Final Summary/Reaction

After following, observing, and studying sexism for the past couple months, I have learned so much more than I ever expected. Recently, after I gave out the scenarios and observed sexism in the environment around  me, I learned that sexism is alive and thriving and that both males and females experience it in every age group. People are so quick to assume or judge when it comes to discriminating toward the opposite (or even the same) sex. People thought that a rape was automatically done by the male when I asked them in a certain scenario, but it was in fact the woman. Then, I told a male that someone stole nailpolish from a store, was it the male or female? Obviously, he said female. But in actuality, it was the male. Situations like these made people really think about what it means to be sexist and to just assume something due to sex. It was interesting to see what people thought and how growing up in today's society can influence your thoughts.

Revised Summary/Plan/Update

My Sexism research has been going well. I went to the mall and wrote down what I saw in a restaurant, male and female-dominated stores, a hair salon, and in a gender-neutral store, Target. I wrote down how males and females interacted and how workers interacted with the different sexed-customers. My findings were very interesting. I still have yet to give out the scenarios. I decided that I am going to show people a random item (ex. a leather wallet or a sneaker) and ask them who it belongs to, a male or female. I will also give people a scenario and/or a career and ask them who did it. For example, a firefighter- male or female? Or a kid was beaten in his home- was it the mom or dad? I will give many people of different age groups and genders.

Strategy/ Plan for Research

In my research, I am going to use participants of both sexes because sexism can occur among and sex, and preferably teens and people in their 20's. I will use people of all different ethnic backgrounds. I will see how sexism varies among age and race and how those who are older face sexism versus those who are younger.
I will give these people a scenario, like a home invasion, and ask them who did it- the male or the female. I will also observe it in the mall around me. I will go to the mall and see how workers interact with other workers and customers and see how people react toward others, too. To collect this data, I would like to keep a journal and write down what's going on as it is happening. As for the scenarios, I would make people write down their answer on a piece of paper. I predict that I will see a lot of sexism going on, mostly focused on women. Although there is sexism toward men, it is primarily toward women in my opinion. However, I will see for myself and record my results.

Sexism Research Method

My method of research for sexism will be to give people scenarios and ask who did it, the male or female and to observe and witness it in the world around me and document it. I am doing this because it takes a little more than asking questions to research the topic. I want to see how society reacts to sexism in certain settings. You need to go and witness it in the world in order to see it in action and how it is still present in our world today. I believe that by this, we can catch people being sexist (maybe even being sexist without even knowing it) and try to figure out why they are doing that. By this, we can help put an end to sexism, or at least have a starting place.  

Hold the Door, You Sexist Man!

Often, we talk about females being discriminated against due to their sex. However, society tends to forget that this happens to men too. On askmen.com, there is a little quote "Are you damned if you do, damned if you don't?" and underneath, an article called "Is Holding the Door Sexist?". This article addresses the fact that men are expected to be chivalrous, yet if they do something for a women, they are deemed sexist and that they believe women are weak.  Men are damned if they hold the door, but damned if they don't. My own experience of what this article explains comes from hanging out with my friends. My friends and I were walking out of a diner last month. My guy friend sped ahead and held the door for a woman  and she was very appreciative. We walked away, then another man opened the door for his wife. "What, you don't think I can't open a door because I'm a woman? It ain't that big and heavy," the woman snapped. I couldn't believe I heard what I did. Sexism right in front of my face.  
When I read the article, I immediately thought of the incident from last month. I didn't realize it at the moment, but that was so sexist. My guy friend was thanked for holding the door for a woman, while another man was scolded for holding a door for a woman. I felt bad for men, as I bet they go through this a lot. There is really no way out of it for them. If they don't hold the door, they're rude. But if they hold the door, they're calling the woman feeble. 
Sexism is a man's problem, too.

Sexism in Sports

              

              Sexism has been a hot topic in sports for a long time. Recently, we as a society have been making leaps and bounds in that department. Women are playing just as hard as the men, with the blood, sweat, and tears to prove it. In fact, the line between men and women coaches in professional sports is becoming blurry in Northern Ireland, where some believe it won't be too long before a woman is appointed Premier League manager. In an article by Chicago Tribute, Former Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez states, "Whether (it is) because she's the best person out there or because of the commercial aspect that comes with it, the reason will be that it is the best situation for the club." This is obviously a huge deal.  It's like women's fight for equality didn't end with the Civil Right's Act. We are proving to be a strong sex. The Football Association appointed Heather Rabbatts its director last year and she also urged change in the sport. She says, "Now can we get some diversity around what happens in football (American soccer) which particularly includes and represents women."
                I think this is great. Having been a soccer, baseball, and basketball player, I have been through sexism a lot in the sports I love. However, by people world-round taking small steps like these, we are becoming so close to not having to face gender discrimination every time we step onto that field/court. 

Have you experienced any sexism in sports?

Seth MacFarlane & The Oscars: Sexism Gone Overboard?

Sunday night, I curled up with some Ben & Jerry's and watched the Oscars. I love Seth MacFarlane- I watch his shows all the time because I think he's so hilarious. However, little by little, I started to become offended by what I was hearing. The first thing was the "Boob Song" which ended up coming off as extremely degrading to women.  Next was one of the worst jokes, "'Django Unchained' was the story of a man fighting to get back his woman, who has been subjected to unthinkable violence. Or as Chris Brown and Rihanna call it, a date movie.” 

My jaw dropped.

What are you saying, Seth? Domestic violence is okay? Domestic violence is funny? 

Vulture and Buzzfeed have already written articles about the horrendous treatment women received during the Oscars. Seth didn't fail to mention a crude joke about women dieting until they're sick before the Oscars. Don't forget his joke about the Kardashian women having a beard. Oh, and how women are difficult as seen in the movie "Zero Dark Thirty".

Another interesting thing you can see in the comments on Buzzfeed is a lot of men trying to justify MacFarlane's actions. Many men's reaction to this is "You can't take a joke?" Truth be told, I can. But this was just one too many. Another stupid reason men seem to be using is "That's his sense of humor! What'd you expect?" I get it. Put it in your cartoons, Seth. But when you're in front of adults and millions of other people...save that crude sense of humor.It was simply just inappropriate. 

I would say "typical men" but that would sexist, wouldn't it...?