Journal 3

In a Different Voice by Carol Gilligan was a very interesting read.  In class and in the readings, we have been noting all aspects and situations of minorities mainly by racial and ethnic identity.  What people can sometimes forget is that women are often seen as minorities as well. Equality for both minorities and women have, at some points in time and culture, been hard to come by.

In the reading, the author makes distinguishing points about how men and women view morality. There were studies with boys and girls on how they view morality and how they deal with it.  What was found was that males viewed morality logically and used reasoning to come to terms with certain aspects of morality.  Females, on the other hand, were more “sensitive” to morality and used personal experiences or relationships.  This was deemed unsuitable to the male character and was therefore proclaimed a weaker approach to the subject of morality.

It seems that since the beginning of recorded history, it is the male that is seen as dominant over the female.  Even if there was a female power figure, it did not happen without some sort of opposition.  How males approach ideas and situations has long been seen as the “right” way with the female perspective not being favored.  Therefore, it seems that whatever males do is what is widely accepted as the correct way.  This can be attributed to all subject matters, in that females are weaker and to be viewed as different.

In all of my history classes, I always learned about women suffering for some form of equal rights whether it be to vote or to hold some form of power.  This is not unlike the situation of minorities in the racial/ethnic sense.  Women have long been seen as the weaker human specimen and have not been able to hold equal rights with men.  The same goes for minorities.  Even today in a country that prides itself on “equality” is it extremely rampant that not everyone is created exactly equal.  People still hold onto stereotypes about minorities that impacts the way they view them and the same goes for women and men.  While it seems that white men have been more privileged, according to the U.S. history books, there is equality issues even among them.

By viewing people certain ways by grouping them into categories, it is a never ending battle for equality.  Men can have similar and different qualities to women just as minorities can be relatable to people around them.  What is equality (in the U.S.)?  Is it a term defined by men or specifically white men?  What is “equality” to other cultures?  There is not one single answer and that viewpoint, in my opinion, should be accepted.

Journal - Week 2

This was a fascinating read.  It exemplified all of what we assume about immigrants but more of what we don't realize.  What I tend to think of as an immigrant is someone that is Latino or Asian because they are usually a minority wherever I have lived.  And usually I assume that they all come as a family and are here in the U.S. because they wanted a better job, lifestyle, etc.  I am guilty of thinking of people from other cultures and places so lightheartedly and not realizing that there could be a reason that they came over here.  It is sad to think that there are child immigrants that come without their entire families and have to be separated in order to survive and live in a better place.  To not know the culture and the language of a new country is frightening to say the least.  As an adult, it is a scary thought to me.  To a child, it must be a nightmare.

As a child, my mother only spoke French.  She lived in the U.S. but the French culture is strong where she grew up and people mainly only spoke that language.  It was kind of a reverse situation: instead of my mother having to interpret, my grandmother had to do the talking for my mother when conversing with someone who only spoke English.  It is not that my grandparents didn't speak English with her, it was just the culture she was submersed in spoke French.  When my mother was growing up, she grew up different places overseas because my grandfather was in the navy.  She lived in Greece and Italy during her teenage years.  She experienced culture shock from not living in a place as comfortable as the U.S. Greece during the 1970s was going through a rough time and as a U.S. military family, the people of the country were not so welcoming to them.  Not only did my mother have to go through that, but she had to adapt to a totally different way of life; how people greeted each other, what was proper in conversation, what they typically ate for each meal, etc.  It was the same way there as it was in Italy.

Going back to the U.S. after quite some time in Europe took a little getting used to for my mother.  But she remembered what it was like when she was little.  Therefore, it was nothing too difficult to become re accustomed to.  I just think of the children coming from different places in the world and having to immigrate there on their own.  It takes a brave face and a lot of courage to be able to learn a different way of life and trying to fit in to something so strange from what they have previously known.