Blog 3

            The cultural artifact I choose was a picture that I took in the beginning of the year at the annual Women’s March in Los Angeles. I picked this picture because I feel like out of all of them this one meant the most and expressed the most influence. The main focus of this picture was the poster that states, “A Woman’s place is,,, in the House, in the Senate, in Charge!” I thought this had the most impact because of the way it was phrased out since the beginning. A stereotype of a woman’s position is being a house white, so being “in the house”, using the word house with its synonym of it’s stereotype meaning and the meaning of a woman being able to hold a job in the government was truly genius. Although I have always believed that a woman was able to hold such a job, this truly inspired me that so many other amazing and empowering woman believed this as well. It also amazed me that even though there is the stereotype of woman only being a house wife so many others do not believe that is all woman are capable of. This influence of such power is needed, not only at march’s that support woman, but everywhere because if I would have seen such a poster when I was young, my dreams of holding a position in government would have come a lot sooner than they did. These types of posters and inspiring words could shape a whole generation of young woman to do something inspiring and empowering with their lives. Looking at this picture with critically vigilant lenses I did not look at it in a different way than I had before. Thinking about it in feminist perspective I would think about it the same way, that these types of images should be shown to the young generation to change the stereotype of woman only being good at being a house wife and not an actual government job, such as the house and senate.

Blog 2

Prompt 1: My cultural artifact is Robin Thicke music video Blurred Lines, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDUC1LUXSU. Through the music video the woman are half naked and there dancing while getting stared at by the male singers. Not only were the images of the woman showing that a woman is only useful for looks, but the lyrics were portraying the same. Using the lyrics “I know you want it” was very passive toward the woman especially because they were half naked dancing in front of the singers. Also, the lyrics “You’re far from plastic, talk about getting blasted.” Was showing gender representations that a woman should not get anything done to their bodies because being plastic is not attractive to other men.

Prompt 2: Highly known pop artist, Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell created these images. The funky beat of the song itself gets audience attention and also the woman through the music video. When looking at the music video others might not see the gender representation being portrayed because most rap and pop music videos have woman seen in this way, so it is nothing new. A value that was important to these artists was “you’re far from plastic” because it was consistently repeated it seemed important for them to share that women’s bodies are better without being altered. This type of message of how a women’s body should be and how it should stay “thick” and natural is sent through all rap and pop music because that is what men want out of a woman.

Blog 1

Prompt 1:My cultural artifact is a propaganda poster from 1917 during World War 1. The poster is of a woman in a Navy uniform next to the words, “Gee! I wish I were a MAN, I’d join the navy.” The poster itself is trying to recruit men for the navy and the purpose was supposed to show a woman that is worth fighting for. When looking at this poster you see gender roles, you read gender roles. Only a man is allowed to go and fight for his country, to protect a woman whom wishes she was in the navy just like him. And all a woman gets to do is help recruit them and show them what they’re fighting to protect.

Prompt 2: Although in the cultural artifact the woman is wearing a Navy uniform, which was supposed to be masculine at the time, she was still portraying femininity. The imagine reinforce traditional because women were not allowed in be in the Navy, even so they allowed this because she was used as an object to get men to join the nations great Navy. If we were not in war during this time, it would have definitely been challenging, but since she is standing there blowing in the wind, looking beautiful for men they did not mind it, this was for them, to grab their attention.

Prompt 3: I do not feel like this has impacted the way I think about my own gender identity and expression. When I saw this picture I actually laughed rather than think it can change my mind of my identity and expression. Although it didn’t change mine, it might have changed others during that times.

Prompt 4: Cultural Object: Propaganda poster 

Social World: During World War 1 1917

Creators: United States Navy Recruiting Station

Receivers: ONLY men