Activism Blog #2

Activism

This week marked the end of our “Give Survivors a Fresh Start” donation drive. We extended the drive two more weeks, making the drive last a total of six weeks. Our contact with our community partner involved dropping of the donations to Harbor House and Safe House of Seminole. The drive was a great success. We raised over 120 pounds of donations including soap, toothpaste, deodorant, tampons, and other hygiene products. With the amount of advertising we did, we were very successful. With more outreach to classes and more posters around campus it is possible that we could have raised much more. This may be something we continue to do each semester, as it is not costly or difficult to make such an impact on so many people.

Reflection

The activism this week relates to our readings about consumerism. In our hygiene drive we were asking for consumer products: shampoo, soap, tampons, razors and other “necessities.” Upon collecting and sorting the donations, we discovered many brand name and expensive lotions, shampoos and even make up and hair straighteners, which we did not ask for. Each person who donated made a difference in this drive and it is very much appreciated, but it goes to show that consumerism played a major role. Some people donated high priced goods maybe thinking that they were doing even more of a good deed because these are the things that have value. Advertising and mass marketing has corrupted our idea of value: “Greater Purchasing power and growing choice in the marketplace guarantee a better (and happier) life.” (Kirk & Okazawa-Rey) We now find value in the cost of things not the quality. We find it things valuable because others find them valuable not because they mean something to us. These actions by individuals are driven by advertising and popular culture that make these beauty products a needed part of every woman’s life. On a macro level, women are told they need these products to fix their problems. In our case, these women have much larger problems to worry about. The readings in combination with our work this week have showed me how much consumerism works against the feminist agenda and promote the beauty ideal and capitalism–thus patriarchy. I believe our origination would support some of these ideas of consumerism on some levels. Our organization works a lot to help women prepare for interview and find jobs. Unfortunately, women must abide by the beauty ideal and consume this multitude of beauty products to maintain an acceptable appearance in order to get a job.

Reciprocity

From a feminist perspective it is obvious how destructive consumerism is to our culture and society. Women are turned into pedestals to hold men’s products in commercials. Making women appear as just another commodity like beer or potato chips.  For women, consumption is the basis for the beauty ideal. These images of women promote their objectification which leads to intimate partner abuse and legitimizes the continuation of such violence.

Hynes, Patricia H. “Consumption”. Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 567-573. Print. 

Campus Engagement Slut Walk

For my last campus engagement activity I attended a Slutwalk hosted by Mu Sigma Epsilon Sorority at UCF. Before the walk there was a group of speakers that addressed the crowd about the purpose of Slutwalks. Victim blaming was the main focus and everyone wanted to bring attention to the fact that no victim is at fault for being raped. This idea can be seen on many people's signs. One stated "The Way I dress is not a yes."

An all girls a cappella group was there as well and sang a handful of songs. Another one of the speakers was an advocate from UCF's Victim Services. She was there to provide information to those who might be victims or know someone who is a victim. After a professor addressed the audience, an inspired male student who was not planning on speaking got up to share his story. He told his story of abuse and placed a lot of emphasis on how these sorts of things can also happen to men–they can happen to anybody. After the speakers a DJ began to play music and the march began.

We marched from Memory Mall through the Student Union, passed the John T Washington until we reached the reflection pond and turned around. Unfortunately there were not many students on campus because it was so late in the evening. Another disadvantage to the cause was that when the event was planned, it was not planned around Daylight Savings Time. Because the event was scheduled at 6 and started late, it was very dark.

Victim blaming is a common occurrence in our society. It happens in many situations but overwhelmingly in the cases of rape and sexual assault.  One student addressed the crowd about how her experience with victimization allowed her to find a optimistic side–it could have been worse. The fact victims (who were blamed for their misfortune) must look for a “bright side of things” is counterproductive and a major hindrance to the movement against victim blaming and sexual violence. Victim Blaming is a way our culture legitimizes

violence against women and rape. By saying the victim “was asking for it” or “shouldn’t have been dressed that way” takes away from the fact that being raped is not a choice but to rape is a choice. Victim blaming allows for the continuation of such violence by men by creating a “safety checklist” of things women must do when they leave their house in order to prevent rape. This list is impossible to maintain and when all else fails the victim “just shouldn’t have left her house.”

Service Learning Reflection

Activism

This week we went to a Domestic Violence class under the Criminal Justice department to promote our donation drives with handbills.  On Halloween we helped set up and put on a Halloween party and Haunted House for the children of Harbor House at the community center. We were successful in promoting our even and the class seemed very interested. A Few students asked additional question and expect some additional donations. The Halloween part was also a success because the children had a fun and safe Halloween. One pitfall we had is that not all the volunteers showed up for the Halloween party so we were required to pick up some of the slack and this prevented us from interacting continuously with the children.  Next week we plan to do more outreach for our drive and speak to additional classes.

Reflection

This week’s events tie in strongly with this chapter. A woman’s economic status shares a strong macro level relationship domestic violence. In 2006, “women who worked full time earned 77 cents for every dollar that men earned” (Kirk & Okazawa-Rey). This wage gap is a macro level problem as is domestic violence. One of the most necessary things needed to leave a violent relationship is money and resources. Many women in violent relationship are not allowed to work of have their funds seized by their controlling partner. If an abused woman is lucky enough to make and keep her own money, making three-quarters what a man earns only makes leaving her relationship more challenging,

This week’s events really showed me how important politicizing my life is in order to act against mainstream gender roles and also views towards women’s both productive and non0prodiuctive labor. It is important to change these views to support the economic and independent advancement of women so that they more able and educated need they leave a violent relationship.  Our community partner feels similarly on these issues and that is why they assist survivors of violence with finding jobs. In fact some survivors begin working for Harbor House. They also shuttle children at the shelter to school to ensure they receive an education.

Reciprocity 

For this Service Learning project, so far, I have gained a lot. It has given me opportunities to meet volunteers and talk about life at the shelter. We can also listen to but not advise survivors and even just being around them is a constant reminder that digestive violence is not a distant 3^rd world problem. It is something that happens all over our community and you rarely hear about it. This being so, we must politicize our lives and work to stop the little things people do that perpetuate violence against women such as jokes and attitudes about treating women.. Working with such a large organization has also aught me a lot about activism in general. We have done a large amount of tabling and people are always willing to listen and read information, for most people are unaware of the problem or that they might be in an at risk relationship. Using Harbor Houses Volunteer system “Volgistics” has also taught me about the various tools out there used to organize and delegate tasts to large groups of people to better accomplish activism events,

Works Cited

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. "Making a Home, Making a Living." Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 300. Print.