Gender and Global Perspectives

1. Gender and Global Perspectives Sociology of Gender Conference TA: Andrew Carvajal

2. A few suggestions to write a better Assignment

3. Section 1: Opinion/Editorial • Topic should be related to a larger class topic (given limitations of other sections) BUT • Narrow topics for the op/ed are a not bad idea, even encouraged • It is better to do the op/ed on a specific issue (as opposed to gender and violence, or sexuality) and then link this to its larger gender implications as you construct your argument • An op/ed can be about an event, a film, a tv ad, a conversation, something you saw, an anecdote, etc • This should then lead to a more general statement linked to a topic in the class • Think Carrie Bradshaw writing one of her columns

4. Opinion/Editorial : A few Examples

5. Opinion/Editorial • Find stats and/or comments from authoritative sources to back up your main argument • Better if you find evidence other than class material, otherwise you will be just repeating the same issues on section 2 as you presented in section 1 • Very casual style of writing (don’t make it sound like you are writing an essay) • Nice intro that catches the reader’s attention

6. Section 2: Course Material • Try to aim for about 3 references from class and 3 readings • Class can include videos, conferences, lectures • Better to be issue-specific and combine lectures and readings that deal with the same issues rather than “In this lecture... In this other lecture... In this reading... In this reading...” • Save the material on the theories for the third section • Writing style is academic (just like regular essays) • Citation • Readings: (Author, Year), (Author, Year, Page), (Author, Page) • Whatever you use normally as long as you are consistent! • Usually include page numbers only if direct quote • Lectures (Fallon, Lecture Title, Date) or (Fallon, Lecture Title) • Movies (Kilbourne, Date Released) or (Kilbourne, Movie Title, Date released)

7. Section 3: Theories • Socio-biology, structural functionalism, liberal feminism, Marxist feminism, socialist feminism, radical feminism, multicultural feminism, post-modern feminism, Queer theory, Connell, Faludi • Use between 1 and 3 theories - about 2 is good • Describe the theory, show us you understand it and apply it to your topic • Better to apply the theory as you describe its different points rather than “Marxists feminism is such and such and such... Marxists explains beauty because such and such and such” • Important: don’t switch topics between sections • If your op/ed is about Britney’s new video and the sexual image she is presenting, don’t use the theories to explain how she is a lousy mother, if this is not the original argument • Same applies to s.2 • Writing is academic in style also

8. Final Tips • Remember: it is not just the op/ed that matters • Include a bibliography with references to all sources • Page limit • You can go over slightly in one section as long as you are within 6 pages total • Microsoft Word has 2.54 cm margins by default, so you can bring those down to 2.5 cm or 1 inch • If I or the prof. have overseen your paper, please note that in the cover page so that we know when we divide the grading • You can write about the section’s points breakdown in the cover page or right next to the title of the section • Make sure it is well written and in accordance with the style of the different sections • Don’t forget to attach the plagiarism statement

9. Global Perspectives: Gender, Culture and Difference

10. A Mental Exercise Think of a person Now think of a woman • Is this what first comes to mind? • Is this who you first thought of?

11. A Mental Exercise Now think of a black woman Now think of a black lesbian • Is this who’s on your mind? • Is it her?

12. Some International Responses to Female Genital Cutting (FGC) • 1980, UNICEF announced that its anti-FGC program is “based on the belief that the best way to handle the problem is to trigger awareness through education of the public, members of the medical profession and practitioners of traditional health care with the help of local collectives and their leaders” • In 1989, the African committee of the WHO passed a resolution urging participating governments “to adopt appropriate policies and strategies in order to eradicate female circumcision" and "to forbid medicalization of female circumcision and to discourage health professionals from performing such surgery” • The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is ambiguous about FGC • Article 24: “States Parties shall take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children.” • Article 29 (1)(c) call for “respect for the child's parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own.”

13. The Response of the Canadian Legal System • Canada responded toU.N. initiatives to stop FGC • An Act to amend the Criminal Code (Child prostitution, child sex tourism, criminal harassment, and female genital mutilation) - S.C. 1997, c. 16 • Modified the Canadian Criminal Code to charge people conducting FGC with aggravated assault, as well as any person involved in the process (such as the parents) • Within the punished behaviour we find: “to excise, infibulate or mutilate, in whole or in part, the labia majora, labia minora or clitoris of a person” S.268(2) • The only two exceptions are: • S.268(2) (a) if the surgical procedure is performed by a qualified doctor for the benefit of the physical health of the person or for the purpose of that person having normal reproductive functions or normal sexual appearance • I.e. it still allows for operations on intersex babies • S.268(2) (a) the person is at least 18 and there is no resulting bodily harm • Still assault even if consented by anyone younger than 18; S.268(4)

14. The Response of the Canadian Legal System • Other countries to ban FGC: Australia, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom • In the United States, the federal government and 17 states have criminalized the practice • There is legal precedent in Canada for women to seek refugee status who are under pressure to undergo FGC against their will • FGC is considered to be a form of child abuse, and children who are at imminent risk may be removed from their family home to prevent its occurrence • Legislation against FGC can be counter-productive in some cases • It might force the practice to go underground • Hard for parents to find a doctor that will cooperate, so they may resort to others • Women discouraged from seeking medical care because their parents might be charged with assault

15. The Response of the Canadian Legal System • Note that the protection provided by the Criminal Code of Canada includes only genital mutilation (circumcision) of female children • For more info on the dangers and issues surrounding male circumcision (as well as FGC) go to the last week of my site • Interesting case: E. (Mrs.) v. Eve, [1986] 2 S.C.R. 388 • A landmark case the Supreme Court of Canada that set the legal standard for non-therapeutic surgery on people who cannot give informed consent for themselves • Created an important precedent in Canadian law that limits parents' ability to give medical consent on behalf of children • If circumcision is not necessary for a baby's physical or mental health, then it is arguable (on the basis of the case) that a parent cannot legally give the consent to perform it

16. Our Question of the Week • Should female genital cutting be prohibited by law? • Related sub-questions • Should it be prohibited by Canadian law? • Should Western governments exert political pressure on other nations to ban this practice? • What is our role as North Americans in relation to this matter? • Should we have a say in this, and if so how?