WGST305_SP26

 The “pink tax” refers to the tendency for products marketed toward women to cost more than similar products marketed toward men, even when there is little or no difference between the items. Examples include razors, deodorant, clothing, and personal care products that are packaged differently or labeled for women but are often nearly identical to men’s versions. The pink tax highlights how gender can affect consumer experiences and spending habits in everyday life. It also reflects larger issues related to gender inequality, since women are often expected to spend more money to meet beauty and appearance standards created by society and advertising.

In lib Jackson there was the What Were You Wearing exhibit, it was extremely impactful and emotional. Many people often make the assumption that sexual assault happens because of what someone is wearing, especially when clothing is considered “provocative.” However, the outfits displayed proved that this idea is completely false. The clothing shown ranged from sweaty workout clothes and jeans to casual outfits and formal wear, demonstrating that sexual assault is never caused by clothing choices. The display made it clear that rape is about power, control, and the perpetrator’s decision to inflict harm, not about what the victim was wearing. Seeing the wide variety of outfits was heartbreaking because it showed how easily society places blame on victims instead of focusing on the actions of the perpetrator. The exhibit challenged harmful stereotypes and forced people to confront the reality that sexual assault can happen to anyone, regardless of age, style, or circumstance. I think the...

 I don't know about y'all but these gas prices skyrocketting to above $4.00 is crazy with how the economy is. The rise in gas prices has become a major topic in the past couple weeks. While many people joke about the prices increasing online, the issue is causing distress on daily life and the economy. As gas prices are increasing, families and students are having to spend more money on getting to places and less money on entertainment, shopping and travel. The use of social media has also made the increase of gas prices more visible. Many influencers are posting the expensive gas receipts and connect people to share their frustration and connect over shared struggles. I have been watching my gas spending habits a lot more since this whole gas situation has started and try to keep gas in my car so i don't have to spend more money than needed. 

  For my first show and tell, I am presenting my free verse poem titled “Who I Am” which is the second iteration of a free verse poem I submitted to The Rage magazine on-campus. This free verse poem perfectly defines how I feel as a transgender woman not only in the south but in America. It is a constant fight between both sides/communities as they each try to mold me into their ideal trans-woman. I was lost in an endless cycle of toxic psychological, emotional, and verbal abuse that it was to escape from those metaphysical shackles. I did not want to be defined by my exterior. I did not want people to write my life story based on what I am lacking physically. I want people to recognize me for my strength, my journey, my resilience, and everything it took to get me here. Being transgender for me is not just about transitioning, but also transcending.  For my second show and tell, I am presenting a painting I did on a live lily titled “Gentle Warrior.” This idea came from when ...

 The Trump administration is trying to block Minnesota’s climate lawsuit against major oil companies like ExxonMobil, Koch Industries, and the American Petroleum Institute. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison originally filed the lawsuit in 2020, claiming the companies misled the public about climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. The Department of Justice argues that only the federal government, not individual states, has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases and climate policy. Ellison criticized the move, saying the Trump administration is protecting Big Oil instead of the public. This comes as Trump continues pushing for more domestic energy production and rolling back climate regulations, including reversing a major EPA finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health. Trump is also proposing to cut the budget for the national park service to $736 million, which is statistically 95% of national preservation funding. The Courier Newsroom about a week ago sha...

 I’ve seen the Michael movie twice now, and the biggest thing that stuck with me isn’t even the music or performances, it’s how people are still holding onto the idea that Michael Jackson “wanted to be white.” It’s honestly frustrating at this point. The film makes it clear, just like it’s been known for years, that he had Vitiligo, which affects skin pigmentation. That’s not speculation, it’s a medical condition he publicly spoke about. What really gets me is that even after he died, reports confirmed that he did in fact have vitiligo, so it’s not like this is new information or something people can debate. It’s been verified. Yet somehow, people still ignore that and continue pushing the same narrative. At that point, it feels less like a misunderstanding and more like people choosing to believe what they want. Watching the movie just made that more obvious to me. Instead of focusing on his artistry, impact, and everything he contributed, people keep circling back to something th...

The N-word is not just slang, it is rooted in a long history of violence, oppression, and dehumanization of Black people. That context doesn’t disappear simply because it’s said casually, jokingly, or in a song. One of the biggest issues in these situations is the gap between intent and impact. A student might not intend to harm anyone by saying the word, especially if they believe they’re using it in a “non-racist” way. But impact matters more than intent. For many Black students, hearing that word, especially from non-Black peers, can be alienating, uncomfortable, and even traumatizing. It reinforces the idea that their campus may not be as safe or welcoming as it claims to be. There’s also a larger cultural conversation happening here. The normalization of the N-word in music, social media, and pop culture has blurred boundaries for some people. But consuming culture is not the same as having the right to participate in every aspect of it. Just because a word is present in a song do...

  I came across an instagram post recently promoting a restaurant in India called Sheroes' Hangout. I decided to look into the advertisement more and found that what I thought was a regular tourist stop was actually a very important operation set up by the Chhanv Foundation. Sheroes' Hangout is a chain of cafés that exclusively employ women who were victims of acid attacks. Sheroes' Hangout provides these women with stable income and empowerment to seek medical help and justice, while also challenging stigmas.  In "Acid Attacks in India: A Socio-Legal Report", author Vidhik Kumar summarizes that women make up  80% of acid attack victims in India (page 2). Violence against women is a global issue, but these numbers continue to rise in India, making Sheroes' Hangout and similar places critical safe havens for women and minorities.       Kumar, Vidhik. “Acid Attacks in India: A Socio-Legal Report.” Dignity: A Journal on Sexual Exploitation and Violence , ...

  Above is a Tik Tok that came across my feed a few days ago. In the video, a woman shows a compilation of nasty comments she has received after posting a previous video where she called out a very real pattern of men not taking up normal parental responsibilities. Although it is supposed to be a humorous video, it is very effective in showing how deep-rooted patriarchal values continue to affect men, and what tasks they deem "feminine" in nature.  Some of the comments justify violence against women, one even saying "Ofc, our job is to drink beers and smash the empty bottles in your head". This kind of language is what normalizes violent, misogynistic behavior. Another commenter posted, "Dad pays for it, you make it", which further pushes the patriarchal idea that "men are the breadwinners of the household and women are the stay-at-home caretakers". I really like that the creator decided to keep the usernames of the commenters in the video. I am ...

The event I chose to attend was the end-of-year celebration because, unfortunately, my schedule did not align with any of the other events. I really wanted to attend the poetry night because I felt like that was something I would’ve enjoyed, but I had to work, unfortunately. I was a little bit late for the celebration; however, I was still welcomed in with open arms, and I was very excited. They had snacks and drinks, and it was just overall a very nice place. They were giving out things to both the kids graduating and not. Yet what I really enjoyed was that it wasn’t just for women in understudied majors. It was also for minors, which is nice and inclusive as well. Although it wasn’t really structured in like a way where I could write about every single thing that was supposed to happen, I had a really good time. We talked about our experiences, our lives, what the graduates plan to do when they're done, and what they want to use their degrees for, and even just talking about ever...

 This week I’ve decided that I want to talk about something. That’s literally taken over my entire social media. A pretty well-known rapper named Boston Richey has been one of the trending topics this week because a woman he has been known to mess with in the past exposed some texts and pictures of him allegedly being gay. This happens all the time with celebrities, but the more known they are, the more serious the backlashes. For example, I hear Boston Richie all the time in the bars at my friend’s house; we listen to music he’s made. He is normally talking about sex and his songs, but since these allegations have come through on his part, people have been making jokes online, calling him "Bottom Richey" and saying that he’s gay. I also wanted to include that the girl admitted to doing these things with this man since she was 17 years old; she is now 20 years old while Richey is 29 years old. I feel like the media is more mad about him potentially being gay for doing things ...

       I Love Lucy was much more than just a funny show about a lady getting into trouble; it changed the world and how we watch TV today.At the time, TV was very new, and there were strict rules about what you could show. Lucille Ball broke those rules by insisting that her real-life husband, Desi Arnaz, play her TV husband. Because he was from Cuba, they became the first famous "interracial" couple on screen. This helped people become more accepting of different cultures. The show also showed Lucy being pregnant, which was a huge deal back then because people didn't talk about those things on TV.The show also invented the "look" of modern television. They were the first to use three cameras at once and film in front of a live audience so you could hear real laughter. Before Lucy, shows were performed live once and then gone forever. But because Lucy and Desi filmed their episodes, they created reruns. This meant people could watch the same funny moments for ye...

I think it is only fitting, as my last blog post, to give an update from my first week introduction post. When I first introduced myself at the beginning of the semester, I shared that I was in the process of applying to Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs in Technology Education or Art Education. My goal has always been to become a secondary school teacher and help students grow their creative and technical skills through digital arts and media. I am really happy to share an update on that journey because I have been accepted into the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in the MAT program with a concentration in Technology Education for secondary education. This feels like a huge step forward for me and it brings me much closer to my long term goal of becoming a teacher. I am excited and also a little nervous in a good way because I know this program will challenge me to grow, learn new teaching strategies, and better understand how to support different types of learners. I...

 For this blog post, I want to discuss last week's protest songs and my reactions to them. I had to leave early and wanted to share my reactions to the ones I didn't get to see and interact with in class. Doing this, I have listened to the songs and gone through the presentations to give my reactions on all of them. Protest Song: Mental Health  I loved this song, to be honest, I think the lyrics are really impactful and convey a balance between understanding and acknowledging the struggle while also not giving up. For isntance the lyric turn all the noise down inside my head is literally such a specific way to deal and describe with anxiety, and uses that aspect of not only the nervous side of anxiety but basically metaphorically descibe the feeling of being overwhlemed, and then the line I don't need to fix it all is one of the lines that really stuck out to be me mainly becuase it really shows some things are simply just out of your control you wont ever be able to fix ev...