(one of the images I used for my lecture on gender--see 5)
So, here's what's been happening since I last blogged:
1. I turned 22.
2. I am going to see Colbert on March 3rd! This will be my first time in NYC and on an airplane. Yes, I have ZERO life experience.
3. It's EXTREMELY cold here. This morning we had snow flurries!
4. The kids I teach like me! One girl gave me a bag of candy because her sorority was giving them to faculty members with excellent leadership skills. That same day, another one asked my for a recommendation. They especially all like it when I draw on the board, because I cannot draw.
5. I have become a preacher... I lectured on gender yesterday with my friend and fellow TA Amelia. I spoke about how gender was performed using Judith Butler and children's commercials, the control of women's sexuality, and the origins of patriarchy. Towards the end of my part, when I was speaking about the control of women's sexuality, especially it's manifestations in the US in the forms of rape, the fear of rape, domestic violence, and eating disorders, I got a little preachy. Here's some things I said,"How are these controlling women's bodies? Well, I will actually take control of your body and sexuality and show you who is in charge, I will make you scared to go outside and walk without a man, that you will worry about where you go, what you wear, and about the wrong people who will be more likely statistically to rape you--as 80% of rapes are acquaintance rapes--beat you into submission and make you scared to go outside, and force you to conform to unrealistic ideals of beauty making you believe that you are so ugly that no one will ever want you...
Obviously, I got on a soapbox. In my head, I am going Taylor, calm down, stop, no one will listen to you if you preach. I eventually did calm down and present the patriarchy information somewhat calmly. But, I think I scared them. They never ask me questions when I lecture, but they do ask the other TAs, and I doubt that they don't ask questions because they understand and agree with everything I say. So, I need to work on sounding less preachy and more approachable...
A girl did come up after the lecture (not one the students whose grades I am responsible for, so I think it is a safe assumption she was telling the truth)and said she really enjoyed it, and that she was really interested in our material, so I urged her to take a Women's Studies course. She said that she definitely was going to. The professor for the class liked it too. He said we did a good job, and he was proud of us.
