BI 218X Final Reflective Essay

Final Reflective Essay

Max Liebl

In my time taking this class, I have developed a new sense of gender and human sexuality. The world is an open book, not written in black and white although in terms of defining gender it may seem that way. As a straight male, I’ve often wondered about the differences in sexuality and what sets people apart in terms of how they define themselves. Whether it be through culture or by choice, people identify themselves as who they are on the inside. I’ve also discovered more about the role gender plays in cultures throughout the world and some of the taboo’s that go along with being of a certain gender. By examining cultures where it is even tradition to be something other than what you are assigned at birth, I’ve gained a better understanding of the world and the struggles that people face here in the United States and abroad because of discrimination or gender norms. As a future officer in the United States Army, it is important to have a good understanding of the world and what I will take away from this class is just that. I now have a broader understanding of the way gender is influenced by culture and how the human population is so diverse in so many ways.

            Around the world, gender is seen in many different lights. In fact, in some nations it is part of the culture of a given region or population. Gender norms that we are used to here in America vary greatly where some nations still hold onto traditional values while others are the complete opposite. One thing I’ve noticed is women’s rights around the world and how each culture is different when it comes to the role of women. In some cultures, such as the Igbo of Nigeria and the Masuo of China, women have very diverse roles and their societies are matrilineal which refers to the female line being a family’s lineage. Women in these traditional societies can own land and participate in commerce and trade which gives women a large amount of freedom as opposed to other societies in those regions. In places such as Afghanistan, women have very few rights and is primarily a patrilineal society. For this reason, families without sons must assign a daughter to assume the role of a male to carry out simple day-to-day tasks such as going to the market. This third gender is known as the Bacha Posh and third genders such as the Bacha Posh are not uncommon. In Samoan culture, the Fa’afafine is the third gender mostly seen throughout the population of Samoan families. In Artifact 2, I researched the Fa’afafine and discovered the following, “Some males are assigned to be Fa’afafine due to the lack of a female presence in the household whether it is desired by the boy or not. It is often acceptable within the culture and amongst families.” Discrimination plays a large factor in the lives of third gender people because often times this was assigned at birth without the child having a chance to figure out who they really are. “While acceptable, this does not mitigate discrimination and Fa’afafine males who don’t identify themselves as Fa’afafine face ridicule and seek to prove that they are either male or female” (Artifact 2), one Samoan man in particular experienced just that. Leo Tanoi, an ex-rugby player who is the subject of a video by The Feed, was assigned to be Fa’afafine at birth despite his desire to be a straight male. By playing male dominated sports such as rugby and eventually playing pro, he was able to overcome some of the embarrassment that he experienced as a child growing up. It is examples like these that have opened my eyes to the world we live in and how gender plays an important role in the daily lives of people in every corner of the globe.

            This class has also opened my eyes to the issue of global health in regards to gender. In the units where circumcision and menstruation were covered, I discovered that common practices such as hygiene have much lower standards in other countries especially in Africa and the Middle East. Many of these issues with hygiene stem from traditional cultures where modern medicine is scarce and often times trained healthcare professionals are not on hand to conduct surgeries and such. Circumcision, or the lack thereof, is a major issue for men in Africa as being uncircumcised has been found to make a male more susceptible to infections such as HIV. Therefore, men in Africa are encouraged to get circumcised by the hands of trained doctors in major cities where it is safely conducted. However, circumcision in some traditional African cultures signifies the beginning of manhood in a young boy. Circumcision is often done in a traditional ceremony without the use of sterile equipment or even a trained surgeon making risk of infection even more likely. Often times following the ceremony, the boys are forced to stay out for weeks at a time by themselves while they heal and have very little access to food and water (Artifact 4). In females, circumcision (genital mutilation) is also a common practice since it is said to be the transition of a girl into a woman and yet again this ceremony is conducted without proper medical equipment or training. Female circumcision also serves no purpose making it all the more dangerous to a woman’s health. Dangerous traditions such as these are unsafe and with proper education, death or serious infection or injury can be avoided. Education on menstruation for men in traditional societies where a woman on her period is said to be “dirty and dangerous” and capable of bringing bad luck to farms and crops is also necessary. Communities in the Middle East such as in Nepal, send women on their period to live outside in a mud hut where as many as 15-20 women could potentially be in there at one time (Artifact 5). This can lead to horrid diseases and less than favorable living conditions. Access to hygiene products is also very limited making the living conditions even worse for women in those communities. Small, seemingly insignificant facets of our daily lives in the United States are not taken for granted in other parts of the world. Health and hygiene contribute to the continuously widening global health gap and it is imperative for communities in remote parts of the world to be able to receive the medical care and access to basic necessities that we all deserve.

            This class has widened my view of the world by showing how important gender and sexuality is to the world and how large of a role it plays. I now have a better understanding of how we see ourselves as humans and that the world is not written in black and white and that the small things that we take for granted are in dire need of in other parts of the world. I’ve learned more about sexual health that I will be able to take with me into the future as well. Overall, by broadening my view of the world and having the chance to study the way gender plays a role in societies around the world, I feel better prepared to enter my career as an Army Officer with a new understanding of the world and our role in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help Recieved

Artifacts written by Max Liebl for BI 218X

Class activities and discussions

Canvas Resources

 

Artifact 5: Mensturation

Artifact 5: Menstruation

Throughout the world, a young girls’ coming of age is often marked by various natural life experiences. One of these common occurrences is menstruation, the process of a female shedding her uterine lining when the egg that has been produced has not been fertilized. In most countries, this process is just part of everyday life, however in some remote parts of the world it is considered unclean and filthy. Because of this lack of knowledge of bodily systems, the living conditions for women in communities where they are shamed for menstruation are significantly more primitive and dirty than imaginable. The lack of hygiene supplies has led to women becoming more prone to diseases in countries such as Nepal and in Africa where this is common. A woman being on her period comes with an unthinkable stigma compared to what’s acceptable in American society. Proper education and the availability of supplies can create a more sound environment for women and lift the cultural taboo that comes with menstruation.

When a girl hits puberty, one of the first things to occur is for her to get her period. What may seem common to us in the United States, carries with it a significant taboo in third world countries in the Middle East and Africa. The lack of proper education and supplies have created an environment for women that is disgusting by all standards. In Nepal, when a women is on her period, she is sent to live outside of the household in a mud hut where she will live until her period is over. The men in villages where this occurs believe that a woman on her period will bring misfortune to crops he may be harvesting and is not a good thing to have around simply because they think it is gross. Women who live in these condition also have to deal with lack of proper supplies or even clean underwear. This makes women more susceptible to diseases not only because of the cleanliness issue but also because all women have to be in the hut when on their period. Meaning if multiple women are on their period together, they will all be in there together sometimes up to 20 at a time. It’s imperative for men in these villages to realize that the health of their daughters and wives, etc. is at risk because of this “tradition” and accessibility to proper hygiene supplies is a necessity to mitigate health concerns.

Help Received: Class discussions, videos on Canvas

Artifact 4: Circumcision

Artifact 4: Circumcision

Max Liebl

 

                Circumcision is a necessary and sanitary practice for males commonly done at birth in more developed countries. However, for females in under-developed, third world countries, circumcision is a dangerous tradition that is completely unnecessary and could be catastrophic if not treated. For males in the United States, circumcision is primarily done immediately following birth while even still in the hospital. Circumcision is necessary for disease mitigation and cleanliness and accounts for fewer cases of HIV in males who are circumcised. In third world countries, however, circumcision is either not done or used as a tradition or “rite of passage” for young boys entering into manhood. The ritualistic circumcision performed in African nations for boys is often considered unsafe and usually done by an untrained surgeon. For females, the ritual is often the same kind of setting. Circumcision is a natural part of life for males, but for developing nations who use circumcision and female genital mutilation as a ritual for adulthood, it is unsanitary and dangerous which could backfire by doing the exact opposite it’s intended for.

                In developing nations, circumcision is a ritual performed to celebrate a young boy becoming a man. In an example showed in class, a boy undergoes a circumcision in an unsterilized environment by an untrained surgeon and is left with no food or water to survive until it is healed. The result of this process can potentially be life-threatening if not careful. For males in a modern society, circumcision is usually performed immediately following birth since it promotes health by mitigating risk of diseases such as HIV. Female circumcision, however, known as female genital mutilation, can be deadly and is completely unnecessary since circumcision has no health benefits. In fact, in countries where it is performed as a ritual, many girls end up contracting diseases from unsanitary conditions, excessive bleeding and in some cases, death. Female genital mutilation occurs in a private ceremony with only other adult female members of the village and is symbolic of a girl entering womanhood. Many African countries, are now starting to recognize the health risks this has, but also has recognized the benefit for males. It is encouraged through ads and walk-in clinics throughout African nations for men to get circumcised because of the high rates of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS that can occur for uncircumcised males. This can contribute to healthier African communities and help lower the risk of disease.

                Male circumcision is commonplace for most nations and a large percentage of males are circumcised because of the health benefits as well as religious and cultural factors. While risk cannot always be ruled out, it is certainly better to be circumcised if you are a male. However, for females and males where circumcision is part of a ritual for becoming an adult, it can potentially be life-threatening. Proper medical training and a sterile environment are necessary for this procedure and should not ever be attempted on females. Overall, circumcision has the potential for danger and extreme caution must be taken for safety and for the intended purpose of better personal health.

 

Help Received: Class Resources, videos on Canvas

Gender Health Gap

Gender Health Gap

Max Liebl

 

                The gender health gap between men and women is getting increasingly wider. It is commonly known that men have a lower life expectancy than women, but for what reason? The life expectancy for men is only getting shorter as time goes on and it is mainly due to men choosing to not be as accepting of healthcare. There is a tacit code amongst men to always be the tough guy or as the saying goes, “Man up”, however this is one of the main causes for the increasing gender health gap. Men can mitigate this by starting to take better care of themselves and going to get medical care when needed. There is no second chance in life and it is imperative that all humans take better care of themselves because at the end of the day, no one else will.

                Women have historically always been known to be the “caregivers” when it comes to healthcare. They are more likely to schedule appointments for their male counterparts as well as seek medical care when necessary. Men and boys from a young age are told to always be the tough guy and show no sign of weakness even if that means going to a doctor when something is seriously wrong. The culture of masculinity especially in the United States has created a stigma around receiving care when needed in an attempt to prove that one guy is more tough than the other. While there may be more issues regarding healthcare such as financial and insurance, men typically work more dangerous jobs and behave more erratically than women. If a man working a factory job is injured and unable to perform his duties that could mean potential for being laid off and then the man has no income which could be detrimental especially if that man has a family who relies on his salary. For that reason and many others, men would rather opt for toughing it out rather than accept potential for loss of a job or otherwise.

It is imperative for the sake of the gender health gap and for increasing longevity that the culture of masculinity be pushed to the side. Men need to start taking better care of themselves by accepting that they are not invincible and accept care when needed. Proper prevention techniques for diseases, accidents and the like as well as noticing the early warning signs and going to get regular check-ups can mean narrowing the gender health gap and increasing longevity for men.