Week 4 Activism Post

Activism:  This week I had another big sister meeting, and this week the theme that we were covering was body image. We did multiple activities where we had to describe the positive and negative attributes of magazine ads, and we also had to name our favorite body parts and describe why we felt that way. I’ve had continual contact with my little sister, and she’s currently battling a cold and preparing for chorus try- outs. We also learned some effective ways to ask open ended questions, as a way of getting the girls to express their feelings about body image. Next week to effectively handle body image with the girls we can let them know that it’s ok to feel how they feel, and by providing them reassurance that they are great girls and are beautiful inside and out. We should also discuss the impact that body image has on the girls day to day lives in school as well as home. The big sisters should provide advice on how to combat negative body image issues that they face or that are around them.

Reflection:  In class the unit we discussed was Women, Work, and Family, and honestly I saw no obvious connection to that and body image. The unit mainly dealt with family, work, women, and the unencumbered worker. The thing I would say is that the situation of women and the unencumbered worker is a sad one, women are told to reach for the stars, and that they can be anyone they want to be, and indeed they can as long as they are unencumbered. But, as soon as they make the decision to have a family their potential net worth drops and they lose hundreds of thousands over the course of a lifetime (Kirk, 2010). I believe my community partner is definitely against this capitalist way of thinking, and that’s why there are programs to keep girls in school. The impact this course and my service learning in YWLP is having on me is remarkable. I see so many things wrong with the system and so many ideas that need to be revaluated, I strive even harder to encourage my little sister that she can accomplish anything, that her mind is one of her best assets, and that she is a strong girl, and should be treated with respect and as an equal.

Reciprocity: Personally, I’m gaining much more respective for the next generation. These pre-teens are wise beyond their years, and house a wealth of knowledge that those around them take for granted. I see that they are girls with goals, dreams and a purpose. They are the future, and after being involved with this program I feel comfortable that one day I may be working side by side with them. They are truly amazing little girls. From a feminist perspective, I see a wealth of potential and a bright future for the feminist movement. With these girls as the future forefronts of the initiative of womens' rights, we’ve come so far, and yet there is farther we can go.

Work Cited:

1.    Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 5th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.