OBJECTIFICATION IN THE MEDIA In today's age, woman are represented in the media as tools to sell products. They serve as bodies that are objects for a product to revolve around and make profit off of. Unfortunately, this is nothing new and humans set the media on this path of sexism as early as 1660, with the first appearance of women on stage. Previously, women were only allowed in the theatre if they were royalty or prostitutes. They were not allowed to act nor watch and this meant that women were represented by men on the stage. Playwrights of the time rarely wrote about explicitly intimate relationships between men and women, as this would mean that two men would have to perform this on stage and this would go against the church. So when the Restoration era gave women the right to act on stage, this paved the way for the first representation of woman in media. This innovation is one that, at face value, took a step towards equality but the truth behind it is that it kickstarted an objectifying culture towards woman. Of course this innovation created great opportunity for woman, but this does not mean that it changed the standards for them and the nature of their treatment in society. With woman now acting in women's roles on stage, it opened up opportunities for scandal and themes of adultery,
and cuckolding became popular amongst playwrights. The rise in the popularity of theatre amongst men increased and along with this, playwrights took more opportunity to describe female characters in erotic detail in juxtaposition to the customs of playwrights in the past that avoided detailed descriptions of woman characters. Older plays were even altered to include such descriptions. Breeches roles also became a game of objectification as woman wearing men's tights revealed the shape of their legs and this was a novelty amongst theatre goers. Playwrights started writing scripts with more risqué scenes than ever before because it guaranteed the sale of tickets and thus gave birth to scenes that included rape and other compromising situations for females. Amongst the exploitive sexuality, certain actresses became the modern definition of famous like Nell Gwyn, the King’s Mistress. You can see how this objectifying culture mutated into the media we have today and how the tolerance for scandal has only grown. We can draw similarities to our modern age in the way we present female models in order to sell products with the way playwrights presented female characters in order to sell tickets. These parallels display the ways in which western culture has and has not changed. This was the beginning of objectification in the media.
i MERITXELL CILLIERS
GENDER BENDING AROUND THE WORLD
Gender Bending has risen up in many forms of media recently, that one could almost argue its relevance when discussing recent trends. We see the appearance of gender bending in the media across the globe to right under our noses. Everywhere from in the mainstream media with the new Dr Who being a female to on at the National Theatre of London with the new Malvolio being played by a women and finally the most recent being in my very own school with the new production of Alice in Wonderland. There are multiple ways in which gender bending can be approached and these methods can ultimately decide whether gender bending perpetuates gender stereotypes or challenges them. In my own experience, I found that initially playing a gender altered character was quite a challenge in my search to characterise the White Rabbit. All versions of the White Rabbit that I knew were male. The White Rabbit was also a very comical character to play and due to social constructs in society, I found it very difficult for a women to be anything close to comical but this mindset was flawed in the simple fact that I was trying to play the character as “female”. I had to ask myself what intrinsically made me a female and how I could apply this to the White Rabbit and then I realised that gender stereotyped mannerisms of how females should act is not what makes me female. The White Rabbit is a female because I was playing The White Rabbit and I identify as female. If I had played the White Rabbit as a male, I would have to adopt stereotypical male characteristics in order to inform the audience of this breeches role. I slowly lead myself on the path of self discovery when I realised that I did not have to conform to social constructs on how a woman “should” act in order to justify the gender swap to the audience. Rather, the audience is challenged to throw away their preconceived ideas of both the White Rabbit and women on the night they watch this show and ultimately this is the beauty in the power that any sort of media has on society. It can change our rigid traditional views on gender as well as it perpetuates them.
MERITXELL CILLIERS
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DO CHILDREN’S MOVIES REALLY SHOW KIDS WHAT GENDER EQUALITY IS? Are gender stereotypes messing with your child? Movies and TV programs both follow outdated concepts about gender stereotypes that have not been addressed and, yet still displayed to children. These stereotypes include: “Boys are smarter than girls” and vice versa, “Certain jobs are meant for men and not for women”, and “Women should be stay-at-home parents.” Think of preschoolers who are just figuring out their masculine or feminine characteristics. The characters they see in TV programs are superheroes with big muscles, and princesses with long hair and slim bodies. These stereotypes usually continue throughout pre-teen, teen and onward as they still worry about their appearance and characteristics. Sometimes that “strong and brave” superhero turns aggressive and hostile, and that “fearful and meek” princess becomes more submissive and weak. For young audiences who take in ideas from the media on how they should act can often lead to harmful conclusions. Disney’s princess movies are a good example of this. Yes most average male bodies are bigger then females. But Disney exaggerates this in an over-the-top way. Kids now grow up thinking that they should be just like that superhero or princes, but don’t live life thinking that they can be anything that they want to be. This is not saying that we should stop our kids from watching TV, but instead, point out to kids the equal value of boys and girls throughout the film and TV programs. Find shows that don’t display gender stereotypes as much, and try to choose shows that embrace of equality and show your kids that this is how 3 life should be.
SPECTRUM Alt-left and Alt-right. I’m sure everyone has heard those terms before or at least seen them. Two completely opposite ends of the spectrum and both equally as bad as the other, although they try to claim otherwise. Alt-right disbelieves in the LGBT community and the feminist movement and tend to spew hateful words or resort to violence to make their statements whereas the Alt-left believe very strongly in the LGBT community and the feminist movement. However, they take it to the point where anyone who does not agree with them is said to hate the LGBT community, or just hate women.
LIHLUMELO BIKWANI Take Jemma Beale as an example of how one false accusation can ruin a life. Beale has been sentenced to 10 years in jail after she accused 15 men of sexually assaulting her or raping her in the span of 3 years. Beale deliberately harmed herself to make her accusations more believable and one of the accused ended up being jailed for 7 years. How can we say we stand for feminism when we don’t stand for the victims of false rape accusations?
I have read many articles about this. “A woman falsely accuses a man of rape.” Suddenly his entire world has been turned upside down. His name, face, address and all his personal details are splashed across the internet but where are hers? Now that all that has to become public knowledge, but his entire life is ruined. How can a woman stand in the court of law, look at a judge and willingly lie to their face, saying that a man has committed a heinous crime against their body when they know 4
2 FEMINIST WOMEN FROM THE PAST WHO AFFECT OUR EVERY-DAY LIFE TODAY. SEEING AS SOUTH AFRICANS CELEBRATE WOMEN IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, AS WELL AS HAVE OUR OWN PUBLIC HOLIDAY DEDICATED TO THEM, I DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT TWO FEMINISTS IN TODAY’S SOCIETY: CHANEL AND GLORIA STEINEM. THESE ARE TWO WOMEN THAT HAVE MADE AN IMPACT, AND CONTINUE HAVE AN INFLUENCE, IN OUR LIVES TODAY. Seeing as South Africans celebrate women in the month of August, as well as have our own public holiday dedicated to them, I decided to take a look at two feminists in today’s society: Chanel and Gloria Steinem. These are two women that have made an impact, and continue have an inBluence, in our lives today. Coco Chanel: Coco Chanel was born in France in 1883. While some women started wearing pants to work during world war one, Chanel made trousers really fashionable. All her clothes were essentially designed for a woman’s freedom – they were not restrictive, they were comfortable and they were practical. All while still being super stylish. Here are some reasons why I think Chanel was a feminist ahead of her time: She started making clothes for women’s bodies instead of men’s
eyes. When she Birst started around 1920, women were still in corsets with big skirts. Women could Binally breathe better and move easier in Chanel, because Chanel adapted men’s styles for women. Chanel owned and ran her own business in a largely male dominated industry. She was even quoted for saying, “The moment I had to choose between the man I loved and my dresses, I chose my dresses.” I think Chanel is inspiring as she changed the way women thought of themselves and how society viewed them. Gloria Steinem: Gloria Steinem was born in 1934, in Toledo, Ohio. Since the late 1960s, Steinem has been an outspoken champion of women's rights. She expressed her feminist views in essays such as "After Black Power, Women's Liberation". 5
In 1971, Steinem joined other feminists, for example Bella Abzug and Betty Friedan to form the National Women's Political Caucus. She also took the lead in launching the pioneering, feminist Ms. magazine. Ms. magazine tackled important topics, including domestic violence. Ms. was the Birst national publication to feature this subject on its cover in 1976. Although, the media questioned her commitment to the feminist movement because of her glamorous image (she was a bunny earlier in her life), I think that this is not important. Steinem clearly made a difference through addressing topics that people did not want to talk about. She had the conBidence to question the norm.
MARIA MELETIADOU
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HOW ADVERTS ARE DEPICTING GENDER ROLES ZOE VAN ROOYEN
Thanks to the technology-filled world we live in today, any information is available to us whenever we need it, and all we have to do to get it, is just tap a few times on one of our many screens. Since the internet and the many social medias are not only used privately, but also commercially, we are exposed to many advertisements, for products or services, on a daily basis. By creating a message in a certain way, advertisements can be used to manipulate the minds, attitudes and opinions of anyone who is exposed to it. We also have the television, radio, magazines, newspaper and even books, subconsciously telling us how our lives should be. These styled messages come in a variety of forms. The first, and most used, advertising trick is stereotyping. People subconsciously slot themselves into certain social groups depending on their personality, career and social standing. This makes the average person highly susceptible to advertisements aimed at, and incorporating, their specific social group. Advertisers can then plan an advertisement in such a way, that it will show how a certain social group definitely cannot go without a certain product or service; and the majority of the time, people believe them. These stereotypes include the “manly-man” and “girly-girl” as well as ones like, “Women cannot drive as well as men.”
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The next form is gender roles. This links closely to stereotyping, as it catagorises groups of people in order to simplify and narrow down the desired target market. These roles can be anything from men being the breadwinner of the household and women being the stay-at-home parent, to nurses being only female and doctors only men. Advertisements also tend to place the female models in the softer and more submissive poses and colours, while the male models are placed in stronger and more dominant positions. However, in today’s society, family models are based on partnership, rather than on patriarchy. Women in South Africa also have more rights and possibilities when choosing their career path, as well as in the workplace than they did as little as eleven years ago, when the Progressive Women’s Movement of South Africa was founded. Now, the question is, can we break these gender roles and stereotypes? For, if we do, then we will see less of these kinds of advertisements around, where they can influence the opinions of our children and
the future of our society. The answer is yes, we can, and companies are already changing their ways. Companies like Dove have created television advertisements aimed at women of all shapes, sizes and colours, without hinting towards a desired body type. This has received great review from viewers, as they say they prefer watching as ad to which they can identify. So, even though commercials are powerful tools that are used to shape the opinions of people all over the world, we should not let that dictate how we feel about ourselves and our lives. Do not be afraid to go against what some peoples’ ideas are, just out of fear of them reacting negatively. No one should be put down for just being themselves.
For more information, visit this website! http://krytyka.org/gender-stereotypes-in-mass-media-case -study-analysis-of-the-gender-stereotyping-phenomenon-i n-tv-commercials/
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BALANCE YOUR CULTURES LIHLUMELO I grew up in a predominantly white neighbourhood, BIKWANI attended a school where I was one of, maybe, 10 African children and where most of my friends happened to be white. I used to be ashamed. I was made to feel shame of how I “talked white” and “acted white.” We are a product of our upbringing and environment so why9
should I feel ashamed of who I overcoming his stereotype, am? but when my family hears me talk English, they whisper I am a coconut. Black on the behind my back talking to my outside and white on the mother about how I’m turning inside. Who are you to decide white and losing myself. how black or how Xhosa I am? I do not live in a mud hut, I do I should not be ridiculed for not have five cows in my who I am. backyard, I do not wear a Trying to balance being a head-wrap everyday, I cannot member of this new speak fluent Xhosa as my generation, but retaining who I parents can, and I do not am, or rather the fully Xhosa know all the traditions of my girl I was meant to be, has people. been one of the most difficult I live in a nice house. I have tasks of my life. no pets. I wear my hair in braids. I speak stuttered Xhosa but perfect English. I know some traditions of amaXhosa. When a Xhosa man speaks good English, he is praised for
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ARE YOU A FEMINIST? TAKE OUR QUIZ TO FIND OUT!
11 MARIA MELETIADOU
1. Do you think women should be economically and socially independent and they shouldn't rely on men to take care of them? A.. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Not sure D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree
IF YOU HAVE SELECTED MOSTLY A, THAT MEANS YOU ARE 100% A FEMINIST
2. Men and women should be held to the same sexual standards. If men can sleep around without judgment, women should be able to as well.
IF YOU HAVE SELECTED MOSTLY B, THAT MEANS YOU ARE 90% A FEMINIST
A. Strongly agree B. Agree C. Not sure D. Disagree E. Strongly disagree 3. A woman should be able to marry and have kids with anyone she wants - including another woman. A. B. C. D. E.
Strongly agree Agree Not sure Disagree Strongly disagree
4. Women should have legal, easy access to all types of birth control including the morning-after pill. A. B. C. D. E.
Strongly agree Agree Not sure Disagree Strongly disagree
5. Men should get shouldn’t get payed more money than woman for the same job. A. B. C. D. E.
Strongly agree Agree Not sure Disagree Strongly disagree
IF YOU HAVE SELECTED MOSTLY C, THEN YOU ARE ON THE FENCE. IF YOU HAVE SELECTED MOSTLY D, THAT MEANS THAT YOU ARE NOT REALLY A FEMINIST AND YOU PREFER MEN TO HAVE THE UPPER HAND. IF YOU SELECTED MOSTLY E, THAT MEANS THAT YOU ARE DEFINITELY NOT A FEMINIST. IN FACT, YOU ARE EVERY FEMINIST'S WORST NIGHTMARE. YOU BELIEVE THAT WOMEN BELONG IN THE KITCHEN.... BAREFOOT AND PREGNANT.
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FEMINISM THEN AND NOW MATTHEW DE WALDER The definition of feminism is said to be equality between men and women. However, in 2017, this is not the case, as feminism has changed a lot over the years. There is known to be four waves of feminism. The first one being created in the early nineteenth century, which was created to open up opportunities for women. The second one being created in the 1960’s and continued on into the 90’s this wave was created to unfold the context of anti - war and civil rights. The third came about in the mid 90’s. This wave created "universal womanhood," body, gender, sexuality and heteronormativity, this was also when words such as “slut” were first introduced. The fourth wave is often known as “for women only” as this wave believes that women should be far more dominant than man. They state it as “It is the men's turn to see how it feels” instead of trying to bring the situation to an equilibrium. Over the years all these different waves of feminism have popped up each time bringing women to a more equal stage that that of a man. But then proceeds to carry on forward to bring women to be more powerful than a man. It is not saying that this a bad thing. But it would be more logical to bring both sides to an equilibrium.
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PINK OR BLUE? ZOE VAN ROOYEN There is the pink side of the shopping aisle, and there is the blue. Should children be allowed to choose? While the pink side is filled with pretend make-up kits and kitchen sets, baby dolls, and Barbie figures, the blue side is stocked with doctor’s kits, toy trucks, builders kits, and action figures, and it definitely is not hard to guess which side is aimed as which gender. But is this right? Young children have the ability to, subconsciously, pick up small details from the society around them. Action figures show young children that men should be strong and muscular, while make-up sets and toy shopping carts show girls
that they should grow up to be the submissive gender. Most children play with toys that were bought for them, not what they choose, meaning that even from young, children are not getting a say in the kind of person they want to become. According to an article from BBC News, children’s toys actually have, to some extent, an effect on the choice of career path the child will pursue later on in life. Children are having a large portion of career options taken away from them as early as three years old, thanks to the kinds of toys given to them to play with. 14
Gender Identities by a Botswana student, Lumbii
How are gender Identities constructed, maintained and challenged in the media? Much of who we are and how we go about our daily lives, hinges on what the media deems acceptable. Advertising is a very powerful tool that can shape our minds and ultimately influence our characters. Through various advertisements, our perceptions of society are shaped. A prime example of this would be any one of the hundreds of washing powder commercials we see on television. In these ads that demonstrate how well a monstrous muddy stain can be removed from a white shirt, a woman is almost always depicted as the person facilitating the washing in her home. This then fuels the age-old idea that a woman is the ‘homemaker’. Think back to when you were younger – what kind of toys did you have? If you are female, the chances that you played with dolls or had some kind of oven are high. This stems from all those pretty-in-pink BABYborn ® adverts that we would see on television. This made girls believe that they were restricted to a life at home. Similarly, young boys were led to believe that only girls play with dolls and secondly, that a female’s purpose in life is solely to look after children. If you are male, it is likely that you had a ball of some sort as well as a fleet of toy cars. As with the previous case, this comes from the advertisements seen on television. Usually, the colour of these toys were blue, green or red – colours that are ‘for boys.’ The other day I was in Spar and I witnessed a little girl begging her mother for a toy truck that she had picked up in one of the aisles, and what followed saddened me. Her mother turned to her and simply said, “uh uh, that’s for boys. Go and pick something else.” Whether this girl’s mother realised it or not, she indirectly connected the synapses in that girl’s
brain and she will now forever associate trucks with boys. This will ultimately limit her from doing things and exploring the greater world because of the many boundaries placed on her. Boikaego was raised by his mother and grandmother. This modern family setting meant that some of the expectations placed on other boys, did not exist for him. When asked what it means to be a man, his response was simple: “I’ve never really felt the pressure to be ‘a man.’ In fact, I don’t really know what that phrase means – I never had a male figure who I looked up to or aspired to be like, so I’ve been doing my own thing since forever. That’s why I’m big on this whole ‘independent thinking’ thing. As for someone who hasn’t had it as good as me, you’ll find that they’re trying to live up to certain expectation - playing a lot of really physical sports to live up to the ‘strong man’ they’re expected to be.” We can learn a lot from his response: because he did not grow up with a “male figure” he never felt pressured to take on ‘male’ sports or an excessive amount of physical activities to please any other male. This is brilliant because in life, you should never do anything to simply please another person. You may do an excellent job at raising your child in a relaxed atmosphere and ensuring that they are not limited by gender identities that already exist but ultimately, they will come into contact with them in some way or the other just as Boikaego did. No matter how hard you try, gender identities still exist and continue to become even more prevalent as time passes. However, knowing that the media, and schools play such a big role in this development, maybe this topic should be stressed at these places to encourage a generation with higher Intelligence and emotional quotients 15
INKSPOT’S REVIEWS ON CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE’S PURPLE HIBISCUS ZOE, HLUMI, MARIA, MERITXELL AND MATTHEW
ZOE
The novel, Purple Hibiscus, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a coming-of-age story following a young girl named Kambili Achike. Kambili lives a privileged life with her mother, father, and brother, Jaja in Nigeria. Her father is praised for being such a dedicated man to the church, yet at home, Kambili’s life is dictated by him and his strict, commanding nature. There are themes of domestic abuse, colonisation, and freedom of speech throughout. In the first chapter, we read how Jaja confronts his father for the first time in Kambili’s life. This shocks the household, and Kambili decides to rather stay out of the argument than to step into her father’s line of fire. We also read how Kambili’s mother stays quiet as well, and watches as her husband throws a book at her son. From this first chapter, we can see who is head of the household, and who is too scared to challenge this. Having a character who is physically abusive and a staunch Catholic, yet extremely generous toward his church and community, adds a gripping spin on the mainstream coming-of-age stories available. When a military coup starts in Nigeria, Kambili and her brother are sent to stay with their Aunty Ifeoma, a teacher at the local university, whose friendliness and laughter open Kambili’s eyes to a more free way of living. 16
In the novel, Kambili grows from being a quiet and submissive girl, working hard to earn the pain from her father that she knows only as love, to a young woman, unafraid to be herself and have opinions of her own. This is a wonderful novel with a gripping storyline, and definitely one recommended to anyone with a love for fiction.
LIHLUMELO Mama, Papa, Jaja and Kambili. The four foremost characters of Chimamanda Ngozi Adicie’s novel “Purple Hibiscus”. She writes of a girl’s coming of age and, whilst this seems to be a recurring theme in books for teenagers, this book is not quite like the others. Kambili is growing up under the rule of her religious but abusive father, alongside her meek and obedient mother, with her silently rebellious older brother, Jaja. This novel takes you through her journey as she comes to terms with who she truly is and how she grows up when placed in an environment where laughter is encouraged, free speech amongst the children is cherished and punishment does not result in a hospital bed with broken bones. Adichie writes this novel in such a way that you feel for Kambili and those around her who suffer under Papa Eugene’s strict regime. Her plight tugs at your heartstrings and you feel for her as she continues to love her father despite everything he does. Adichie showcases that even with the seemingly perfect life Kambili leads in which she has a big house, a nice car and riches – behind closed doors, it is not perfect. She shows us Kambili’s first love for an older man in a way that does not go into the realm of inappropriateness nor take us out of our comfort zone about a relationship that, in theory, is innocent but in reality, is illicit and shows us Kambili’s pain. This also shows her acceptance when she has to separate from Papa Amadi as she leaves Aunty Ifeoma’s and he continues on his missionary missions. Chimamanda has written a truly spectacular and gripping novel that reveals the different aspects of a young girl’s life in a setting where religion and “heathen” culture must find a balance.
MARIA
Kambili lives with her older brother Jaja her mom Beatrice and her father Papa Eugene. Kambili’s father is very strict and he punishes his wife and his children when they do something wrong. The novel begins on Palm Sunday. Jaja refused to go to church and receive communion and Papa Eugene gets angry and he throws a book at Jaja, which hits a shelf and breaks his wife’s favorite figurines. Papa is a prominent figure in Enugu, the place in which the novel is set. He owns several factories and publishes the pro-democracy newspaper, the Standard. 17
I, personally, loved this book and I would recommend it to anyone that loves fiction. It is a very well written book and it is worth reading even twice over! I loved this book so much and felt deeply connected to the characters and story. The way in which the author describes everything, it is almost as though you are experiencing it with the characters. I also liked Adichie's inclusion of Igbo words, explained so that I was never uncertain of their meaning. The story itself was very interesting and moving as it showed the lives of a very religious and rich family in Nigeria from the viewpoint of the young daughter. Originally published: October 2003 Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Original language: English Country: Nigeria Characters: Kambili, Aunty Ifeoma, Father Amadi, Eugene, Chukwuka Achike, Beatrice, Amaka Genres: Novel, Fiction
MERITXELL Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a novel that follows the journey of a young girl, Kambili, as she finds her voice in a strict, oppressive household. When we are introduced to her, she presents herself with a very timid mindset as we see her complex emotions of fear and respect towards her father. Kambili slowly finds her voice when she is first encouraged to speak up at her Aunts house. Kambili’s mindset seems to start out with one objective, to please her father but this all changes throughout the novel when she finds her independence. The story is placed in order of event, before event, after event and then present. This structure provides the reader with a clear window into Kambili’s mindset through out her journey. The book explores themes of colonised consciousness and appearance vs reality which ultimately play a pivotal role in the evolution of Kambili’s mindset on speaking up against her father. When Kambili visits her Aunty Ifeoma, she realises how freely her aunt speaks to her father and slowly begins to adopt the nature that Aunty Ifeoma promotes to her children. Kambili learns of traditional Nigerian culture of which her dad tried to shield her from and this ultimately opens her eyes to a wide world. This realisation is one that evokes emotion and is beautifully conveyed the diction and poetic devices used by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The book provides an emotionally charged story that addresses real issues in Nigerian society after the missionary's took over. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is up for critically thinking about the complex issues that characters like Kambili, Jaja and their parents have to undertake. This novel beautifully explores the racial and religious issues in Nigerian society and ultimately tells a rather advanced coming of age story. 18
MATTHEW TITLE: Purple Hibiscus AUTHOR: Ngozi Adichie GENRE /TYPE OF BOOK: Novel, Fiction YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2003 PUBLISHER: Algonquin Books Kachifo Limited Kwani? Trust (Kenya) THEME: Fiction 1. What could I learn from the book? Colonialism and Nigerian Politics Religion and Belief Family Freedom vs. Tyranny Silence and Speech Violence 2. Setting or Background Enugu, Nigeria 3. Summary of content. Also indicate highlights. The story is narrated by a 15 year old girl, Kambili. She comes from a Catholic family and her father Eugene is very strict. He physically and emotionally abuses Kambili, her mother Beatrice, and her sibling Jaja. Eugene has disowned his own father because he does not follow the same religion as Eugene. Eugene does not let his children go and see their grandfather, as he is scared that they will begin to follow the same religion as Papa - Nnukwu (Eugene's father). Kambili and Jaja visit their Aunty (Aunty Ifeoma) quite frequently, as well as her three children. When the military interferes with their town, Kambili and Jaja are forced to live with Aunty Ifeoma permanently. This is where they start to experience real love and affection. Ifeoma is a professor at a local university. Ifeoma is also a Catholic but her religion is much more relaxed. Because of Ifeoma, they have now let Kambili and Jaja think more independently and let them gain the courage to express their own opinions. Kambili meets a priest called Father Amadi, to whom she becomes very attracted to. Papa - Nnukwu dies in his sleep from sickness. Eugene takes his kids back to Enugu. Amaka give Kambili a painting of Papa - Nnukwu. Eugene finds the painting and beats Kambili severely, and she wakes up the next day in hospital. Eugene is found dead at his desk because Beatrice poisoned him, as she could not take it any longer. The police come to the crime scene and Jaja takes the blame for Eugene's death, so Beatrice will not have to go to prison. Three years later, Kambili and Mama visit Jaja in prison to tell him he will be released soon. Mama has grown withdrawn and rarely speaks. After the visit, Kambili feels hopeful about the future. 19
4. Description of main characters. Kambili Achike Jaja Papa (Eugene Achike) Mama (Beatrice Achike) Aunty Ifeoma Papa - Nnukwu Father Amadi 5. Why I would, or would not, recommend this book: The book always keeps me on my toes, and I always want to know what happens next. Throughout the entire story, my emotions fluctuate; one moment I will be very happy, next I will be extremely angry, and then sad. It isn't a book that you can get easily bored of.
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What Do Swedish Teens Think About Gender In Society?
We sent a survey to a group or teenagers in Sweden regarding Gender Equality. Here are their responses:
What makes a man better equipped to handle decisions for women? (in your opinion) 1. I don't think they are. I believe that everyone should be able make their own decisions. Neither man nor woman should have the right to decide over the other. 2. In my opinion, a man is not better equipped to handle decisions for women. It's every woman's right to make her own decisions. How are false rape accusations handled in Sweden? 1. Often when there is a false rape accusation, the investigation is shut down from lack of evidence, or the "victim" is sentenced due to lying to the police. 2. Rape is considered a serious crime in Sweden, but false rape accusations are considered just as bad. Rape is handled in the same way as any other crime in our legal system. It is, however, often hard to investigate because of the lack of witnesses. I believe that the Swedish legal system is trustworthy, but there are times where innocent men have had their lives taken from them by false rape accusations. When the truth comes out, however, the woman who lied during court is always punished for her crime. Many times, she will end up in prison. Could you argue that biologically it is inherent traits that puts men above women? Give reasons. 1. It could be. If you look backwards in time, the strongest person would lead. The strongest would often be men due to their physical advantage, and
therefor it has become the norm that a man should be in charge. I believe that whoever is in charge should not depend on gender, but a person’s ability to make clever decisions for others. 2. No, not really. There are many different traits for both genders that it's impossible to argue that men would have some traits that no woman have. In Sweden, more and more women choose to become for example fire fighters or police, even though these are considered male-intensive occupations. I believe that most of your traits depend on childhood experiences. Sometimes small boys and girls are treated differently by adults, thus teaching them to act in different ways. I also believe that this was more of a problem before and that the younger, better educated generations of today are more keen to raise their children equally. Why do people believe in equal rights but refuse to label themselves feminists? 1. I think it has a lot to do with the growing society of "extreme feminists" or as called by many "feminaziz". They call themselves feminists not because they strive for equality between men and women, but they believe in oppressing men as "revenge" for what woman have had to go through. This people make others not want to call themselves feminists, because they do not want to be associated with extremists. 2. The idea of feminism was born during the late 1800's, when women demanded new laws, that would give them the same rights as men. In many industrialised countries, feminism has 21
become a concept with many different meanings. If you label yourself as a feminist, you will likely be called a “man hater”. Some women have taken the idea of feminism too far and find sexism in almost everything. These kind of feminist belong to a loud minority, which many people stay away from. Because of this, a lot of people, including myself, refuse to call themselves feminists to avoid misconceptions. Even though we very much believe in gender equality. What forms of gender discrimination can you see around your school? No matter how small. 1. I haven’t noticed much discrimination around my school, but as I am male, I haven’t been exposed to it. Even though I personally don’t notice, I am sure gender discrimination is present. 2. Gender equality is taken very seriously in the Swedish school system. I remember being taught about equal rights even before I entered first grade and any kind of discrimination is heavily forbidden. The most gender discriminating thing I can think of is when immature boys joke about girls being on their periods when they act a bit grumpy. Some people say that teachers favor girls over boys, but I have never experienced this. What masculine stereotypes do you see enforced at your school if any? 1. I’d say they are the usual; some guys "play fighting" and such. 2. I haven’t really thought about stereotypes when it comes to people in my school. I always try my best to see people as different individuals instead of dividing them into groups based on pure judgements. Could you argue against this: Because a woman's brain develops faster than a man's, she is smarter and more mature. 1. It depends on the person, but no, I can’t argue
with science. 2. I think that statement is only partly true. It´s true that the female brain starts developing faster because girls enter puberty earlier than boys. As a result, young girls are generally more mature than boys, and they tend to learn faster. However, the male brain quickly develops and so there should be no difference in adult men and women. Why should a group of men have control over a female's body when they are biologically different and so unable to fully understand the female body? 1. I don't think they should. A woman should be allowed to have full control over herself and body. 2. They shouldn’t. There is only one person who should have the right to make decisions about your body and that is yourself. With regards to the Google Manifesto scandal, do you think Google was justified in firing the man from his job? 1. I don't really have any insight in this situation, so I have nothing to comment about it. 2. I think the man acted wrongly and that his perception of women is not right. He doesn't seem to be a supporter of diversity in the company, thus disagreeing with the values of Google. I believe he can only blame himself for being fired from the company. I think everybody has the right to express their opinions, but by doing so, you have to accept the consequences. Who should pay for the first date? 1. The richer one. 2. I believe the most common thing to do in Sweden is to just split the bill and that's what I would do. Though sometimes, It’s expected that the one asking for the date should pay, no matter if it’s a woman or a man. 22
For more information, visit these websites!
OBJECTIFICATION IN THE MEDIA & GENDER BENDING AROUND THE WORLD by Meritxell Cilliers En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Inigo Jones. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inigo_Jones[Accessed 8 May 2017]. Stagebeauty.net. (2017). Womens Ascent to the Stage. [online] Available at: http://www.stagebeauty.net/th-women.html [Accessed 8 May 2017].
Stanton, S. and Banham, M. (1996). Cambridge paperback guide to theatre. 1st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p.334. Theatrehistory.com. (2017). Restoration Drama. [online] Available at: http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/restoration_drama_001.html [Accessed 8 May 2017]. Theshakespeareblog.com. (2017). Sir William Davenant and adapting Shakespeare, Restoration-style | The Shakespeare blog. Available at: http://theshakespeareblog.com/2013/05/sir-john-davenant-and-adapting-shakespeare-restoration-style/ Women In Restoration Theatre. (2017). Women In Restoration Theatre. [online] Available at: https://restorationtheater.wordpress.com/ [Accessed 8 May 2017]. .......................................................................................................................................................................
DO CHILDREN’S MOVIES REALLY SHOW KIDS WHAT GENDER EQUALITY IS? by Mathew De Walder www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/gender-stereotypes-are-messing-with-your-kid# time.com/3667700/frozen-brave-disney-princesses-heros-and-sexism/ ....................................................................................................................................................................... FEMINISM THEN AND NOW by Mathew De Walder https://www.pacificu.edu/about-us/news-events/four-waves-feminism ....................................................................................................................................................................... PINK OR BLUE by Zoë Van Rooyen http://living.thebump.com/childrens-toys-affect-gender-roles-17763.html GIRLS FOR A CHANGE - Coco Chanel, Gloria Steinem by Maria Meletiadou http://fourfeetnine.com/2015/09/27/was-coco-chanel-a-feminist/ https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2016/feb/24/top-10-amazing-facts-you-didnt-know-abo ut-coco-chanel http://www.biographyonline.net/artists/coco-chanel.html
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https://www.biography.com/people/gloria-steinem-9493491 http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/gloria-steinem http://www.feminist.com/gloriasteinem/ .................................................................................................................................... QUIZ by Maria Meletiadou https://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicamassa1/how-much-of-a-feminist-are-you?utm_term= .ud76WgpNZ#.wp7zOjNv9 http://www.quizony.com/how-much-of-a-feminist-are-you/index.html https://uquiz.com/oacGI0/are-you-feminist-or-sexist .................................................................................................................................... HOW ADVERTS ARE DEPICTING GENDER ROLES by Zoë Van Rooyen http://krytyka.org/gender-stereotypes-in-mass-media-case-study-analysis-of-the-gende r-stereotyping-phenomenon-in-tv-commercials/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-lantagne/gender-roles-media_b_5326199.html http://krytyka.org/gender-stereotypes-in-mass-media-case-study-analysis-of-the-gende r-stereotyping-phenomenon-in-tv-commercials/ https://www1.udel.edu/comm245/readings/GenderedMedia.pdf .................................................................................................................................... SPECTRUM by Lihlumelo Bikwani En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Antifa (United States). [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifa_(United_States) [Accessed 10 Aug. 2017]. En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Far-right politics. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far-right_politics [Accessed 11 Aug. 2017]. En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Left-wing politics. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-wing_politics [Accessed 12 Aug. 2017]. It's Going Down. (2017). What Do U.S. Anti-Fascists Actually Believe? A Reply to “On Antifa: Some Critical Notes” - It's Going Down. [online] Available at: https://itsgoingdown.org/u-s-antifascists-actually-believe-reply-antifa-critical-notes/ [Accessed 11 Aug. 2017]. Laar, J. (2017). Boston Strong? Antifa Thugs Assault Flag-Waving Woman. [online] Townhall. Available at: https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jennifervanlaar/2017/08/19/boston-strong-antifa-thugs-as sault-flagwaving-woman-n2370834 [Accessed 12 Aug. 2017]. Massey, N. (2017). Woman jailed for 10 years for making series of false rape claims. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/woman-false-rape-claims-series-jailed-lo ndon-jemma-beale-a7911486.html [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017]. xxiv Magazine by Zoe Van Rooyen at inkspot studios