Abdullah Abbas

Journals 3
Journal 1- After examining these readings explore what it means
to be a man? How does it vary from place to place? What does
the position of men in their specific role in their society about it?
Identify ideals in our society of masculinity.
Journal 1: I have always known for me what is a man because they
are things that I saw in other men, and some are tough but I didnt
realize how identity is important for men. Identity and how other
people see me never bothered me, but there are times when I have
noticed I was treated differently. Access to education, healthcare,
upward mobility, and universal rights are still not an ideal available to
all. Components of identity can enhance or inhibit an individuals
access to these services, (Introduction to Identity, Privilege, and
Inequalities 346). I also saw that it is different meaning to be a man in
different societies. The Maasai do a special ceremony and cannot show
any pain or weakness when being cut, and doing so will be like a
woman, We all went through it, after all. Only blood will flow, not
milk, (The Initiation of a Maasai Warrior 398). The milk I think means
like women when they feed babies. For many it seems being opposite a
woman is what it means to be a man, like not emotional and being too
strong. They will be made fun of for it, like being anything like a woman
is bad. In American society, it is similar with being strong and not
showing emotion, and the success is important which is compared to
the men achieving becoming warriors. By getting success and even
just being men, guys are given a better status in society and seen as
better and wanted by women. Shalmali Pal wanted an ideal man, but
this meant success, education, listening, and being nice. The mothers
of her dates wanted her to think their sons were tall too, and she was
disappointed when they were only a little taller than her.
I also was able to see the privileges of being a man though if a guy do
these things. The Male Privilege Checklist showed that being a man
means more safety and less judgment for many things. These are even
more if you are more a man, like not if you do things that are seem
unmanly like not being heterosexual. In American society, it is similar
Journal- After examining these readings explore what it means
to be a woman? How does it vary from place to place? What does
the position of men in their specific role in their society about it?
Identify ideals in our society of femininity. How is their place in

society different from that of men. Looking at, 'A Left-Handed

Commencement Address', what does Ursula Le Guin really telling
the women of the University to do?

Journal 2: From the first reading a woman from he-dog, Mary

explained how hard is it to be a woman, especially Indian women. In
the beginning when she had her baby, in the middle of a firefight, it
can show you how a woman is ready to sacrifice her life for her baby,
when she was asking God that its okay to take her life but not the
baby. Another part of the reading, it can show you how cruel men can
be toward women. Delphine they found her dead in the snow, with her
tears on her face, she was beaten by a drunk man until death. Also,
Mary was beaten when she was young (12 years old) because they
accused her to being too free with her body, in fact the only thing
she did, she was holding hands with a boy. At age fifteen she was
raped. One quote from her writing simply showed me how much
Indians suffer at that time if you plan to be born, make sure you are
born white and male. Women for men were like an objects, because
they were warriors, so they will be back when they are drunk, and they
will beat their ladies for no reason, just to let anger go. About Girls
Jamaica simply showed us that she doesnt have any control in her life,
she have been told how to do everything in her life, the simple and the
hard things, she is like a maid thats all. What really can be shocking
when you reach the part that they told her how to love, can you
imagine someone telling you how to feel? Thats crazy, and at the end
when she asked a simple question about the bread, her question
bothered the person who is telling her everything. The last reading A
Left-Handed Commencement Address, Ursula is telling women to be
themselves in this community, not to be ashamed how they are. She
said that we are living in a world where is everything is ruled by men,
the God is man, in the graduation the boys and the girls are wearing
the same thing which look really ugly on women but good on men.
Ursula tried to deliver a message to all the women in this life, she
doesnt want women to be like a prisoner in this life, she wants every
woman to use her voice and let the world know her, they should do
what they like to do in this life, and what they are good at. She said
also I dont want you to talk about success, I want you to talk about
failure, we are human beings we should be ready in this life to meet
failure, disappointment, injustice, betrayal, and losing. Which is true,
life is not perfect, nothing is perfect, you should be expecting
everything in this life, but that shouldnt let you down, because this is
life, it is cruel.

Journal- How does the place of gender and social status play
into these two accounts? Are the types of laws and punishments
equal for those living in this society? What are the feelings being
recalled by these women? Do they feel fairly treated?
Journal 3:Treatment can be different in this world, depending on if you
are a male or female, also depending in your class in this life, if you are
from the rich or the poor people, it makes you feel they are totally
different creatures. For example, Safiya Hussaini she was stoned buried
up until her neck and then only men can throw at her with stones
until she is dead, because of the adultery. Beside the cruel punishment,
why only men can do that to her? The attorney general said Its the
law of Allah, so nothing to worry about we are still human beings, and
we understand the religions and the differences between them, using
the religion as an excuse for cruel things is not acceptable at all.
Safiyas words men can always commit adultery and run away with it,
but the women will be punished because of the pregnancy, so the real
crime for her is being a woman simply can show you that there is not
equality between the different genders. Delphine said that the Muslim
leaders preach Sharia during the day and run after us girls on campus
at night, they are champions in drinking. As I mentioned before, using
the religion for personal purpose isnt fair to any human being. Also,
the Sharia exist only for the poor people, if you steal they will cut your
hand or flog a woman who has sex, but on the other hand if you are
one of the religis leaders, nobody can question what are you doing, so
your class in this life can affect how you live your life.