Independence of Parenthood

Note from the Director:  The next seven blog posts will feature a range of issues from Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies. Students in Dr. Lake’s semester’s LIB 100 “Reflect, Connect, Engage” course have curated content from across the web in order to explore how social media frames various issues surrounding various chapters from the Community Read-All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation.

 The Center for Women and Gender Equity will continue to post information and events from all the Social Justice Centers that will allow for discourse to further complicate some of the issues identified from an intersectional lens and I invite you to get involved whenever possible or to stop into the Center to engage in conversations as well.  Happy reading and talking, Jessica  Jennrich, CWGE Director

Discrimination in the workforce can be seen through the salary gap between genders, as men earn more money than women in almost every occupation. This makes it hard for women to make a living by themselves, especially if they have kids. This pay gap could be making women feel reliant on a marriage to survive. Other societal stigmas make women feel obligated to have kids, and a husband. As we unravel the ideas mentioned in Chapter 10 of Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies, this page has been created to raise focus on the stigmas both men and women face regarding independence, as well as what both genders can do for support and change.

Starting a family is a big decision. Society has a perfect, little image in mind for when this process of a family should begin, and many people feel obligated to follow the expected timeline. Comparing this idea to Allegory of the Cave, it is difficult to exceed from “societal norms,” but a lot of knowledge and experience can come out of doing so. Women have different bodies and lives that make it easier/harder to have kids especially in a short window. Both men and women face challenges that make starting a family difficult, or even unreachable either by choice or by nature.

Women are Saying “No” to Marriage and Men are Angry, Depressed, and Lonely

The above article touches on Rebecca Traister’s, All the Single Ladies book and talks about how men and women have both changed and adapted to a new way of life. The age for marriage, that was once around 20-22, is now in the late 20’s and women have gained the love for independence. The article touches on the emotional effect this has had on men who are becoming lonely and depressed due to this increasing women independence.

Yeah, Shaming Single Men will Really Work

The above article goes in depth about the stigma that men receive for being independent. The reasons men and women choose to be single and independent may differ, but it has become apparent that both parties receive shame for being independent whether they chose that lifestyle or not. Men are shammed for their image, and could be labeled as weird for being single, or even called gay. Men also receive shame for independence from their employees and coworkers. The article talks about the stigma of corporate men at country clubs taking their wives out, but wouldn’t it be awkward to be in that employment position as a man with no wife?

Having kids after the age 35 has always been looked down upon; millions of women have been told when to get pregnant “based on statistics from a time before electricity, antibiotics, or fertility treatment” (273). Although there are increased risks that involve having kids at a later ages, there are other options for women, like freezing her eggs. Women should have the option to have kids at later age without getting judged by the world.

On page 272 of chapter 10, All The Single Ladies, Rebecca Traister talks about “old mamas” referring to women who are single or don’t have kids at an older age. She mentioned that people instinctively ask women when they are going to have kids, as if it is some sort of requirement. These women stand out from the normal of society and society asks for an excsuse in return.

Women more than men adjust their careers for family life

 

Women having kids has been produced as a societal norm, however, some women do not want kids and are therefore viewed as a “failed woman” (275). Choosing to have kids is a woman’s choice and no one else’s, no matter how hard family, a church, friends, or society pushes. The women who choose not to would rather put their work first, not be viewed differently for being a mother, do not believe they are fit to be a mother, or as simple as not wanting to be a mother.

New technologies has made having children easier for women past the “window of opportunity” or not at all. Some technologies include freezing eggs, birth control, and abortion. With these, women have more of an option for when/if they’re having kids. Women now have as much of a choice to become a mother, as a man does becoming a father.

More women using IVF than ever before – CNN

The news report above from CNN shows a shorter video who stars Elizabeth Cohen, the senior medical correspondent for CNN who speaks about the successes of IVF. She gives accurate numbers and facts of IVF births form 2014. She also touches on how IVF has changed so many lives for women who have fertility issues, or have partners who struggle with fertility.

Surrogacy: the experiences of surrogate mothers

The above article shows the results of a study that examines the motivations, experiences and psychological consequences of surrogacy for surrogate mothers. One year after giving birth as a surrogate, 34 women were interviewed by trained researchers who asked why they became surrogates, the relationship between surrogate and parent couple before, during and after birth, her experiences after giving birth and giving the child to the parents, and how others reacted to her decision to become a surrogate.

Some women are physically unable to have kids, but rely on other women to carry their babies for them via surrogacy. Although the child is being born out of another women’s body, the baby was formed from the eggs and sperm of the surrogacy parents. This gives women the change to have kids that are genetically theirs when they are unable to have kids themselves. However; women are shammed for using the only options they have available. This tweet shows women could be faced with accusation of “extreme capitalism” and “patriarchy” just for trying to have kids.

 

 

Social egg freezing is a numbers game that many women don’t understand

From the above article, the Chicago Tribune talks intimately about the rise of elective, social egg freezing in younger women, to focus on their career or life. With the average cost of $12,000, a 50% chance of success might not be enough for some women. Not to mention, the chances of pregnancy minimized every year. Tests show that embryos that survive thawing, fertilization & implantation, the chances of the embryo having a normal amount of chromosomes for eggs harvested when the woman was 35 or under is only 57%. This article shows how using IVF optionally might not be the best idea after all.

From the above article, the Chicago Tribune talks intimately about the rise of elective, social egg freezing in younger women, to focus on their career or life. With the average cost of $12,000, a 50% chance of success might not be enough for some women. Not to mention, the chances of pregnancy minimized every year. Tests show that embryos that survive thawing, fertilization & implantation, the chances of the embryo having a normal amount of chromosomes for eggs harvested when the woman was 35 or under is only 57%. This article shows how using IVF optionally might not be the best idea after all.

If a single women could live alone and make enough income to support herself, why does society treat women who live alone differently even though they are successful as they are? Unfortunately, women can be both physically and mentally unable to have kids at a given time, or even forever. Fortunately, technology allows single women to have kids without a partner, and also allows a partnership to have kids at a later age. It would seem like we would support this great advancement, but social shamming targets women for using these technological options.

Catholic School Grads Rally For Student In Trouble Over Planned Parenthood Sticker

A catholic school in Connecticut, nearly expelled a young teen for displaying a planned parenthood sticker on her laptop. Many alumni spoke out stating it would be absolutely ridiculous for the school to do such a thing. The alumni stated that the young girl has the freedom of speech and should not be penalized for this action.

Defunding Planned Parenthood Would Put 900,000 Women’s Lives At Risk Every Year

The article above states that planned parenthood has in fact saved many lives and needs to stay in affect. The belief that planned parenthood’s only use is abortions and STD screenings is false. They offer many other tests such as cancer screening that has saved up to 90,000 people within in the last year. With planned parenthood staying in action, hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved within the next year.

Being a single parent was a main focus in chapter 10. It is thought of, in the world, as a bad thing and having a negative impact on kids. Former President, Barack Obama, gives a speech explaining how it is believed, children having one parent causes setbacks for them. Coming from a single-parent household himself, Obama backs up the claim and agrees with it. However, the chapter explains, it is not up to society to decide, it is for the parent(s).

Women are able to thrive with or without kids, with or without a husband. Some women would rather be involved in their career, and some women don’t want kids. Some women are better off ebing single parents and are able to thrive while raising their kids in a healthy manner. This breaks through the stigma put on women to be pregnant and get married. Society cant accept when they break this stigmatization and succeed.

Being a single mother means a family will be living off a single income. Often, women with children are in poverty because a single mother cannot highly support the entire family. Women are shammed for being single mothers and raising kids in poverty because it can lead to poverty for the children as well later in their lives.

For Single Men, a Place to Share Feelings and Shed a Tear

New York times talks about single men in a way most people would learn from. The article mentioned that men are depressed and lost being single, divorced, or widowed, so groups have been started for men to meet other men, rap, and give advice. Men spoke up and admitted that they feel women are easily equipped for the bonding ability and men are not, that’s why men need support groups to learn how to bond.

Included in the above New York Times article, men admitted to feeling gay by having a close relationship with another man. This makes it hard for men to be independent because society will think these men are gay. Men are uncomfortable being independent because they feel they lack nurturing abilities for themselves, and feel they lack personal connection resulting from the gay stigma for men with other men friends. However, these support groups for men encourage the shedding of a tear to create an emotionally accepting environment rather than a distant hostile environment between men in similar life statuses.

 

Women, Children and Family Support Groups – Valley Health System

There are many support groups within the Grand Valley campus that can support families within the community. These groups are a way for women, children and family to have a way to vent and connect with others just like them. Connecting with these groups can benefit you and the community, offering resources that you have access to and gaining a better understand can overall benefit everyone.

Living The Life Unexpected by Jody Day discussed the fear felt by women over forty years old and don’t have kids. Jody herself never had the chance to have kids because she wasn’t ready when the time was right. She created the Gateway Women Network to help childless women around the world.

Human eggs grown to full maturity in a lab for first time

 

Created by: bareisn on Wakelet

Career Driven or Old Maid?

Note from the Director:  The next seven blog posts will feature a range of issues from Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies. Students in Dr. Lake’s semester’s LIB 100 “Reflect, Connect, Engage” course have curated content from across the web in order to explore how social media frames various issues surrounding various chapters from the Community Read-All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation.

 The Center for Women and Gender Equity will continue to post information and events from all the Social Justice Centers that will allow for discourse to further complicate some of the issues identified from an intersectional lens and I invite you to get involved whenever possible or to stop into the Center to engage in conversations as well.  Happy reading and talking, Jessica  Jennrich, CWGE Director

As much as people try to deny it, single women are taking over. Whether it is remaining single throughout their lifetime or marrying later in life, women are becoming more career driven and upholding male dominate jobs.

 

What is being a single woman? 

This image puts a humorous perspective on the fact that women can do the impossible. This woman has a hard job of not only being an executive but also a single mother. The way she is thriving in this picture proves that she is happy the way she is living life. Therefore, no women should be underestimated because there is so much in this world that everyone can accomplish alone.

NY Mag Calls The Single American Woman The Most Powerful Voter This Year

This image is making a LARGE statement. It is an image of a woman’s hand putting up her ring finger as if it was her middle finger. Where a ring should be placed, it says “Single Women Are Now the Most Potent Political Force In America.” This is beneficial to our project because New York Magazine is a very popular magazine that many people read. This means that the message of equality towards single women is being broadcasted to large population of people.

NowUKnow: Why Millennials Refuse to Get Married

The Radical Power Of American Single Women

What does society think? 

This above tweet is an example of how much of a struggle it is to live as an independent single women. It appears to be that people do not view women as capable or strong enough to live on their own. Although this isn’t directly what people are saying, many women feel this way and that is a problem. Even though a woman is not married, she still needs to earn an income.

This is an image from TIME Magazine that shows what is important to our generation. The image on the right side said “The ME ME ME Generation”. This is significant because a lot of older generations feel that millennials are narcissists, and are only focusing on ourselves. Millenials are more focused on saving money and doing things to forward their career. At the end of the image it says “Why They’ll Save Us All”. This is encouraging because it shows that some people are rooting for millenials and their new way of life.

IMAGE: Who Is Mr Clean®? | Mr Clean

I felt this image related to our chapter because I thought it was somewhat ironic. The usual stereotype for cleaning product advertisement is a woman and her kids, so why a man? Maybe, the joint effort of split roles in marriage sprouted the new idea to use a man that cleans “tough” spots, or is it another way of saying a woman can’t get the job done properly? Either way this advertisement hits two topics in our chapter about single women and marriage.

No Can Do Ladies, Dr. Pepper Ten Is For Men

What are the benefits? 

15 Little Reasons To Be Thankful For Being Relationship-Free

In this post, Huffington post asked bloggers to list a reason why they enjoy being single. Many of the answers included that they could focus on their career and doing what they want. I find this sad because people should be lifting each other up and encouraging each other to accomplish their goals. However, onen blogger stated that it feels good to accomplish things on their own. I think this is very important because as humans we should all learn to be independent before committing ourselves to one person for the rest of our lives.

Why more women choose not to marry

Even though this is an opinion based news article, I feel it is very beneficial in explaining possible reasons why women avoid marrying at a young age or even at all. It can be hard for society to understand why marriage rates are falling, causing singleness to be frowned upon. This article is beneficial because with more publicity on very possible reasons to avoid marrying, it may become more acceptable in our world today.

Single Women Are Crushing the Entrepreneurial Game (and You Can, Too)

Fox news has this article posted on their website about how single women are quickly moving up the ladder in entrepreneurship. Now there is this idea of women drawn to the thought of being their own boss and not being stuck in a specific gender role. It is believed that this “trend” will increase over time. Entrepreneurship is viewed as a flexible way for single women with children to make money and still tend to their offspring.

The normalization: 

Why put a ring on it?

The Economist states that “single women are reshaping America from marriage to politics to the economy.” Many women are marrying later and later in their life while the divorce rates are simultaneously dropping. They say it is important to live a happy single life before you marry the person you want to be with your whole life. Women are also becoming more demanding with making men evolve into stay at home dads.

When women work alongside men, they are recognized as capable human beings who are independent and smart. As this tweet states, women are progressing in society and moving up in the world of business. However, he also states that even a women in her own home can be independent. It is important to realize that just because a woman does not have a high paying job, doesn’t mean she is not able.

Nicki Minaj confirms split from Meek Mill after nearly two years

This tweet from Nicki Minaj is extremely important, because a lot of young women look up to her today and the fact that she is openly posting about the benefits of being single is a big deal. She is very powerful in the media world and can create a large impact on the minds of young women. By encouraging working on herself, she is showing women that it is normal to want to pursue your own career before settling down with a man.

Women Today Are Rejecting Traditional Dating Standards More Than Ever

This OkCupid news article is VERY important, because it is laying out some statistics of just how “normal” being single is becoming. It discusses the ways in which women are gaining confidence due to their singleness and how beneficial that is to their futures. This reminds of of The Allegory of the Cave from Reflect, Connect, and Engage, because the confidence that women are gaining in being single can be compared to the breaking of the chains society places on women that restricted them in the first place.

This tweet talks about how marriage is a choice. We don’t feel the need to get married before we’re 30 years old now. There are a lot of other things millenials is focusing on that is not marriage. This tweet emphasizes how marriage is a choice and not something we have to do anymore, unlike the old days.

How is this all affecting young women today? 

This above tweet is from a well known twitter page called “The Single Woman.” This specific tweet is an important mentality for all people to have. A significant other should be encouraging and not make someone feel bad only because they may make more or work more hours. It would make me very sad and disappointed if a woman or man quit their job and stopped doing what they love only because their significant other felt lesser than them.

Millennials are killing marriage – here’s why that’s a good thing

This news source talks about how millennials are killing marriage. A lot are getting married later in life and some are not getting married all together. Even if people are refusing to get married, they all feel like they are in healthy relationships. People also feel that they are more financially stable than the generations that came before them. The article touches upon the fact that our generation has a lot of student debt, and are more worried about getting rid of that than buying things like houses.

The big changes to marriage in America

CNN talks about how the age of marriage is being pushed back and women are staying single longer. The image of women being single is viewed by others in a way to improve their own relationships. Research has shown that single women live a happier and healthier life than those who are in a relationship or married. Even though a woman isn’t married it doesn’t make her any less of a woman than one who is married.

Created by: Team 9 on Wakelet

SINGLE WOMEN ARE having SEX…but are they really?

Note from the Director:  The next seven blog posts will feature a range of issues from Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies. Students in Dr. Lake’s semester’s LIB 100 “Reflect, Connect, Engage” course have curated content from across the web in order to explore how social media frames various issues surrounding various chapters from the Community Read-All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation.

The Center for Women and Gender Equity will continue to post information and events from all the Social Justice Centers that will allow for discourse to further complicate some of the issues identified from an intersectional lens and I invite you to get involved whenever possible or to stop into the Center to engage in conversations as well.  Happy reading and talking, Jessica  Jennrich, CWGE Director

In todays culture their are many women “who feel varying degrees of pride or shame about their sexual inactivity”(Traister 220). Remaining abstinent until marriage is said to be worth the wait and very rewarding in the end. Many women believe sexual intimacy is such a beautiful gift that we’re given to be able to express it to the one person you will marry. Other women not only remain celibate from their own pressure, but also the pressures their parents have enforced by their religious beliefs.

Overcoming Religious Sexual Shame

My Take: How Christians should rethink sex

Americans have mixed feelings about sex and religion

 

Religious Beliefs on Abstinence

This article discuses many different religions and why people of those beliefs may remain abstinent. In the book “All the Single Ladies” they only touched on a few examples of woman and how their religion effects their sex life. I believe this gives viewers a broader explanation of how so many other religions play a role.

Many factors go along with ones decision to remain abstinent. The larger words in the picture are reasons that may be more apparent and obvious like peoples beliefs, religious views, unwanted pregnancy etc. Many of these factors remind me of the reading we did on virtues. We are taught what is right and wrong from a young age and we build our character from practice and how were raised. Many people remain abstinent because of the virtues they were taught as a child. Many children to wait till marriage or they learned the consequences of having sex too early.

Role of Religion in Shaping Sexual Frequency and Satisfaction

Religion plays a large role In whether or not a women decides to stay abstinent or not. In the book “All the Single Ladies” the women who wait for marriage to have sex set boundaries when finding a partner and make sure their limits are known. They feel if a man is willing to wait he is the one for them. Just because these women wait till marriage to have sex does not mean they never wished to have sex they are just simple respecting themselves and their religion.

Being single does not define you. Your person will come and all you have to do is trust that god will bring the right person your way. Everything happens for a reason and being single is a time to find yourself rather than looking for someone. If you jump into a relationship without knowing who you are is not a right time to be in a relationship.

Twitter: Yes, most religions hold a specific view on marriage. There has been a clear shift, even among Christians, of change in their views on these topics. Divorce, sex outside of marriage, gay marriage etc are slowsly becoming more or less acceptable.

Many people who come from religious families know that having sex before marriage, getting divorced, being gay etc. are all things that are not accepted or easily accepted. Although they are not easily accepted more and more men and women are getting divorced and coming out as gay or lesbian because of the changing views in society. Now things like getting a divorce or being gay are a lot more common and this gives men and women the courage to stand up for themselves.

My life in sex: ‘I’m waiting for the one. In the meantime I have my imagination’

This new article gives a little insight on a muslin women telling her story about waiting till marriage. For some remaining abstinent is a given they know from the start that is what they are required to do. What some people don’t understand is that many people can remain abstinent after they are no longer a virgin. Some people reach a point in their life where they faith may grow and say that is enough. So they make the choice from that point on to remain pure. This muslin women reminds me of what Sarah Steadman said in “All the Single Ladies”. She said that intimacy is a beautiful gift that should be given to the one you marry(220). Just as the Muslin women says how sexist precious and should be with the one you spend your life with.

It is good to be single. You are able to find yourself and what needs you want to look for in a partner. There is nothing wrong with staying single until you find someone who is worth it. That also goes with marriage, everyone has a different path and it does not matter how long it takes you until you find the person you want to marry.

Twitter: Dear ladies, Sex before marriage attracts the wrong type of men. Real love does not come from sex. Even if a man is foolish enough to marry you solely because of your sexy ‘assets’ like cleavage and backsides, he will become unfaithful when those assets depreciate #RenosNuggets

This tweet is more of an opinion, but it points out an important factor. Real love should be with your best friend. Someone you get along with emotional not just sexual. Waiting till marriage creates a different type of bond between a couple that others couples will never understand. Waiting for the one you know is yours is worth the wait.

What Do Religions Say About Birth Control?

Many religions have different views on weather or not birth control is acceptable. Some religions prefer women to take the natural route when remaining abstinent while others rules are a little more lenient. This article discusses the views of many religious groups on birth control.

The Power of the Pill

When the pill first came out it did not only liberate women but also put pressure on them. Men expected more for women because the pill prevented pregnancy, stI, etc. but that wasn’t always the case. The invention of the pill gave more power to the women married and single.

Created by: loeffleo on Wakelet

 

Single women today vs. Single women in the past

Note from the Director:  The next seven blog posts will feature a range of issues from Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies. Students in Dr. Lake’s semester’s LIB 100 “Reflect, Connect, Engage” course have curated content from across the web in order to explore how social media frames various issues surrounding various chapters from the Community Read-All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation.

 The Center for Women and Gender Equity will continue to post information and events from all the Social Justice Centers that will allow for discourse to further complicate some of the issues identified from an intersectional lens and I invite you to get involved whenever possible or to stop into the Center to engage in conversations as well.  Happy reading and talking, Jessica  Jennrich, CWGE Director

Chapter seven of all the single ladies mainly talks about single women, sexism, racism, and poverty. From this chapter we took out and learned many interesting things. Statistics such as, “Men earn a dollar to a women’s 78 cents”, “The median wealth, defined as the total wealth defined as the total value of one’s assets minus one’s debts, of single black women is $100; for single Latino women its $120; those figures compared to $41,500 for single white women”, and “Women made only 4.8 percent of Fortunes top CEO’s in 2014”, really stood out to us. In our Wakelet we compare many of the things said in chapter seven with how they have changed over the years. We hope that this page will better describe to you how sexism, single women, racism, and poverty, and how it is currently being changed or has been changed. 

Grand Rapids Women Health event is a great example of how local areas are trying to help women who want to work in the health care field but need help finding jobs. It will educate women and can give them some experience at one of their local facilities. This event takes place on Wednesday March 14, 3:30-5:00.

 

‘E! News’ host Catt Sadler leaves NBC citing massive pay gap between her and co-host Jason Kennedy

 

This image shows the about of women that are representing our government. On the left it shows the precent in the House of Representatives and on the right it shows the percentage of women in the Senate.

This imagine shows the pay difference between men and women in STEM fields. One side talks about the difference in engineering jobs and the other side is the difference in computing fields.

 Our chapter talks a lot about single women and how they used to be more looked down upon than they are now.  Many years ago women were assumed to get married because they could support themselves, and needed assistance from men. This tweet shows how times have changed, and many more people see it being normal if women stay single.

This is a tweet that shows the year that people think the pay gap will finally close. I am sure there are many different opinions to which year it would actually happen at, but this is one company’s prediction.

In our chapter it talks about how although there is not one single right answer between the discussion of should women always get married, in past years the answer was always yes. They needed to get married to live a “happy” life. This present day tweet shows how those opinions have changed and how it is defiantly more acceptable to not get married.

Women Face A Pay Gap In Every Single State. Here’s Where It’s Worst

The chapter talks about how two women working the same job can make a different amount due to one being married and one being single. Being married helps women live a better life style due to them being able to combine the amount they make with their husband’s.

How Poor Single Moms Survive

Waiting for an Equal Pay Champion

This picture shows how men have always had the upper advantage in the workforce. The chapter states how women earn $0.78 for every $1 men make.  According to Michigan Live, Michigan has a larger gap than the national average of 82 cents earned by women for every $1 earned by men.

The Path to a Pay Gap Starts Early for Black Women and Girls

All the Single Ladies book states how women tend to go for jobs that are different from what men decide to do. The career fields women decide to go into make less than the career fields that men decide to go into. Women usually go into nursing, teaching and social work. Men usually go into business, law, engineering, and construction.

YouTube: The Hosts Have a Single vs. Married Girl Debate

This tweet is a woman expressing her feelings on the pay gap between men and women and then also the gap between races. As we read in our chapter, both of these are huge problems that need fixing and there are many different opinions on the. This tweet is just an example of one.

Created by: lambertc on Wakelet

Money 4 Women

Note from the Director:  The next seven blog posts will feature a range of issues from Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies. Students in Dr. Lake’s semester’s LIB 100 “Reflect, Connect, Engage” course have curated content from across the web in order to explore how social media frames various issues surrounding various chapters from the Community Read-All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation.

The Center for Women and Gender Equity will continue to post information and events from all the Social Justice Centers that will allow for discourse to further complicate some of the issues identified from an intersectional lens and I invite you to get involved whenever possible or to stop into the Center to engage in conversations as well.  Happy reading and talking, Jessica  Jennrich, CWGE Director

“All the Single Ladies: Work, Money and Independence” by Rebecca Traister described the many monetary struggles of women including balancing family and career, the wage gap, workplace discrimination, women’s/men’s jobs, earning and spending and many more. It gave in-depth opinions on how they affect women and how they can be resolved.

Women, Work and Money

Fact: Very few women are are engineers or computer specialists, “traditionally men’s jobs.” Why not? What needs to be changed in order for women to be able to be professionals in STEM fields?

First Lady Michelle Obama points to one of the major problems: forcing women to choose between work and family. What needs to change so women no longer have to make such a trade-off? How about better policies like paid time off, easier access to child care, and maternity leave?

News, sport and opinion from the Guardian’s US edition | The Guardian

This image reflects a problem that was discussed in “All the Single Ladies,” that single women can have children who need them. Women need to be with their children when they are sick and when they are babies in order to properly form a mother/child bond. Sadly, lots of women have this privilege withheld from them by their employers. Many jobs don’t allow maternity leave or paid time off, and a lot of single women cannot afford to take a day without pay. It’s an extremely unfair and serious problem when a woman cannot be with her child.

Women Face A Pay Gap In Every Single State. Here’s Where It’s Worst.

“All the Single Ladies” in Depth!

This tweet demonstrates that women are being forced to choose between work and family. It makes people on social media think about why women have to choose and how this can be resolved. This was a huge issue in our chapter- the choice that women are forced to make.

The Wage Gap- Where?

What is being done about these problems? What SHOULD be done?

This tweet is crucial in giving the ways for which single mothers will be able to escape poverty, what needs to happen for them to be successful. Cathy Myers is a woman who ran for Congress, and she is telling women and men what other ladies in her situation need to help them: equal pay, paid leave and affordable child care. What does it say about our employers if a woman who is an active member in our Nation’s government is struggling as a single mother?

This image was selected off of “Google Images”, because it represents women’s independence in America. It is important because it gives a real life perspective of the women who took a stand against sexism in America. This photo specifically shows women picketing about the problem of unequal pay between men and women in America.

This image was selected because it shows one of America’s great icons for women of the 1940’s. This picture presents Rosie the Riveter who is a representation of women who took over jobs while the men were away at World War Two. Many of the women who went into the workforce to replace the men were lost worked in factories and shipyards.

This image was selected because it shows one of America’s great icons for women of the 1940’s. This picture presents Rosie the Riveter who is a representation of women who took over jobs while the men were away at World War Two. Many of the women who went into the workforce to replace the men were lost worked in factories and shipyards.

 This image shows women actively participating in the military. This photo demonstrates women in combat, which is awesome because it is a relatively new accomplishment in America. Women are normally judged/ underestimated for doing traditionally “men’s jobs”, so women in the military is a large step for women in the workplace.

This youtube clip was very informational and was so impactful with the information and facts that were provided. This connected to our chapter (6 For the Rich) because it talked about the jobs that woman get vs the jobs that men get, pay gap and also discussed the causes being a mother does on a woman and why that impacts the pay gap. These are all important factors that make up our chapter and this will help lead to success in our project.

 

Changes are Happening in New York!

Blog

This blog was selected because it shows how women across the globe are taking action for their own rights and independence in many places. It also has different stories introducing different women, what they’re doing to fight sexism, and their struggles to accomplish their goals.

Breaking News, World News & Multimedia

“Professional” Opinions… 

HuffPost – Breaking News, U.S. and World News

Fox News

This tweet is important and relevant because Susan Wojcicki is an extremely successful CEO, and men will take her and her opinions seriously. The fact that SHE is tweeting about how women are very unlikely to succeed shows that there are still serious problems and that even someone as successful as her knows it’s not easy to succeed at work as a woman. Would more changes be made to policies if higher numbers of powerful women expressed their opinions on women’s issues?

This tweet is from someone who is quoting a person running for Senator in Missouri, stating that he expects women to be family-oriented and stay at home moms. When our own government believes this, women will probably see very few changes in the system and will be treated with little respect in the workplace. How can women succeed if their government’s leaders expects them to stay at home, cook and clean?

Created by: schrecko on Wakelet

Single women on their own

Note from the Director:  The next seven blog posts will feature a range of issues from Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies. Students in Dr. Lake’s semester’s LIB 100 “Reflect, Connect, Engage” course have curated content from across the web in order to explore how social media frames various issues surrounding various chapters from the Community Read-All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation.

The Center for Women and Gender Equity will continue to post information and events from all the Social Justice Centers that will allow for discourse to further complicate some of the issues identified from an intersectional lens and I invite you to get involved whenever possible or to stop into the Center to engage in conversations as well.  Happy reading and talking, Jessica  Jennrich, CWGE Director

Many women feel pressured to get married and start a life with someone, but not all women go through with this idea.

In the “A Declaration of Sentiments” in the article talks about how married women had no property right and husbands have legal power over them. Women were made totally dependent on men and thats how they were seen. In chapter five, it is discussed that single women now have more freedom and independence.

History of the Women’s Rights Movement

The rate of single woman has peaked since the early 1950s. Woman have gained courage to pursue a higher education, which is a proven way to support themselves. This relates to Chapter 5 of the single ladies because woman are taking charge in their lives and are being able to develop things for themselves instead of relying on a partner.

The First Measured Century: Book: Section 2.8

In this video, it talks about the history on how around the 1800’s women were forced to marry at such young ages. They married young because it was forced on them by family or they needed someone to support them. In the 1990’s, that number started to rise and now it is not as common to marry young in some areas. Women are now seen as independent and can be alone and thrive. Single women are able to pursue their own dreams and don’t have to worry about their partners as well.

 

It is becoming more popular that women are staying single and society is accepting this change. This can be portrayed through popular media, including tv shows and music.

‘All the Single Ladies’ review: Rebecca Traister on the rise of the unmarried American woman

Single woman are bound to themselves for living the best life they can live on their own, but family and friends judge them for not having a man to support them. Do they really need support?

Media View of Single Women Laced with Contradictions

In chapter 5 of All the Single Ladies, it explains that women are okay being single and how it may be tough to be single. Single women want their friends to still hangout and be active. It was mentioned that single women tend to participate more in their community as well as attending rallys or voting.

8 Things Single Women Want Their Married Friends To Know

Being able to enjoy life by yourself is a privilege and can help you grow mentally. There is less stress and you have the freedom to be active and participate in the community. Single women have the right to do what they want, when they want. Many people assume being single would create loneliness, but not all loneliness can involve a partner.

Benefits of Being Single!

Finding qualities about yourself that help you love yourself. Being true to yourself before jumping into something you didn’t want. Chapter 5 mentioned that independence is an exercise in selfishness. Everyone should think about themselves first before getting into something you may not be ready for.

Loving Yourself—How Important Is It?

This outlines the main points in chapter 5 including societal changes like marrying later or choosing not to marry. Single women actually outnumber married.

Single Women Are Now the Most Potent Political Force in America

Being single is shaping America today through politics and being socially accepted so people are now agreeing with it. The article explains that women are realizing getting married isn’t the start of their life.

Rebecca Traister: how All the Single Ladies gets at the heart of US history

Many single women are choosing to live alone and are completely successful. All expenses are going towards yourself, and if you don’t need to spend extra money, that will help your financial state.

It is possible for single women to make it alone and be 100% successful. These women are getting more recognition every day.

No matter if you’re married or single, everyone needs support and women are leaning more and more on one another as they go through life living alone.

Women know what is best for themselves. They should not look to others to dictate their future life for them.

https://fabiusmaximus.com/2018/01/31/men-and-women-going-their-own-way/. This pictures message is that women can be who they want to be and do what they want to do on their own and not have some one stoping them.

http://www.archstreetpress.org/2016322fz1d90k1zelbirx2bb67wt0fqlcwa9/. It may be easy to under estimate a single mom, but in reality they can do anything they set their mind to. It may be harder but they are capable of doing it.

https://acrimoniousdragon.wordpress.com/2015/09/04/single-mom-vs-single-mom/. This picture is showing most likely a single mom and all the things she has to do on her own. She only has two hands but needs more so she can get everything done.

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/08/myths_about_single_mothers_what_bloggers_and_pundits_are_getting_wrong_about_them_.html. This picture is showing a mom who’s on the phone and seems very stressed out. She has 4 kids around her and they all seem to be trying to get her attention or trying to talk to her.

https://familyinequality.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/single-mothers-hardships/. This is a graph showing single-parent families in poverty, single mothers employment rate and families receiving temporary assistance to need families. It shoes the span of 10 years and number of families in millions.

 

Created by: jacobjor on Wakelet

 

The Power of Friendship

Note from the Director:  The next seven blog posts will feature a range of issues from Rebecca Traister’s All the Single Ladies. Students in Dr. Lake’s semester’s LIB 100 “Reflect, Connect, Engage” course have curated content from across the web in order to explore how social media frames various issues surrounding various chapters from the Community Read-All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation.

The Center for Women and Gender Equity will continue to post information and events from all the Social Justice Centers that will allow for discourse to further complicate some of the issues identified from an intersectional lens and I invite you to get involved whenever possible or to stop into the Center to engage in conversations as well.  Happy reading and talking, Jessica  Jennrich, CWGE Director

Never lose sight of what is most important.

What role do friends plays in each other’s lives today? Check out how GV LIB 100 students are exploring the power of friendship!

We Need Friends at Work

In the article “We All Need Friends at Work” it talks about how important it is to have friends at work. It doesn’t just make work more enjoyable but also if you are comfortable with the people you work with than the job you are doing often becomes more successful. With friends at work you can work together and put your minds together when working and will be more comfortable to voice your opinion. This benefits companies by having more engagement, creativity and productivity. This article relates to chapter 4 because in the chapter it talks about a friendship that started because the two females worked together. They worked for an engineering company where not many females worked. They ended up becoming very close and leaving that engineering company and coming up with their own successful business. These readings relate in the way that they both talk about how beneficial it can be working with friends.

Friendship, Over Time

The radio interview, “Friendship, Over time” hosted by Tom Ashbrook relates very closely to chapter 4. The radio show talks about how friends keep us grounded, give meaning to our lives. But also touches on how people sometimes need to let go of toxic friends. It also touches on how people get busy and loose touch. A women spoke on the radio interview and said in her mid twenties her college friends were slipping away. She made a huge point on how important friends are and that you have to put effort and will put effort in people who you care about you. Times get tough and you won’t always be with your friends. People will change but you have to remember that they helped you become who you are and how important they are. This relates to chapter 4 in the fact that it told stories about how there were multiple friendships that were very close and then life happened and friends drifted apart. In the end though true friends will come back and will get back in touch and will always be there for each other. Friends help shape women into the people they are today.

This is the age when you start losing friends

This article heavily relates to chapter four because it talks about how once people get to a certain age their top priority isn’t friends anymore but more romantic relationships and children. It gives different studies on why that is and why people often lose a lot of their friends. But then goes into once people get older and their kids get older they often realize what they lost and are not as occupied and get back in touch with their lost friendships. It touches the topic in chapter four by telling stories about how friendships are often strained because of marriage. Another story in the chapter talks about how a women lost touch with her friends that are not married and don’t have kids. She lost touch with them because they didn’t have anything in common. Everything they wanted to talk about was their marriage and their kids and she just had no common interests. Both readings relate to marriage and getting older and how friends drift apart.

 

This relates to chapter four heavily because in the beginning of this chapter there are two different stories told about really close friendships. Friendships are so much more than just having another person with similar interests and this depicts just that.

 

PEOPLE Explains: Everything to Know About Ex-Gymnastics Doctor Larry Nassar’s Sex Abuse Case

This is such a big/terrible case. I cannot believe that he got away with such terrible crimes for all those years. This further illustrates the importance of speaking up, if not even for yourself but for future victims that now wont have to endure this terrible thing since he is now behind bars. Not only does this relate to our chapter in all the single ladies by showing the importance of speaking up but it also shows the power of friendship because while not all of his victims were friends some were and if they didn’t have others to lean on it would have made it a lot harder to tell on him because in our society we try to keep things like this hushed up unless you really show whats happening and that is what those brave girls did. (If I were the guards guarding him in the court house I would have stood aside so the dad could have his five minutes with him.)

From Aggressive Overtures to Sexual Assault: Harvey Weinstein’s Accusers Tell Their Stories

This story shows the importance of speaking up. It takes a lot of courage to speak up and if it wasn’t for the first girl who reported him maybe the others wouldn’t have followed their fear of being told that they are liars or just to avoid the pain of talking about it. Speaking up is a hard thing to do but it is very important. I think that this relates back to the portion of our chapter regarding female companionship, having friends to lean on and others saying the same story really helped to get out what kind of person Mr. Weinstein really was.

Sexual assault survivors tell their stories

It tells stories of sexual assault and it further proves the points made in All the Single Ladies that women aren’t always listened to and as a result the culture of rape continues. For example, it shows that a girl was as direct as possible and told the man to stop, but he thought she was kidding for some reason and just continued.

Women’s Equality Day: How equal are women in 2016?

It tells how women are becoming more essential and included in the society than in years prior. Women now hold seats in Congress and at the last Olympics, us women got more gold medals than their male counter parts. I think this relates to our readings because it endorses female empowerment like all the single ladies does in our chapter.

 

The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap

Talks about the wage gap and how after years of fighting for equal wages, women and minorities are still at a disadvantage. This relates to the topic in the single ladies of speaking up for what is right instead of being silent just because its easier.

This image comes from an article written by a domestic abuse survivor about what someone can do and how they should respond when a friend is experiencing domestic abuse. The article lists 7 tips on how to help your friend through such a difficult time. Many people don’t know what to do, say, or how to react when they find out a close friend is in an abusive relationship. Friends are so incredibly important during this time and having support makes a world of difference for survivors. The link to the article is: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-27215/how-to-help-someone-going-through-domestic-abuse-from-a-survivor.html

“I hope these shows highlight the importance of maintaining and cultivating good relationships with your women friends because they can be rocks during these marriage storms #married2med #MarriedToMedicine”

The tweet by Lost Einstein shows how important friendships are when marriage is ruff and also the importance of keeping those friendships that are even with people of the opposite gender. Chapter Four stated that most people abandon their friendships once they become married, but I think this tweet shows that you always need friends to fall back on during the hard times.

Aly Raisman: I am a victim of sexual abuse

In the article “Aly Raisman: I am a victim of sexual abuse” it talks about the interview with Aly and how she was an Olympic athlete and how successful she was. Yet for years she was being sexually assaulted by someone she was told to trust, her doctor Larry Nassar. Aly talked about how her friends and they decided something needed to be done. She talked about how strong every single one of her friends were and how they all came together and took a stand to make sure that Larry gets what he deserved. Larry would of not been punished if it wasn’t for every single one of those strong girls to come forward and speak up about how Larry abused them. This article relates heavily to chapter 4 in the fact that it talks about how strong friendships can be and how much of an impact they have on our lives. One girl would not be able to stop Nassar but when all those girls came together it proved the power of friendship has.

 

This is a very powerful video in which three survivors of sexual assault speak out about their experience. They talk about not only what happened to them, but also about the painful scars a trauma such as this leave behind. They talk about how difficult it was to tell the people in their lives and how many did not have supportive reactions. Friends can have a huge impact on the recovery of sexual assault survivors and it is so important that survivors receive the support that they need when dealing with the aftermath of being assaulted.

“But back to the importance of friendship in relationships. I wholeheartedly believe that friendships create a strong foundation onto which a relationship can be built on.”

The tweet by Princess of Wakanda takes a different view on friendships that people may not realize. After some friendships grow so much, they can often turn into a relationship and why wouldn’t you want to be married to your best friend? While you may call them your husband or wife, they should also be one of your best friends.

Teen girls in Brighton sex assault case voice pain, fear, strength, friendship

These three girls stood up together and fought against a man that had assaulted all three of them. This is very empowering in that it shows the true power that friendship can have.

This image relates to the power of friendship and Chapter Four of All the Single Ladies because it shows that the key to a happy marriage is having good friendships. People often leave their friendships behind once they get married, which may be the reason that they aren’t as happy as before. When you need someone to talk to, your friends may be some of the most important ones to fall back on.

Relationships After Sexual Assault

Hayley Horzepa blog, “Relationships After Sexual Assault” relates back to chapter 4 in many ways. In the book it told stories about how some friends drifted apart because of marriage and moving away. But in the end the friend came back because she didn’t have her support system where her friend was and became unhappy and lonely with out her friends. When the friend moved the women was upset that she left without her, But she never stoped caring for her. In the blog it talks about how after Hayley was sexually assaulted she had trust issues and drifted away from everyone in her life. She soon realized her friends were actually her biggest support system. She said that she will never be 100% but because she connected back with her friends they are helping her adjust and getting back to normal. Day by day she is becoming happier and realized true friends will always be there and never forget you even if there was time away from each other.

“Well it’s a great place to start. You’re not joined together to put up with one another….you’re joined to thrive and co-labor the will of God together. Not everyone can be your friend as well. Some people try and “put up”..and eventually get tired.”

“I say this with having friendships going as far as nearly 20 years worth. Seeing what made those friendships last helped my marriage tenfold. Also…understanding God’s love for us is unconditional taught me how display that to my spouse and others.”

Avidan Smith’s tweet about friendships really unfolds the impact that they can have on marriage. I feel like after knowing how to make a friendship last for that long then a marriage should have no issues lasting either. Therefore, keeping those long friendships plus a happy/long-lasting marriage should be our goal.

“People love to talk about marrying their best friend etc but then treat marriage and relationships different than friendships. So what’s the truth?”

I really thought that the tweet by Ma$on related to the impact of friendship because the tweet was spot on. We often find ourselves acting different towards our friends vs significant others and that may be where we fail. If relationships are stronger than friendships, maybe we should try to put some of that same effort into friendships once we are married so that they do not disappear.

This image captures the importance and empowerment that friendship can have on people. Chapter four is all about how friendship can have tremendous affects on individuals and the experiences that they encounter throughout their lives.

Our hope is that people will realize the importance of friendships during all stages of life and the impact that they can have on marriage, sexual assault, domestic abuse, and women’s empowerment. Not only do they provide a system of support, but they can also teach people some things that a marriage may not. We should focus more on carrying those friendships through marriage in order to make the most out of this life that we have. The goal should not just be marriage, but maintaining our friendships through marriage. The reason why girls can get up and speak in front of a crowd or try something new is often because of their friends that support them in all of their endeavors. Therefore, any viewers of this Wakelet page should take away that marriage is important, but so is keeping those friends close throughout all of life and not letting them disappear.

Created by: campbecj on Wakelet

The Best + Most Diverse Shows Streaming Right Now

Author: Ashley Benedict

As summer approaches, we all might be thinking about what Netflix shows we should binge. I’ve taken the liberty of compiling a list (with some help from friends) of shows that are currently streaming that are either diverse, socially woke, or both. Enjoy!

P.S. Unfortunately, most diverse/woke shows have only launched recently, so many of them only currently have one or two seasons available to stream. However, I do think that it’s still important to know that these shows exist, even if you decide not to watch until they’re finished.

Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month: Intervention and Prevention

AUTHOR: ASHLEY BENEDICT

Everyone has a role to play in preventing sexual assault. There are many different ways that you can step in or make a difference if you see someone at risk. This approach to preventing sexual assault is referred to as “bystander intervention.”

Marvelous Hypocrites: Sexism in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Author: Jordan Sickrey

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most popular movie franchises ever. It has had fourteen movies released thus far and has another nine planned (three released every year for the next three years). It also has the tv shows that air on ABC: “Agents of SHIELD”, which is in its fourth season, and “Agent Carter”, which was cancelled after two seasons. It has the show “Inhumans” which will be airing in 2017. Beyond that, it has the Netflix Original series that include: “Daredevil” (renewed for Season 3), “Jessica Jones” (renewed for Season 2), “Luke Cage” (renewed for Season 2), “Iron Fist”, “The Defenders”, and “The Punisher”. There is also a Freeform series called “Cloak & Dagger” in the works for 2018. They are also preparing for pilots to be done for even more Marvel.

However, this success has always been built by stepping on the female characters. For the purposes of keeping this relatively short, I’m going to keep this strictly in the movies. The treatment of female characters in the Netflix series and ABC shows is a whole other matter, which I would go into, but I won’t. It’ll make this much longer than necessary.

Now, people may ask “Why are you attacking Marvel? They make great movies! The TV shows are fantastic!” This is fairly true. The movies are interesting and visually pleasing. Some of the arcs on the TV shows are really well done. The visuals on the shows are just as stunning as the movies, even without the larger budget.

However, again, this does not mean that they cannot improve. The main thing that needs to be improved is the treatment of the female characters. Without further ado, let’s move into the unfair treatment of how the women are treated in the movies.

Case Study 1: Betty Ross

Betty Ross is a woman who has only ever been in one movie, and it is a movie that most people tend to forget is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That movie would be The Incredible Hulk from 2008. Betty Ross has a PhD in cellular biology and was shown working at Culver University. She is the daughter of General Ross, though he appeared to have been promoted in Captain America: Civil War (2016).

Betty has not been talked about at all since The Incredible Hulk. She was so important to who Bruce Banner is as a person, but she has not even been mentioned once since her appearance in 2008. She was the first person to ever break through the Hulk’s mind. The Hulk was not mindless when it came to Betty Ross. Yet, she just disappeared. Even after Bruce appeared to be able to control the Hulk after the events of The Avengers (2012), there was no mention of him even calling her.

Now, her storyline is revolving around Bruce. However, Betty Ross was not just the love interest. She was able to assist a fugitive and help him escape, and she fought against her father—a general—to protect him. She was no limp noodle. She was her own character who made her own choices and stood on her own two feet. Her story did revolve around Bruce in The Incredible Hulk, but her character was not only there for Bruce.

And Marvel just made her disappear. She was already 30 or 31 when The Incredible Hulk came out, and Hollywood has problems with women who are 35 or older, which she would have been when Bruce and Hulk returned in 2012 with The Avengers. So Marvel just quietly pretended she never even existed.

Case Study 2: Pepper Potts

Pepper Potts was a very divisive female character. Many people have a problem with Gwyneth Paltrow, which bled over into them not liking Pepper. However, by many other people, she was a beloved character. Her devotion to Tony was one of many admirable qualities, especially because Tony Stark is not an easy man to deal with.

And, Pepper has never been a prop for Tony. After all, she became the CEO of Stark Industries. She often helped Tony save the day, twice delivering the final blow (Iron Man in 2008 and Iron Man 3 in 2013). She always knew what was going on, and she knew how to command the arena.

Yet, after Iron Man 3, she stopped appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She was mentioned, very briefly, in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) where Tony was bragging about her to anyone within earshot—mostly because Thor was bragging about Jane, and Tony confessed that he and Pepper were “taking a break” in Captain America: Civil War (2016). There appear to be no plans to bring Pepper back, even though she has been an important link in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, through the three Iron Man movies and The Avengers.

Why is this? Well, after Gwyneth’s last appearance in Iron Man 3, she was 41. This is “old” by Hollywood standards, and Marvel could not see why they would keep her around. She had served her purpose with helping Tony on his path, and they wanted to move on to the conflict between him and Steve for Captain America: Civil War, so while she was mentioned in the movie, it was only to mention that she and Tony had broken up. Which is ridiculous, because she is canonically the CEO of Stark Industries, so she should be there in some capacity. Especially if the Avengers’ home base is in NYC, because it makes sense that Tony wouldn’t want to be too far away.

But, no. Civil War needed Tony and Steve to both be at their lowest and most desperate, and that includes getting rid of the woman that has always stood beside Tony when he needed someone.

Case Study 3: Jane Foster

Okay, just going to preface this with some honesty: Jane Foster is my favorite character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And I am extremely bitter about how the franchise and the fans have treated Jane as a character and Natalie Portman as an actress.

Jane Foster is arguably the hero of the Thor franchise. The first Thor movie in 2011 was framed as her movie, just as much as it is Thor’s. The movie starts and ends with Jane Foster, and it is centered on her work as a theoretical astrophysicist. Thor is just the hot byproduct that fell out of the sky and proved that she was right about her life’s work. She and Thor are equals in a way that they push each other; they support each other; they put each other on the right path. Their interest in each other forms naturally, and it only comes after Jane realizes that Thor is also incredibly smart.

However, Jane is not relegated to just the “Love Interest” role. She has agency and power and helps the plot move forward. In the first Thor, literally nothing would have happened without her. Thor would have been wandering around New Mexico forever and a day and never learning what it means to be Worthy.

Of course, she should have been in The Avengers (2012). Dr. Selvig being the one to work on the Tesseract was completely unnecessary. It was Jane’s work that focused on the possibility of life outside of Earth. Jane was the one who believed that there could be other dimensions out there. So, it should have been her that worked on the Tesseract with SHIELD. But, no. She was whisked away to be kept safe in Norway–more like Marvel wanted to keep her out of sight–but they still felt a need to drop a small mention, given that her potential romantic partner and her mentor/father figure were both in the movie.

And then in Thor: The Dark World (2013), Jane is again the one who is responsible for saving the world. It is her knowledge of astrophysics and the way that she tweaked Dr. Selvig’s equipment to work with the Convergence that saves them. Thor just uses his muscle to keep the bad guys distracted long enough for Jane to do her thing. And, we finally get to see Jane and Thor be together.

Jane is not a typical “Love Interest”, either. She is nerdy. She does not dress for the male gaze. She dresses practically and comfortably. She has red rain boots on for the entirety of The Dark World. She even tries to move on from the hero after he’s been gone for two years. (Of course, everyone tries to hate on her for pining for Thor when they forget that Thor was pining just as much if not more.) She is not sexualized in a way that nearly every other female character has been. (Pepper in particular, as she was in a sports bra and yoga pants for about the last quarter of Iron Man 3 (2013).)

But then she too disappears. She is mentioned along with Pepper in Age of Ultron, as Thor brags about how Jane is up for a Nobel Prize. But then the Marvel heads decided that Thor needed someone who was more of an equal. As if Jane Foster, who saved the world with him twice, who stood up to Odin, who survived with an Infinity Stone in her bloodstream for days when it was proven by Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) that Infinity Stones are incredibly dangerous, wasn’t equal to him. Just because she couldn’t fight. Even though she does. She never runs away. She does all she can in both Thor and The Dark World to stand with Thor and do the right thing. But, Natalie Portman will be 36 this year, and Thor: Ragnarok apparently has no room for her. The off-screen break up and subsequent disappearance of Jane Foster is among the biggest tragedies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Conclusion

Now, I only looked at three characters out of the many women of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I mean, we all collectively pretend that the Bruce/Natasha romance that was shoehorned into Age of Ultron (2015) didn’t happen, right? The way Natasha was compared to a monster due to her forced sterilization was just cringe-worthy, and the entire plot made no sense.

Not to mention Laura Barton who was only there as a “Love Interest”, and who did not seem to even exist prior to the movie, because Marvel did not even hint at her existence until suddenly they were on a farm and Clint was kissing her.

Then in Civil War, they blamed Wanda Maximoff and treated her like she was unstable and dangerous even though she is still just a child. She generally has a lot of control over her powers, and the deaths that were caused on that mission were definitely more Steve’s fault than Wanda’s.

I could go on and on and on, because there are so many Marvel women who got the short end of the stick. Helen Cho, Maria Hill, Sharon Carter, Maya Hansen, Queen Frigga, Lady Sif…the list goes on.

Marvel may say that they are being inclusive. Marvel may say that they are not just catering to the men. However, it shows when the movies effectively kill off or phase out women. Apparently women can only be fun and exciting when being “one of the guys”, which is the new template for Valkyrie, who we will get to meet in the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok.

I used to love Marvel. But they really need to stop saying that they are inclusive and show that they are inclusive. They need to bring back Betty Ross and Pepper Potts and Jane Foster. They need to take the time to really make sure that the women are characterized as well as the men. They need to stop killing women just to further a man’s story (Maya Hansen and Queen Frigga are among the casualties).

The Marvel company is nothing more than a group of sexist men who want money. And they need to stop promoting themselves as something that they are not. Marvel is nothing more than a group of marvelous hypocrites.