Blog 2

According to Wikipedia definition body image is: "Body image is a term which may refer to a person's perception of their own physical appearance, or the internal sense of having a body which is interpreted by the brain." I have to agree with the Wiki definition provided, I personally define body image as: how one accepts or perceives themselves and desired portrayal of their own image. The study of body image is important for understanding ourselves, society, and personal and societal influences that affect human development. Body image is important to study, analyze, and reinterpret due to so many changing influences in the world; such as who tells us (female and male) what is seductive, strong, or even nerdy in appearances...society or ourselves?

The waves of feminism not only affected women but men as well. I believe the waves of feminism have helped women come into their own self created spotlight of comfort and success, and reoriented men with who women really are: do women develop because of what men dictate or do men fall in love with women because they are "themselves"?

• The first wave of feminism took place during the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, and was about women obtaining legal rights such as the right to vote.
• The second wave of feminism of the 1960's and 70's addressed legal issues of equality in the workplace, home, and public areas amongst the genders. The second wave also addressed women's right to have reproductive rights.
  
• The third wave of feminism is centered on the issue of women coming into their after most rights have already been fought for. It's based upon a woman's development and success within the 21st century.

Standards of beauty have digressed in my opinion. Women are falling into societal definitions and standards of beauty instead of making the choice by if one prefers comfort over fad or colors over price. We hear the standard for beauty in commercials in things like "blingatude", which is a must for the elementary age, or for the more mature women the fashion/fad is quiet and simple sophistication. A body outlaw is someone who is rebel and comfortable in their skin. Now a days I would nominate Michelle Obama as a body outlaw. She is a strong and influential woman who society always sees confident, empowered, and not phased by her height (taller than the average woman) and build. She empowers women throughout America to seek our goals regardless of how famous, normal, or the stage in life we are.

Introduction

I was introduced to the Women's Studies course by my roommate and my need for an upper division humanities. However, the more and more I read the material and the in class texts the more I realize how much the class is right up my ally of things I am interested in. I believe the most pressing issues occurring in our generation/21st century is the issue of identity loss.

Looking around at the younger generation of adolescents and young children I interact with I sense that they have a need to identify with societal objects or symbols. I remember as a child I only identified with my family, friends, and maybe DJ off of Full House. Now a days I see kids needing to identify with more media models versus the likes of their mothers and literature figures. I remember in junior high I read the poem "Phenomenal Women" by Maya Angelou that spoke volumes to my development as young girl. The poem made me realize as women we will always be facing differences among us; however, confidence develops within one's self when one is very content with the choices, mistakes, and accomplishments in this short life we've been blessed to have.

My expectation in this course is to continue to enjoy and thoroughly partake in the material of the course. I would like to see why are women more confident after the ending of a relationship, what would cause someone to switch religions based on gender issues, how does religious restriction affect gender development, does solicitation of beauty cause lack of development in other areas, and how does body changes in age affect productivity especially when comparred to aged pop culture figures?

Paola