Fitzsic Weblog

This article was very eye-opening!

Not only did it slay the theories of "reverse racism due to affirmative action," but made me feel absolutely silly for even thinking "reverse racism" is a usable term.

The part that got me the most was that even though affirmative action is often criticized because it will allegedly hand the under-qualified a job over the clearly 'better' choice simply because of two X chromosomes or the amount of melanin in their skin, it hardly does that at all. At some point, the author asserted that up to 5% of white male opportunities are taken away and as low as 1-2%!

I was shocked. If something causes such little damage to the system the way it stands and promotes equality at the same time, why is there so much criticism?

And, who is to say that any white male will feel the sting of that five per cent chunk or even notice that it's there?

In the article, the author asserted that often, white men are often unaware of the privileges they possess, just by virtue of being white men. Well, I must admit, I didn't fully realize these things were true, too.

But after I read the checklist, it made me hyper aware of any gender bias anywhere, and found myself playfully punching quite a few individuals! A group of hallmates and I were watching "Fairly Odd Parents" when this occurred.

For those unfamiliar with the show, it follows a pink-hat clad young boy with a squeaky voice named Timmy. He is hopelessly in 4th or 5th grade love with a girl named Trixie who is far outside his social circle. In this particular episode, Trixie is handing out invitations to her exclusive birthday, and Timmy tricks her into inviting him because he claims he has purchased the perfect gift for her.

Timmy accidentally wishes he was a girl, and the rest of the 22 minutes consists of absurd stereotyping and 'girl-bashing.' Even the strong, female character says at one point that no one cares what Timmy thinks any more because he is, in fact, a girl.

Now, that may be a bit of a ridiculous example, but the principle remains. Children and their parents alike watch and enjoy this show (well, and me), and as much as we'd like to say that television doesn't affect behavior or beliefs, with the right circumstances, it will.

I'm not saying, "PLEASE BOYCOTT TIMMY TURNER, SEXIST EXTRAORDINAIRE," but if we are moving towards 'equal but different' as the goal, view our differences in a better light.

One of Jane Elliot's initial comments in her lecture was that she was a racist her whole life and didn't even realize it.

And after the lecture and the articles, I realize that even though prejudices are far less pronounced than they once were, they permeate into our culture silently.
And I'm mildly guilty of exactly that: continuing these absurd ideas and turning a blind eye to the fact that I'm doing it...

I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is to be severely judged on so trivial a topic as the pigmentation of my skin.

Sure, I get the occasional snide remark from my Indian friend who was shocked and amazed at my tolerance for and enjoyment of spicy foods...
"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE EATING THAT?"
"Jana, it's hot sauce, not poison."
"But... you're white."

But that doesn't dictate beliefs about my character, responsibility, or the general behaviors of everyone with similar heritage to myself.

I also found it interesting that Peggy McIntosh asserted that one of the rights of a "Caucasian" is to be ignorant of the privileges handed to them, the cultures and languages of other parts of the world, and the image of "white superiority."

The first step to change is realizing your faults.
Now it's up to us to spread the know.

Okay, I'll keep names and such out of this, but it somewhat challenges the question: How much equality between men and women do we really strive for?

Quick synopsis: An unofficial couple recently disbanded because of rumors [which, if you're wondering, are as absurd as they are false] circulating that the girl hadn't been faithful to said relationship. Well, now the male half and his roommate are harassing the girl because of the rumors, despite the fact that they had agreed to be just friends and forget about what had happened.

So, I accidentally got thrown into the mix, at the nastiest point of the fight.
I presented the case in an intelligent manner, which incidentally made the roommate exceedingly angry.

I returned to the dorms to finish a paper, knowing that I'd walked away from him being completely in the right and did not raise my voice once.
Well, the girl went on a walk, and the roommate and the guy confronted her about it and the roommate actually hit her!

[yes, the situation was taken to safety and security, and they're watching the roommate... worry not]

Infuriating as this situation is, what does this tell us about society's view of men and women?
Should the situation be viewed in terms of: THAT BOY HAD NO RIGHT TO HIT A GIRL!
or THAT CLEARLY STRONGER INDIVIDUAL HAD NO RIGHT TO STRIKE THE WEAKER INDIVIDUAL!

How far do we stretch the idea of equality between men and women?
Should women still reap the benefits of the "weaker sex" mentality if they expect to be treated equally in every other aspect of life?

If it were not for the trailblazers of the female scientific community, I can only imagine that I'd be one half of an arranged marriage right about now.

I'm a bit of a forgetful sort, so if it weren't for teacher's support and reminders of lessons, homework, quizzes, papers, etc. I would never make it through school, much less teach myself all the material and fight the system for my chance at an education.

It's hard to picture just how far behind in medicine geared towards women [aka prevention of breast, cervical cancer] would be without a female's touch.

The only career options that I can see myself pursuing would be maybe teaching, cosmetology, or if I was really shooting for the stars, nursing. However, I do enjoy being the occasional exception to the rules, so the comparatively oppressive outlook on women may have pushed me to excel in the sciences, just to prove I could do it.

Which is really all the more reason for these women to be heralded. They paved the way for women like us to pursue our dreams, regardless of what subject they lie in.

To begin, I must apologize for I'm quite nearly incapable of talking about myself and completing my thoughts before I move onto another.

My full name is Caitlyn Margaret Fitzsimmons. I'm the oldest of five children, four boy children. I live with my four little brothers and my dad in Allison Park [15 minutes north of Pittsburgh]. We lead a pretty LOUD existence there. If not goofing off, then bickering.

I'm a Christian.
I think that if you claim that, it defines you more than anything else you can ever say.
What you do, what you say, what you believe.
I screw up more than the average person, but I know I walk under grace and try to show grace to everyone I meet.

I'm a writer and a fighter; a procrastinator and a dreamer.
I'm honest. I'm (com)passionate. I'm sarcastic and occasionally cynical. I'm hilarious. [at least, I like to think so.]
I'm impatient and silly.

Okay, done babbling. Why I chose Women in Science... hmm.

Well, to be honest, it was not my first choice, but I think it was my third choice? I don't entirely remember. But I kept it high on the list for this reason: my dad.

I've never had a good relationship with him. Ever. But I'm stuck with him, so I don't just pretend he doesn't exist. We have some pretty intense debates/fights. He's pretty much stuck in a chauvinistic rut. He left a neurologist's office once because she was a woman, and then begrudgingly returned because she was covered by insurance. [He has Parkinson's Disease.]

So, I chose the class to learn about strong women, partially to have some solid material for our next debate, partially to prove to myself that the entirety of society doesn't hold the same opinions as my father.