Activism Blog 2

Activism: For the past few weeks I have continued to work with MVP by doing various works.  I did tabling in front of the Student Union to raise awareness about domestic violence and human trafficking.  During my first tabling experience, a few other girls and I informed students including how one might be able to help if involved in that type of situation and the training we offer in the Wellness Center.  The second week I tabled was a more fun way to raise awareness and for students to learn. By the time I got there, there was a poster with different types of questions about human trafficking such as Demographics and Laws. Students would pick from a category, answer the question, and given a piece of candy as an incentive. Most people answered the Demographics category because it was the easiest. We were handing out flyers about human trafficking as well.  In addition to tabling, we were also working on a drive for Harbor House to help victims of domestic violence as mentioned in my last activism blog. Jamie and I decorated boxes and taped the list Harbor House needed for its victims.  The list included office supplies, cleaning products, clothes, bed sheets, diapers, etc.  When we were done one box was kept in the Wellness Center and another one was put in the Women’s Studies building.  I learned throughout the week that the boxes were full! We still have a few more things we can do to help Abigail and the organization of MVP.

Reflection:  All this relates to the chapter we have been talking about in class about the environment. Surprisingly, the environment has a lot to do with gender oppression which leads to violence against women. Politicians use the environment to make products for people to consume. The majority of those products are targeted towards women, such as cleaning products and cosmetics all advertised by the media.  The media creates the false representation of women known as the beauty ideal because women are often objectified and seen as products. This relates to domestic violence because some men don’t value their wives or girlfriends seeing them as their property and forcing their will on them. Similarly, human trafficking works the same way. People are not valued for their person.  Instead they’re bought and shipped from country to country as sex slaves or other forms of oppression because they are seen as PRODUCTS.  Another drastic way that violence against women relates closely to the environment is that Earth is given female sexuality and qualities. We hear and see this all the time, for example “Mother Earth,” “virgin forest,” and “rape of the earth.”  As mentioned in our text, “. . . in the Western model of development, sources, living things that can reproduce life –whether forests, seeds, or women’s bodies –are turned into resources to be objectified, controlled, and used” (Kirk, Okazawa-Rey 539).  If not these resources are seen as unproductive. Therefore, the way our society is using and abusing the environment portrays how women are viewed creating violence against women including domestic violence and human trafficking.

Reciprocity: The past few weeks have been a lot of work in trying to finish my service learning hours and juggling all my other productive and unproductive work. I mentioned before I had never volunteered for anything but now that I have gained a little experience doing volunteer work I would definitely do it again. It was hard making time for it but I managed to squeeze it in any break I had. Tabling gave me a chance to meet new people and socialize more. I had a lot of fun decorating the boxes and it gave me a sense of self-fulfillment knowing I was doing something for a very good cause. I wasn’t so thrilled at first because I don’t really like to draw and I don’t think I’m creative. However, I did bring out my creative side and I decorated a really cute box. In class, our lectures seem to amaze me each and every time. I can’t believe everything relates to each other especially to WOMEN! I do have a hard time putting it all together and contributing ideas to “unpack” it. But when we discuss it is a little crazy and very shocking. It makes me sad because it’s all a system that oppresses women no matter what. Everyone should take a Women’s Studies class so they can become aware of what type of world we’re living in. That way we can all contribute by taking baby steps that will eventually lead to big change.

Kirk, Gwyn , and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women and the Environment. 5th ed. New York, New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 535-546. Print.