 1, how would you critique this labeling of men and women? Make sure your answer demonstrates your understanding of essentializing, androgyny, and sex and gender. The framework for the answer to this question may be found throughout Chapter 1.
- Facebook Gender IdentitiesDiscussion TopicFacebook recently added 50 Gender Optionsfor their users to self-identify with. Write a Facebook ‘status’ that explains why Facebook did this. If a friend, family member, or colleague challenged you about this, how would you further explain Facebook’s decision? *Your not obligated to actually post a status to Facebook, this is meant to be a rhetorical status, not an actual one.
- What Does It Mean to Be a Man?Discussion TopicThe author of your textbook notes that “Using the term man to describe Zac Efron, Barack Obama, and Kanye West obscures the very different ways that these three people enact their identities as men” (54). Using queer theory, explain what the author means by this statement. How can there be so much variation in a word like man. How is a label like this seen by queer theorists?
- Second-Wave FeministsDiscussion TopicSome second-wave feminists have criticized the younger generation of third-wave feminists for being too focused on consumerism and lacking a clear central message. Based on the characteristics of the movement described in your textbook, do you think these criticisms are valid? Why or why not? What are the differing motivations behind the two waves that could account for this criticism?
- Third-Wave Feminists and EmpowermentDiscussion Topic
Some third-wave feminists embrace sexiness and femininity as part of being empowered. What is your position on this issue? How would you explain this stance to a first- and/or second-wave feminist?
Traitorous IdentityDiscussion Topic
- Describe what is meant by a traitorous identity. Then, either hypothetically or from your own experience, describe a scenario in which someone performs a traitorous identity. Why do you think this behavior is difficult for some people? Why is it important to perfor
- Men’s Rights MovementDiscussion Topic
The Men’s Rights Movement argues that a number of contemporary policies and practices are discriminatory towards men; moreover, some men’s rights groups argue that feminism is at least partially responsible for the implementation of these practices and policies. Identify one contemporary policy or practice that men’s movements have identified as discriminatory and explain whether or not you agree with that classification.