Progress But Not Perfection by https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f Emily Safier en-us 2021-04-21 00:04:27 UTC 2024-06-09 19:52:48 UTC hello@padlet.com Barbie Doll- Marge Piercy safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1446672900 This poem from 1971 perfectly depicts the feelings of women of all ages in society today. Once you hit the age where your body starts changing, girls will often feel pressured by society’s beauty standards to find something about their physical appearance they want to change. This poem talks about how the author has all of these amazing qualities:  being strong, healthy, and intelligent, but yet none of that matters to her because her nose and legs were too big for her (in reality, for society’s beauty standards). I think it is also interesting to note that her discomfort with her nose could very well play into her Jewish identity since Jewish people are often stereotyped as having bigger noses. Later in the poem, she wrote about how she cut off her nose and legs, referring to how society’s standards of beauty are physically impossible to meet, but yet women will do anything to try and reach these standards. The last few lines, “Doesn’t she look pretty? everyone asked... To every woman a happy ending,” perfectly illustrates how aspiring for beauty is the ultimate goal for women because society demonstrates time and time again that that is a woman’s ultimate purpose:  to be beautiful. ]]> 2021-04-22 11:28:22 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1446672900 Melody: Back, 2011 safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1446685419 This photograph taken by Mickalene Thomas does a beautiful job at capturing the realistic female body. A huge issue in our society today, especially with social media taking over like never before, is this unrealistic standard of beauty. Society sets this very narrow range that is considered beautiful and if you are too dark, too light, too skinny, too big, etc., society does not view you as beautiful. This picture does a great job at showing that beauty does come in all shapes and sizes, and you don’t need to fit into society’s mold of beauty to show off and model your body and feel confident in who you are.]]> 2021-04-22 11:33:17 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1446685419 What Trans Men See That Women Don’t safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1446700898 This article, although it was read earlier in the semester, really stuck with me. I was fascinated with how these men had experienced being physically male and female, so were able to see some huge differences in how they were treated by others when they were male vs when they were female. The section I found most interesting was their experiences in the work place. These men talked about how they felt that their mistakes as a man went unnoticed and their successes were actually amplified. This is just one example that shows how women have to work so much harder to get their ideas in the workplace heard and acknowledged by their male counterparts. One quote I found in the article that really summed it all up for me was “as a man you’re assumed to be competent unless proven otherwise, whereas as a women you’re presumed to be incompetent unless proven otherwise.” This just shows how women already start off in the workplace at a disadvantage in comparison to men.]]> 2021-04-22 11:39:02 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1446700898 Neurosexism: the myth that men and women have different brains safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1446706955 This article really stayed with me throughout the semester because I feel like it is a huge myth that we are told that actually benefits males. Often, when men do something like start fights and yell at others, people will make the excuse of “boys will be boys” and contribute it to how they have different brains but in reality, this is extremely false. This just gives men another one up in society by giving them an out for a mistake that a woman can’t use in the same argument. One quote that stood out to me was “the brain is no more gendered than the liver or kidneys or heart.” This really shows how there is no difference, yet people perpetuate this idea in society to once again benefit men and hinder women.]]> 2021-04-22 11:41:19 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1446706955 “That’s the problem. We let people say stuff, and they say it so much that it becomes okay to them and normal for us. What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?” - Angie Thomas, the hate u give pg 252 safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1448943671 This quote really resonates with where we are as a society right now. For some astonishing reason, people consider it acceptable to use extremely derogatory terms just because they hear others use it, and because our society is attempting to normalize some of those horrific terms that have been used for hate throughout centuries. I think that, just like the author said, we should be using our voices for good and not to just hurt others. I think it is important to add that even if it isn’t your group or your people being discriminated against, it is still so important to stand up for others especially if you stand in a position of privilege. Using your privilege for good, and not wasting it by spewing useless, horrific words that can only harm people needs to be the goal.]]> 2021-04-22 18:55:02 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1448943671 “There are things that can only be understood retrospectively, when many years have passed and the story has ended. In the meantime, while the story continues, the only thing to do is tell it over and over again as it develops, bifurcated, knots around itself. And it must be told, because before anything can be understood, it has to be narrated many times, in many different words and from many different angles, by many different minds.” -Valeria Luiselli, Tell Me How It Ends An Essay In Forty Questions, pg 96-97 safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1449155572 This quote quite honestly perfectly describe the purpose of learning about history. Although often people say “history is so boring and repetitive” and even if that is true the repetitive part is what is important. We hope that if we keep telling stories about the Holocaust, slavery, etc. people will start to see how horrible these things are and how we need to take action to prevent the bad moments in history and encourage the positive moments in history. Clearly since there is still so much hate in this country, I think it is now more important than ever to tell these stories and educate people to prevent tragedies. ]]> 2021-04-22 19:46:15 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1449155572 “In line at the drugstore it’s finally your turn, and then it’s not as he walks in front of you and puts his things on the counter. The cashier says, Sir, she was next. When he turns to you he is truly surprised. Oh my God, I didn’t see you. You must be in a hurry, you offer. No, no, no, I really didn’t see you.” - Claudia Rankine, Citizen: An American Lyric, pg 77 safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1449175872 After reading Citizen, this one quote constantly remained in my memory because I was able to relate with it so much. So often women, unless they are “gorgeous” ( by society’s standard, of course ) will be quite literally overlooked and forgotten about like we are seeing here in the quote. I think it is so important to recognize and respect everyone’s presence, regardless of how they look and dress, but to see them for who they really are. People often forget about what is on the inside and only look at external aspects in order to make judgments of a person. I would hope that sometime in the near future we can get to a place where people won’t just be ignored, and everyone will be seen as a human being with respect and dignity, so that people won’t feel invisible like they do in our society today. ]]> 2021-04-22 19:51:43 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1449175872 Lesley Gore- You Don’t Own Me safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1454686679 This song, although more than 50 years old, is still well known and often played due to the pure empowerment of women that it portrays through the lyrics. It is really saying how she is her own woman and no man is going to tell her what to do just because he is a man. She also talks about how she doesn’t want to be treated like an object or a trophy, and that she is a real person and has the simple demand of being treated like one. Not only is this song so empowering in 2020, but the fact that she wrote it in the 60s shows how even more of a badass she really is. ]]> 2021-04-24 14:17:55 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1454686679 Lizzo- Good As Hell safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1454699292 One of Lizzo’s top hits “Good as Hell” has been featured at award shows, has made it to the top of the Billboard Charts, and so much more. Not only does it have a great beat and melody, but what makes me really love it is the lyrics and the depth of them that empower women. One particular lyric that stood out to me was “if he don’t love you anymore, just walk your fine ass out the door.” This shows women that they don’t need anyone other than themselves, especially if someone doesn’t give them the respect they deserve. It also shows that you can love yourself no matter who tells that you shouldn’t, and I think that is an extremely important message to spread to our youth today. To tell young people that they don’t need to have their lives depend on a significant other, but that they need to focus on themselves is an incredibly important sentiment.  ]]> 2021-04-24 14:27:23 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1454699292 We Can Do It! safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1454713993 Rosie the Riviter although well known, should not go unnoticed in the women’s movement in our society. The “We Can Do It!” art by J. Howard Miller was created for propoganda purposes during World War II, but there was no way he could understand the impact it would have on generations to come. This was a symbol for women who were used to working in the home to illustrate that they could go into the workforce and do the same jobs as men. This really allowed for women to do the same jobs that men were and showed them how strong and powerful women are. Although there are still many issues in the workplace when comparing men and women’s experiences, I don’t believe that we as a country would be where we are today without this empowering art to women all across America.]]> 2021-04-24 14:38:37 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1454713993 Jane Sojka - Empowering Women Benefits Everyone safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1454787362 This TED talk focused on how women are more likely to fear failure, so we need to teach them confidence more than males, but this isn’t the main thing that stood out to me. What stood out to me was how she didn’t blame the reasons on men and didn’t think that we should blame men for problems that women have like fearing failure and being less resilient. Sometimes we will see people who claim to be feminists treat men poorly and blame things on them, just like men sometimes do to women. I feel like it is important to empower women without degrading men because we want to support everyone, it shouldn’t be a society where one group needs to put another down in order to succeed. At the end, she mentions that it shouldn’t be us vs them but should be about working together to build each other up, and I feel like that’s a very important aspect that sometimes people forget because they think we have to choose but in reality we can all work together to help and benefit everyone. ]]> 2021-04-24 15:36:47 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1454787362 Welcome safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1456753254 Throughout history, one of the ongoing fights has been for women’s rights and equality. Women have shifted so drastically throughout history in their roles in society. They have shifted from solely being housewives to having the opportunity to be the CEO’s of companies and being in charge of thousands of men. Although this is quite an impressive shift in women’s roles and power in society, we still often receive the short end of the stick. Even though we have made a huge shift hundreds of years later, there is still a major pay gap and discrimination in the work place which severely impacts a woman’s ability to do her job, just because men see her as less then because of her gender. Additionally, women do have a much larger say about how they are represented in the media, but they are still often seen as sex objects or a prize as opposed to a capable, intelligent person just like how any man would be shown in the media. These are just a few examples that show how women have progressed, but we are still nowhere near true equality. Throughout this exhibition, the artifacts will represent the various aspects of how we have progressed in some aspects, but how we have almost regressed in others. ]]> 2021-04-25 18:26:53 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1456753254 legacy - Rupi Kaur safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1456760918 Rupi Kaur, a young poet, received mass popularity from her book Milk and Honey (2014). I personally love her poems because I feel as though they send such powerful messages in so few words, which in my opinion is an amazing talent. This poem specifically stood out to me because she captures female success while noticing how our country still fails women. She expressed how she is truly so grateful be able to do what she wants as a woman today because so many women before her fought with their lives for us to have the life that they only dreamed of. She then discussed how although she is grateful, she wants to do more so that the women to come after her can do things she cannot but wish to do. This captures so perfectly how we have come so far, but yet there is much more to do so that one day being a female will not be seen as being a part of an oppressed group, but as an equal group to their male counterparts.]]> 2021-04-25 18:31:01 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1456760918 Nameless Pain by Elizabeth Drew Barstow Stoddard safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1475616160 When looking through the Poetry Foundation website, this poem really resonated with me. This poem spoke about how so often women feel that their only roles in society are being a wife and a mother, but cannot explore anything other than that. They feel stuck in an ongoing cycle of the same things with no changes in their lives whatsoever. As a woman, she feels like she has no power and no role in society other than caring for her family. This takes a huge toll on someone’s self worth:  living in a society where women are made to feel inferior and powerless, it is difficult to escape these thoughts. This poem resonates with me because, often in society, women feel useless unless they are actively in the “caregiver role”, but yet men have no issue exploring and ultimately finding their role in society without caring for others. The final lines in the poem, “I still should pine if any other lots were mine” connects back to our foundational theme of how no matter how much progress women have made, we can’t be complacent because we still have so much further to go. ]]> 2021-04-29 19:34:47 UTC https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1475616160 Progress, But For Who? safiee07 https://padlet.com/safiee07/5fsq1lhao36kz84f/wish/1480888921 I was having a conversation with a friend and they were talking about the idea of “breaking the glass ceiling” and I was immediately inspired to incorporate it into my piece. Ultimately, what I decided to do was incorporate a simple but yet meaningful crack in the glass mirror. This is meant to represent the glass ceiling, and how in society, I feel as though women have cracked the glass ceiling, but have not actually broken through as the common stereotype suggests. This correlates back to my final project since my major theme is that women in society have experienced a lot of progress towards equality, but yet there are still so many more steps to go. The glass ceiling might be broken through for White wealthy women for example, but for low income, or women of color, they are not experiencing that same level of progress. Connecting this back to the quote, we as women need to work together and recognize that progress for some is not enough, and we must build up all women in order to truly break through the glass ceiling. Although the cracked mirror has a simplistic look, I feel as though it is a conceptual and meaningful way to express the core ideas of my final project, which in my opinion is what is most important about art. Throughout this entire project, I have learned just how hard it is schedule time to be creative and actually come up with an interesting concept. This idea presented itself in an organic, natural way and I felt immediately inspired which I hope is communicated to my audience.
 
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