US HISTORY Herstory and the Cult of True Womanhood – Discussion board

I’m working on a History question and need guidance to help me study.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy8yLaoWybk&feature=emb_logo

http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/zinnint6.html

Watch the video, read the link and the book that I’ve attached. Write your opinion in 150-200 words. Then respond to uour classmates with 2-3 sentences.

-The opinions to respond-

1- Women have always been largely misrepresented in mainstream media, and popular culture. The Ted Talk takes us through various advertisements that set standards, and norms of what a woman wants, desires, or better yet, how a woman should be. Even men are not immune to these stereotyping, however, ads targeting men do not carry much negative connotations. The system of acquiring power, leadership, and supremacy have been embodied in the character of man, fueling a society based on patriarchy. I love how the professor mentions “women end up as the footnotes to the “main” history”. It has historically been proven so. We add to this convention of positioning men before women by setting a perfect standard of womanhood in media, tv, popular culture; a female trait that seems almost unattainable. The digital editing of pictures allow women to look finer, younger, more perfect, free of blemishes, and encourage young women to follow these standards and jeopardize the fighting change they have in securing a life of independence, freedom, and power in all spheres of life.

2- From the Ted Talk video it shows that women, no matter the age, are sexualized by almost anything they do. From the beginning of time, women have always been looked at as weaker and with less respect. We’re looked as at objects rather than real and intellectual human beings. The video brought out a huge point that I wasn’t expecting to hear considering the fact the video was mainly about advertisement but she mentioned sexual assault. Because men look at women in such a degrading way that often leads us more as a target to sexual abuse or harassment. Women are constantly feeling like we have to live up to a certain standard in order to be categorized as beautiful. Zinn’s chapter really points out that things have always kind of been like this especially for colored or indigenous women. Many enslaved women were raped and used only as child bearers.