Please take my short & sweet survey!!
If you are not currently enrolled in school (high school or college) and if you are 21 years of age or older – please take my anonymous survey to help with my research for my senior thesis at Christopher Newport University in Communication Studies!
Thank you! & please feel free to pass it along to others!!!
Through out the semester I have learned many gendered concepts in the class room, but this assignment has created an outlet of learning that will last a lifetime. Using the textbook The Gender Communication Connection written by Michael W. and Teri Kwal Gamble, I have found artifacts that link to the concepts found through out the chapters. By using cartoons, news articles, music lyrics, pictures, and my own personal experiences, I have created a blog that identifies many gendered issues in which takes a more in-depth look into the many issues I uncovered.
By studying gender communication I have learned how we “do gender” on a daily basis and how self-concept has influenced the way I see myself and how others view me. I have learned many new theories that I can associate with myself and with others such as Standpoint theory, social-learning and cognitive-development theories. I also have a better understanding of George Mead’s symbolic interaction theory and how others in my life how played roles in developing who I am and who I will eventually become.
I have gained much knowledge on the stereotypes of men and women how the term “spot-lighting” is used. I have learned about patriarchal language and how important non-verbals can be in any type of communication. By analyzing the concepts I have learned, I can now use them in real-life situations and make sense of some of the issues that may arise in my social life on a daily basis. I now have a better understanding of how same-sex and cross-sex relationships occur and why each is extremely important to an individuals identity.
Most of all though, out of this assignment and through out class, I have found myself to be more aware of gendered issues that take place through out the world. Whether it be China’s growing population of male children or the controversial topic of breastfeeding a child, I have increased my global awareness of the affects that these issues cause on the world. The artifacts that I used in this project reflect many of the issues that I am now aware of and I hope they increase awareness to anyone who reads them.
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
I found an article written by ABC News on September 1st, 2007 titled Controversial Breastfeeding Ads Toned Down and it got my attention because of the advertisements used in order to influence women to breastfeed their babies instead of using formula. ABC News writes, “A series of advertisements advocating breastfeeding that you were never meant to see feature inhalers and syringes designed to look like baby bottles accompanied by statistics about the health risks of not breastfeeding.” (ABC News, 1). The image shown above this paragraph represents how the media is portraying the controversial debate and it has many mothers heated.
I personally believe that breastfeeding is more effective for a baby’s health but that does not mean that I believe every woman should breastfeed. That is a decision that every mother can make for themselves. The point is that the media should not be going to the extreme as it went when photos of syringes were released. ABC News reported, “One of the worst things you can do is to force or coerce or cause a woman to breast-feed when she really doesn’t want to, because that’s a recipe for disaster,” said Dr. Myron Peterson, director of medical affairs at the Cato Institute.” (ABC News, 1).
I thought this advertisement was interesting and it portrays how relentless and evil the media can be to prove a point to those who choose to use formula over breastfeeding. According to the textbook written by the Gambles’ titled The Gender Communication Connection. Chapter 13 titled Gender and the Mass Media talks about the effects that media has on people and reads “The media are among our primary learning sources. While society, our parents, teachers, and friends influence us, the media are also influential in determining how we think about our lives and what we think about women and men.” (Gambles’, 351).
ABC News, (2007, September 1). Controversial Breastfeeding Ads Toned Down. Retrieved May 4, 2009, from ABC News: Start Here Web site: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://a.abcnews.com/images/GMA/abc_gma_breastfeeding_070901_mn.jpg&imgrefurl=http://a.abcnews.com/GMA/story%3Fid%3D3549451&usg=__9Lq_D4JKP6QOkksMPCs7dqZ4Sro=&h=240&w=320&sz=15&hl=en&start=26&um=1&tbnid=CtOphx7sTMPweM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcontroversial%2Badvertisements%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20%26um%3D1
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
This is a really interesting image I found about the effects of high heels on women and their bodies. Why do women wear high heels? Personally, I love the way they look and I truly believe that they make my legs look better than flats but why do I succumb to the pain and torture? I not only wear heels because they appeal to me, but I wear them to look fashionable and to appeal to other men and women as well. How come men do not wear high heels? Heels are certainly gendered items in my wardrobe.
According to Chapter 2, Developing Gender Roles and Identities, from the textbook The Gender Communication Connection, written by the Gambles’, “Our culture also feeds our self-concept. What you think you should be doing and saying is supplied, at least in part, from members of your culture.” (Gambles’, 46). Wearing high heels is a culturally accepted norm in the United States and I enjoy wearing heels just as much as the next girl. But by analyzing the chart, many health problems exist when a women continuously wears high heels. Is the beauty worth the pain? In my case, yes.
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
I have noticed and we have also discussed this issue in class, (Gender Communication, Comm 330) about how men and women professors differ in the higher educational environment. According to the textbook The Gender Communication Connection written by the Gambles’, in Chapter 9, Gender Communication in the Classroom, the Gambles’ write “From elementary to graduate school, gender is a force in the lives of students. Far too frequently, females are taken less seriously by instructors, and receive less attention and less encouragement, which causes them to doubt their abilities and leads to declines in their self-confidence.” (Gambles, 255).
I would consider this statement to be true and untrue in many ways. From elementary school, many of my teachers were women, from preschool to middle school. I was taught in a private school setting and rarely ever felt as if I wasn’t being treated fairly. If I had men for teachers though the entire situation could have been completely different, or not. It wasn’t up until the seventh and eight grade where I experienced male teachers and I would sometimes feel as if I wasn’t “as smart as guys” in my class.
In high school things were about the same. I would feel discriminated against because I was a female in many of my classes that had male teachers. I only had one history teacher who seemed to treat everyone fairly and that was based on the amount of effort a student put into his class and how much a student attended class. I always connected better in class with female teachers and always earned better grades in the classes that were taught by females.
In college, I tend to do better in classes that are taught by male professors. Classes with male professors, that I have had so far, don’t seem to be as picky and as structured as the female professors I have had. Male professors that I have had seem more laid back and do not assign as much “busy work” as female professors. Although I do not mind taking classes with either, these are just some of the characteristics of each that I have taken note of through out my academic career.
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
This picture of me, Brittany Dawson and my boyfriend, Andrew Martinez which was taken on February 13th, 2009, which happens to be my birthday! We also celebrated Valentine’s Day on the same day, getting body massages and facials, enjoying a fondue-style dinner at his place. We had a romantic evening and I enjoyed my 22nd birthday very much. Andrew has been a part of my life now for about a year now, not counting the years i’ve known him for, which is about 4. We started dating this time last year and we’ve made it a year so far together. While analyzing the Ten-Stage Model of Romantic Relationships created by Knapp and Vangelisti, taken from the textbook The Gender Communication Connection, written by the Gambles’, Andrew and I go in and out of the different stages.
The ten stages include, “initiating, experimenting, intensifying, integrating, bonding, differentiating, circumscribing, stagnating, avoiding, and terminating.” (Gambles’, 169). Chapter 7 in the textbook talks about romantic relationships and the Ten-Stage Model of Relationships is a good way to understand romantic relationships. From day-to-day Andrew and I may move in and out of the stages, ranging from bonding, to stagnating, and sometimes avoiding if we are mad at each other about something. Usually conflict arises on the weekends, when I work Friday and Saturday nights and he ends up going out with his friends to different bars in the area. Sometimes I just dread when the weekend comes around. For the most part though Andrew and I have a great relationship and hopefully the “terminating” stage is no where in our future.
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
This is a picture of a good friend of mine, Juan Garcia. We have been good friends now for about 4 years and although he is in a relationship, before he even began dating, I was sort of like a mentor to Juan. We have had some great times together, by ourselves and with mutual friends. We have taken vacations together as a group and he’s always been included and invited to go or come wherever we may be. He is such a nice guy and of course I would not ever date him, he has wanted to date me at many points in our friendship. I love Juan because he is a comical guy and also very intelligent, studying to be an engineer, he works at the Newport News Shipyard. He makes me laugh and I provide him with emotional support when he needs advice or feels down about life in general. We have always clicked and my other friends now call him their friend too, just because Juan is such a great guy.
By analyzing the cross-sex relationship that I have with Juan, Chapter 6 from the textbook The Gender Communication Connection written by the Gambles’ can offer some interesting insight into the friendship that we have together. Like I mentioned before, Juan had never dated when he met me. He always asked me for advice when dealing with women and now he has been in a relationship for almost two years with a lovely girl. The Gambles’ write, “Being friends with women allows men the opportunities to spend more time in conversation, to be more free about their emotions and feelings, and, thus, to expand emotionally.” (Gambles’, 155). I find this to be very true, since Juan and I have been friends, he has expanded emotionally and now has what he had been looking for when he met me: a solid relationship with a women. Juan leaned on me for emotional support and I was happy to be a good friend and direct him down the right path.
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
The person in this image is Joe Jehoich and he has been my best guy friend for about 8 years now. Although lately our relationship has been rocky, since we are both in serious relationships, it leaves very little time to catch up and have a tight-knit relationship that we’ve had all these years. He just recently started dating a woman he’s pretty serious about and I am really, really happy for him. We have been friends for quite some time now, but Joe also lives in Virginia Beach, so it makes it hard to see him on a daily basis. Joe and I have have a strong bond and I can talk to him about anything. We have never been romantically involved, although Joe has wanted to date me several times through out our friendship, I have declined. He has dated many of my friends though and I only want happiness for him.
I really love and care about Joe, and his family and people may think it’s odd for a women to have such a close guy friend with no intimacy, but it’s true. Teri Kwal and Michael W. Gamble can offer some insight males and females befriending each other in Chapter 6 of the textbook The Gender Communication Connection which according to the Gambles’ “a primary benefit of cross-sex, non-romantic relationships for women is release through fun.” (Gambles’, 155). I believe in this statement because all Joe and I do when we are together is laugh! I have the best time not worrying about impressing him or wearing the right thing, or looking my best. I just feel free and can say whatever comes to mind without him judging me. The Gambles’ also suggest that “The friendships females have with males are often more action and less intense than the friendships of females and females.” (Gambles’, 155).
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
I love my friends to death and luckily through out my life I have gotten the chance to make friends that so far, have lasted a lifetime. These two pictures above show all of my best friends from the top, left: Becky Domingues, Kimberly Raines, Ashley Joyce, Darlene Messick, and Courtney Sears. As for the second picture starting from the left: Ashley Joyce, Brittany Dawson, Sara Bevins, and Morgan Watters. Although for the most part I have known all of my best friends for about an average of 5 or more years, we have become very close through many different events in our lives that we have shared together and we have created unbreakable bonds. These women have carried me through dark times in my life and have been by my side at the brightest times as well.
Each women has an extraordinary characteristic that attracts and sustains strong friendships with others. For example, Courtney is the best listener and sometimes I swear she knows me better than I know myself. She finishes my sentences and gives me the most valuable advice about circumstances that may happen. Morgan is the person that can clear the clouds away from above your head on a bad day. She always have something witty and funny to say and can ALWAYS make me smile and laugh. Darlene is like a second mother to me because she has watched me grow up into the women I have become today. She’s my best friend as well but because she is older than me by a good amount, therefore she plays that role as a mother figure as well.
Chapter 6, Gender Communication and Friendships from the textbook The Gender Communication Connection written by the Gambles’, talks about women befriending women by taking a close look at same-sex friendships. The Gambles’ write, “Because women are so often uninhibited about sharing their genuine feelings and concerns with each other, they are often able to move beyond competitive barriers. Women offer support for each other during their worst times as well as their best; they will admit weaknesses and faults to each other and will share defeats as well as victories. In short, women dare to be vulnerable with each other.” (Gambles’, 151). What researchers have to offer about same-sex friendships, to me, is very true and insightful.
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
I enjoyed this cartoon which was created to show how women obsess over their body types in order to get the “right fit” and the woman shopping for a bathing suit is noting all of the insecurities that woman have and how a style of a bathing suit can represent different meanings. Swimsuit Semiotics is a perfect representation of women being gendered works in progress and this ties nicely into Chapter 2 from the textbook The Gender Communication Connection written by the Gambles’. The Gambles’ write about concepts such as gender identity and self-concept which “is comprised of everything one thinks and knows about oneself.” (Gambles’, 43).
The women in the cartoon is a middle-aged women and it seems to know her insecurities well by describing all of the types of bathing suits and what their styles may mean. She comes to the conclusion that the bikini is the way less emotionally revealing. While this cartoon suggests how women critique themselves, it also suggests gendered concepts such as self-esteem and self-image as well. The Gambles’ write, “According to researcher Chris Mruk, self-esteem in composed of five dimensions: competence (your beliefs about your ability to be effective), worthiness (your beliefs about the extent to which others value you), cognition (your beliefs about your character and personality), affect (how you evaluate yourself and the feelings generated by this evaluation), and stability or change (which greatly affects your communication with others).” (Gambles’, 44).
Michael W, Teri Kwal, Gamble (2003). The Gender Communication Connection. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
