It's My Money and I Want It Now!

- Why is it that women don't receive as much of a pay then men do? Is it not 2015 ? Are we not equal or seen as equal to men? Here's a little fun fact. Did you know that there is a wage gap? A wage gap is, by google term, a perecentage and is calculated by dividing the median annual earrings for women by the median annual earrings for men. In other words how much more a man makes compared to a woman. Another fun fact for you ! Did you know that white women make 78 cents to a man's dollar in the U. S. , black women make 64 cents to a mans dollar and Latina women make 54 cents. Sad and unfair right. Not to mention how much you make if your  transgender or gay you would make less than that 78 cents. To give a personal feel on things Patricia Arquette in this years Oscar awards also talked about how women have a terrible wage gap in Hollywood,California.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-EmDy3w1X8 

Personally I believe this is an unfair thing to have in one of the richest countries in the world. Women should not be paid so little. If a man and woman are doing the exact same job they should be paid an equal amount of income. This is a perfect example of how women are infearior to men in the work place. As women we already have to work twice as hard to be financially stable. Women have more needs than a man. We have to spend money on femini products, hair care products, make up , heels, ect. News flash U.S. government it isn't easy to be this beautiful with out any money in our pockets.

   Not only does this gap affect single women it also affects single mothers more. According to an article by Megan Hagist "Single Moms fall into the Gender Pay Gap" sixty-three percent of unmarried women ( who make up roughly half of all women in the U.S.) are unemployed , three fourths of the nations unmarried women are living in poverty and 60 percent are living without health insurance. Why?! Because women today are working low- wage jobs inadequate for supporting themselves, and let alone a family. My question to you is by the time we are in the "real" world and working do you think the wage gap will be filled or even better do you think it will still exist? 

The Women in Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is a HBO series that started a few years ago, I recently binged watched all forty hours of it, in a week. In the series, there is a standard that women should be submissive and follow their lord or king. There are a few women you can not help but love, they refuse to fit the norm. You can not help but notice them. The majority of women (expect for a handful or two) follow and fully accept these rules set by the community, two character in particular stand out to me as  strong and powerful females. They go get against what is expected of them from the beginning. They both come from noble families or at least at time their family was noble, which is way they stand out to me so much.

Arya Stark of House Stark

Arya at the beginning of the series. (season 1)
http://www.tvfanatic.com/gallery/shows/game-of-thrones/

The first one is Arya Stark, she is only nine and refuse to learn how to knit and sew instead begins to learn how to use a sword, and other weaponry.  Her father is beheaded by King Jeffery and while her older, more submissive sister Sansa was to marry the king and never rebel, Arya escaped. She has the full spotlight on her. The king has knights chasing her and trying to retrieve her. She cut her hair off with a sword and dressed as a boy, killed a little fat man child that was trying to return her to the king, so should could be used as leverage against her brother and mother. She is mature and strong, she watches countless of her family members died and remains sane. This includes her brother Lord Robb Stark of House Stark and her mother Lady Catelyn Stark of House Tully. She also saves the lives of people she meets along the way including motherless (bastards) boys, GROWN MEN and even knights. Arya defines what the lords want their sons to be like and has the heart of any great knight. She is able to survive without any family or friends, and rejects the noble family she was born into, in order to protect herself. She learn how to fight because her father taught her. This was not the case for any other females. It took her ten years before the father got her a teacher and that was without the mother or anyone else knowing. While the boys being learning at four. She has extreme determination and is a great example of someone who has to prove herself to every single person she meets. 

Arya fighting off the king's knights!(season 4) 
http://jezebel.com/arya-stark-will-get-a-glam-yet-practical-new-look-on-1672765025

Arya Stark: To Bend or to Break?

In the article above they said  "However, the strongest point of Arya’s narrative lies in the fact that throwing aside all girlish expectations is not an easy, or favorable, experience" This true in our society as well. We have standards and expectations shown to us growing up and it is hard completely turn away from it. As much as some of us get very angry over stereotypes, we have all fallen into one or another at a point it our lives. Somethings you can't help but do. Not everyone wants to marry or have children and that is completely fine but that would never stop the people around you from asking "What's wrong with you? Or aren't you scared of being alone?" As much as these questions anger us, we can't really blame the people saying it. They were raise with that mentality and also think that a women's job is to get married, have children, and stay at home to care for them. I seem to forget that a lot and always get really angry, it is not an excuse for the oppression of women but it is a possible reason why some women don't see what is wrong with it. The article is about Arya and how she wants to be something in life and make a difference. It goes on to say that in this society or world you as a women can move pass what you are expected to do. It resembles our society. We still live in a male dominated world and although we can achieve more, we still have a limit. There has never been a women president and men still get paid more. It is a terrible thing but gender equality is hard to achieve in a men's world.

Daenerys Stormborn of the Old Dynasty House Targaryen, Khaleesi, and Mother of Dragons

Khal Drogo and Khaleesi Daenerys a few weeks after
their marriage (season 1)
https://www.pinterest.com/dmaciag/game-of-thrones/

Another awesome women is Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. Her family was banished after her father was beheaded by the mad king and her mother died giving birth to her while they fled the seven kingdoms. Her brother who was eight and vividly remembers the seven kingdoms, and the last of his house blames her for the mother's death. He hits and abuse her for thirteen years and after he sells her off to the Khal Drogo of the Dothraki People. She ends up receiving dragon eggs as a gift on her wedding day. On her husband's funeral she stands in the fire with them. When everyone returns to the burial cite, she rise with three dragons in her arms. She trains and has the only dragons to exist in the last thousand years. She constantly stands up to men and takes both they're land, and frees their slaves. There is no doubt that she has grown in a strong, dominant character. She has three growing dragons, controls a nation of people, and has tens of thousands of loyal free soldiers. This is more power, control or army any women has seen thus far. She also said that "they are her children. The only children she will ever have." She is referring to the dragons and yet again she is defining two standards, she is refusing to get married to a lord and she is not going to have children. The article is not direct about her but has a lot of truth that applies to her as well. She was abused, consistently moving around and still is able to rise up and take control.

Dany and her dragon taking over another city! (season 4)

http://www.bustle.com/articles/20030-what-did-game-of-thrones-daenerys-name-her-dragons-get-to-know-the-beasts-before-season

The most important part of both these character is that they have overcome customs and rules that were in place for thousands and thousands of years. They show that determination and strengthen can lead to huge success and strides in there career choice. Arya wants to be someone that makes a difference and Daenerys wants to sit on the Iron Throne and take back what is rightfully hers. In a sense we face the same oppression, not as extreme but the odds are against us and we have certain expectations to meet as a woman. It is harder for women to obtain certain jobs and get the same level of respect as a man would.

#It's On Us to stop Domestic Violence

On Sunday night many of us were probably doing last minute homework and watching the Grammys. We were interested to see some of the most talented artist get recognized. During the Grammy’s this year President Obama gave a message about domestic violence. He said “It’s on us to stop domestic violence and sexual assault.” He explained how we should take a pledge to see how we can help stop this problem. Seeing the artist that we look up to take the pledge will help others want to take the pledge too.



https://openclipart.org/image/300px/svg_to_png/48937/trophy.png

What is domestic violence/ abuse? Domestic abuse is when a spouse or partner wants control over the other in a relationship or marriage. Domestic violence is domestic abuse but also includes physical violence. You can abuse the person not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. Domestic violence and abuse is an issue that is usually overlooked. I feel as though people don’t focus on domestic violence unless something tragic has happened. In class we talked about how back in colonial times there was no such thing as rape in a marriage. The man had the right to control the woman's body. That’s totally crazy. A women shouldn't have to have sex whenever the man wants to have it.



http://www.voicesempowered.org/images/ip_cycleofabuse.jpg





Some people can’t notice signs of being in a abusive relationship and sometimes people confuse or assume certain relationships as being abusive. 50 shades of grey is a book/movie that many people have been talking about. The question that many people have been questioning is does it promote domestic violence?

An article written by BreitBart strongly believes that this movie/book promotes domestic violence. They believe that "Christian puts Ana under contract to serve as a sexual 'submissive' and uses intimidation, coercion, humiliation, violence, stalking, manipulation, jealousy, and other controlling behaviors to groom Ana and keep her under his domination." There is a petition going around to stop and disapprove the movie. They want women to share their stories and for people to make donations to women's shelters, its called 50 dollars not 50 shades. Do you think that the book or movie promotes domestic violence why or why not? Would you take the pledge? Do you feel as though people overlook the situation? What other ways do you think domestic violence can be stopped? Are there other ways to make people aware about this?

http://pixabay.com/p-358143/?no_redirect

I personally didn't read 50 Shades of Grey so I wouldn't be able to say whether or not the book/movie promotes domestic violence. I feel as though it shouldn't take a petition to make people share their domestic violence stories and ask for donations for the women's shelters. It should be done out of the goodness of a person's heart not because they want to disapprove a book/movie. I would take the pledge to end it, it takes one person to make a difference in the world. The issue should be recognized more often because then people will be aware of it. Having raising awareness for domestic violence days in school, or having someone who has been through that situation come talk to students at school can be ways to make people more aware.
 

 



http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/US_Army_52593_T-shirt_logo_aimed_at_increasing_domestic_violence_awareness.jpg

Live Your Life...

http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2013/06/asia/gender-equality
-in-the-holy-quran-in-the-beginning-man-and-woman-were-equal-2

Everywhere you look you will see women constantly being put down and belittled. You would think that as times changed things would too but for women things have not really changed. Men are viewed as the “dominant” and “powerful” gender.  Even when we think of God we think of God as a He.  Why can’t God be a She? Females are as equal and powerful as men.  Without women men would not be in this world.  Society has such a great influence on the double standards between men and women. As discussed in class on Wednesday, females are meant to be "feminine" while males are meant to be "masculine." Why can't girls do things that guys do? We are all humans, the only thing that differentiates us is our reproductive parts which can be changed with surgery so basically we are all the same if you ask me. These double standard mindsets are often placed in our heads from birth.  

Many of us may have been put down at one point in our life for being a female. When we were born we did not really have a choice or say of what we wanted, our parents normally would have picked for us. Little girls were meant to have a doll and a doll house to practice being a housewife in the future while little boys got action figures and trucks to make them “tough” and “manly.” When growing up, most of your parents either got you the typical doll house along with a doll to play with or if you were lucky you got to choose what you wanted. Some parents fed into these double standards while other did not.  

When growing up I was never fond of playing with dolls yet alone owning one.  Family members would always buy me dolls but I would always dismember them; I was a evil child. I was that little girl that was always into cars and would always find myself playing with the boys as opposed to the girls.  When I moved to America I started a little car collection and I still have some of them to this day. My parents have always let me choose what I wanted, they never forced anything upon me. Whenever I would go to the store I would always have to get a new toy car.  As I got older I found myself always hanging out with all the guys because I related more to them.

http://seecatecreate.com/diy-rosie-the-riveter-
photo-shoot-we-can-do-it-poster/

Society often label girls who hang out with a lot of guys as a hoe.  That is not always necessarily true. I do not see why it is not okay for girls to hang out with guys without being labeled a hoe.  I was always that little tomboy in my family and I continue to be that tomboy.  I am the son my parents never had but always wanted; according to my sister my boy name is Leo.  Whenever my dad needs help fixing something whether it be with the car or house I'm always there to help. Who says a girl cannot do things a guy does? I am living proof that a girl is as equal as a guy.  Despite always doing my hair and all the lipstick I wear I will always be a tomboy.  I just happen to care about how I look. 

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/k/kettles.asp

       Society frowns upon females who take on male roles and quite frankly I could care less because it is my life and I do what my heart desires.  Females should not let society tell them what they are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do.  You make the decisions for your life not society.  Females run the world, without us no one would be here. Never let anyone stop you doing from what you want to do.