18. Participation in Electronic Discourse in a "Feminist" Field

Oh gosh, I think this was my favorite article all semester. As soon as I read "men's literature" my mouth dropped open and I felt that rush of anger and disbelief run through me. Although, I really shouldn't have been that surprised. "Men's literature" is what the literary canon is already comprised of, men are the ones who determine what is considered classic literature, thus creating a gender dominated discourse that continues to silence the female perspective in most genres of art, most fields for that matter. I encounter this frequently in the English department, not from my professors, per se, but from the literature they require me to read. When having to take a medieval, ancient, or modern literature course, more often than not, the majority of the stories or poems we read are written by men, white, upper class men at that.

And of course, if someone is going to propose such a course, they must be ready for the resistance they will receive, especially in academia. Everyone involved in that particular discourse has a opinion, regardless of gender, and should have every opportunity to share it without fear of retaliation or disapproval at the absurdity of their proclamation, and come to a viable solution where the views of both parties should be respected and addressed.

17. 'I Totally Agree With You': Gender Interactions in Educational Online Discussion Groups

I have found, especially in this class, that I use "I" more when I am on the discussion boards (or even in this sentence). This prevalence is partly due to the fact that most of the class members are of my same gender, as reflected in the article. I have taken other online classes and have come to points of contention with other male members by there lack of respect when countering an argument or statement I have made. In one such instance in an online research class at Fresno City College, a male classmate criticized my rationale that I had trouble finding credible resources on the web. He highlighted my statement in his response to my post and stated that he found it hard to believe that I had made any real effort to look for sources. I took offense to his accusation and replied that I stood behind my comment and if he was so sure of my findings then he could look for himself. He replied to my comment that maybe I should start taking "meds" to control my anger. My initial response was not more anger, but a resolve that maybe he was right. I ended up apologizing for my initial response. I think this exemplifies the point the article is making about the dominant group having control of the nature of language used. It was obvious that this class was predominantly male by the class roster and indicated by this man's use of abrasive language to prove his point and one down his adversary, me. Since then I have learned to defend myself and not back down in an online setting regardless of male or female group dominance. As an analytical essay writer, I have used this technique to argue my point in spite of the fact that my words as a women will be attacked more because of the predominance of males in most literary canons. I think I fit into these findings, unfortunately, but believe that with more awareness, I can express myself in a balanced way, regardless of gender dominance.

20. Stale Roles and Tight Buns

Sometimes I forget that men can be portrayed in a sexist image. Maybe it's because so much focus is put on the images of women being sexist that the male predicament gets overlooked. What I found most curious about this video was the way OASIS presented the ads. The emphasis on the cowboy image reminds me of my grandfather. I remember seeing these ads, seeing him smoke, and thinking that he is just like those men on TV and in magazines. Ironically enough, the infamous Marlboro Man died from lung cancer. What I can conclude is that misogyny does not only pertain to women, but men as well. Women also have expectations of men that they see in ads, but is not a direct representation of all men.