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...?

Gender Discrimination or Business?

This video explains the story of an Iowa woman, Melissa Nelson, who was fired from her job in a dental office after her boss claimed she was "simply irresistible". Boss James Knight claimed her clothes were "distracting" because they "accentuated her body" and he would ask her to cover up with a lab coat. She had been working for him for 10 years. She claimed that she didn't wear tight clothing; rather, loose scrubs she wore under her lab coat. Both boss and employee would text back and forth and Knight would say inappropriate things to her (for example, that her inconsistent sex life was like "having Lamborghini in the garage and never driving it"). Then she got fired because he said she "jeopardized" his marriage and she was just  "too sexy". After suing for gender discrimination, the all-male jury did not find Knight guilty.
If she was a guy, this would have all been avoided.

Sexism at its finest.

When I saw this, I was in shock. This perverted, unprofessional boss is going to fire a 10-year employee because he can't resist her? And the jury doesn't find him guilty of gender discrimination?! I don't know how anyone can hear this woman's story and truly agree with the "it wasn't gender discrimination" side. If she were a man, doing the same job as her, making the same money, with the same boss, this would have never happened. I wanted to jump into the screen and stand up for her!

Whats's your opinion? Gender discrimination or the right thing to do?

The Friend Zone: A Men's Only Land?

    In this video by CollegeHumor, Eve and Adam seem to have some chemistry in the beginning. Adam takes this as a sign, but his advances are shut down by Eve. She makes up excuses as to why she can't be with him, and goes on a date with the serpent. Ha ha. Adam has been put into the infamous Friend Zone.
The "Friend Zone'' is a term that describes when a guy likes a girl, and they are close, but she would never want anything more than a friendship with him.
    You would almost never hear of a girl being put in the Friend Zone. When I argued my guy friends about the fact that a girl can definitely be put in the Friend Zone, they laughed at me and denied all my arguments. Sexism is definitely present here.
    My reaction when I saw this video was laughter followed by me saying, "Any guy who sees this can probably relate so well." Guys believe that they are constantly being put in the Friend Zone by girls they like. In that moment, sexism is present because it gives them the sense that most girls use guys to have them as friends and talk about stuff they can't talk about to their girl friends. It's a stereotype against women. However, it's not true in most cases, because women don't always want the guy to only be their friend, and we can and have been put into this dreaded place.

If you told a guy that, they wouldn't believe it.

    A Chicago Tribune writer writes about the Friend Zone and describes it as: "When a guy agrees to be friends, he's forced to stifle his attraction while regularly seeing and talking to the woman he's attracted to. She discusses her love life and has the audacity to ask his advice on it. He performs occasional 'manly' household and automotive favors for the women. Essentially, he does everything a boyfriend would do – without the benefits."
     Notice the word choice in this excerpt. It speaks about the male being shut down by the female. Males have this idea that it's all the woman's fault. They think that there's no possible way that a girl can be put in the Friend Zone; women are the bad guys.

What do you think? Is the Friend Zone a "Men's Only" Land? Or do women roam around in there too?