Write a 1000-word essay telling me what you learned this term. Include specifics from the course materials. Try and think in terms of ideas, themes, theories, and concepts, using specific references to and from the course materials. In short, what was most compelling, exciting, engaging about the ideas we covered this semester?
Must be:
include at least 4 of the 5 modules
submit as a Word document ONLY
single-spaced
12-point font, 1″ margins
grammatically correct
do not pad the margins or the header. Put your name in the upper right hand corner of the page.
Here is my previous discussion post from the class
🌌MODULE #1: Being & Becoming Human (what I wrote): 
The human conscience and identity encounter challenges as the lines between humans and animals and machines become increasingly connected. Darwin explores the parallels between human and animal evolution with natural selection, “… female birds, by selecting, during thousands of generations, the most melodious or beautiful males, according to their standard of beauty” (Darwin, 1859) as humans historically favored desirable traits. However, the animalistic comparison, “To say a very close relative [Bonobo] to us is female-dominated, sounded unlikely. It was disturbing for some people. There was resistance’ (Seigel, p. 46), exemplifying the discomfort and resistance from society when norms are challenged. As the reliance on technology increases, “… we are all chimeras theorized and fabricated hybrids of machine and organism; in short, we are cyborgs” (Haraway, 150). The fusion with technology brings into question our authenticity and humanity. While platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and online classes sprout worldwide communication and knowledge. The platforms navigate society in the wrong direction by slowly stripping humans away from authentic connections. 
🏳️‍🌈MODULE #2: Gender Scripts & Storytelling (what I wrote): 
The narrative of becoming “a woman” in the 21st-century America is integrated with the traditional narrative of feminity enforced in daily life from childhood to adulthood. These narratives reinforce gender roles, as exemplified in Snow White tale, ” ‘If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything you want.’ ” (Grimm). The emphasis on domestic duties correlates to societal expectations for women to play the caregiver role in exchange for the protection and comfort provided by men. Furthermore, these narratives sustain feminity by portraying beauty as the ultimate reward for women, exemplified by Snow White’s awaking from a coma in a coffin to the prince’s stating, ” ‘I love you more than anything else in the world. Come with me to my father’s castle. You shall become my wife.’ ” (Grimm). The narrative reinforces that a woman’s worth is intertwined with her physical appearance, creating unrealistic beauty standards for young girls. Additionally, a child playing Snow White, ” ‘[Daisy is] Snow White,’ he explained ‘She ate the poison apple and now we’re trying to find the prince to wake her.’ ” (Orenstein, pg. 12), shows how the narratives fuel these stereotypes of feminity. The child, Daisy, eagerly awaits her own “Love’s First Kiss” (Orenstein), stimulating the idea of feminity to be rescued by a man. 
Silko’s essay “Language and Literature from Pueblo Indian Perspective” reveals the importance of storytelling within the Pueblo culture. Stories are a”language” (Silko, pg. 50) within the Pueblo community to “… the origin story constructs our identity—with this story, we know who we are. We are the Lagunas. This is where we are from” (Silko, 51), which cultivates an essential take on identity, community, and cultural continuity with a never-ending story. The theory from Publeo culture is depicted in Silko’s short story “Yellow Woman,” where the main character, a young Native American woman, in a journey with a man named Silva ,indulging in a relationship with the man. The Yellow Woman challenges the “normal” identity for feminity by in taking part in the journey into the unknown with a mysterious man who represents freedom and danger. The story interwines traditional and contemporary styles, inviting readers to explore their own identities within the broader context of society. 
In “Paris is Burning,” the documentary provides an exploration of the underground ball culture of the NYC Q+ community, where individuals defy heteronormativity through powerful runway performances. The film highlights the complexity of gender identity, emphasizing that “identifying a person’s gender is far more complex than most people imagine” (Baird, pg. 119) because, scientifically, no one is a hundred percent female or male. The way society continues homonormativity is highlighted in Professor Davis’ lecture with binary categories, for example, a bathroom sign showing there are only two genders, marginalizing those who do not fall in “normal.” However, the “Paris is Burning” participants boldly defy these norms, asserting their identities beyond conventional labels. Their performances serve not only as acts of self-expression but also as a powerful resistance against societal constraints. Reflecting on these themes prompts us to embrace gender fluidity, recognize human identity’s diversity and complexity, and strive for a more inclusive society. 
👑MODULE #4: Affairs of State (what I wrote): 
The links between watching films, being watched/surveilled, and being a gendered body in the world are vividly depicted in the movie “Rear Window.” Through the perspective of the main character, Jeff, viewers are drawn into the act of observation, actively participating in the viewing experience. This dynamic is exemplified when Jeff is called out for monitoring the lives of others. Furthermore, the film uniquely portrays Jeff as the subject and object of surveillance, challenging traditional gender norms. Laura Mulvey’s assertion highlights this departure from the norm, “The image of women as (passive) raw materials for the (active) gaze of man takes the argument further into the structure of representation…” (Mulvey, pg. 67), allowing male characters to be both active and passive roles in the gaze. Additionally, the power dynamics at play show Michel Foucault’s concept of the panopticon, as Jeff is demonstrating “visible and unverifiable” (Foucault, 2000) control over what is seen and unseen, creating a sense of visibility and invisibility that reinforces his authority over the neighborhood. 
The connections between these readings and films, with a focus on the environment, food chains, and gender. Environmental racism impacts “people of color and low-income people… situated near sources of contamination and away from clean water, air, and soil…” (Covert, 2016), This leads to situations where residents live near heavily polluted industries. The systemic inequalities from the power above allow us to see the idea of “force and liberty of each man” (Rousseau, 1762), the obligation of the state to protect marginalized groups with a lack of resources. The ties between food chains, environment, and gender are highlighted in Locavores, Feminism, and the Question of Meat journal, “The release of methane gasses from feedlots has an impact on climate change greater than all transportation.” (Rudy, pg. 28). The combat to these slaughterhouses and feedlots are using Locavores, which “… requires us to shift these subsidies away from unsustainable monocultural operations and toward integrated closed system small farms.” (Rudy, 34). 
✊🏾 MODULE #5: Revolution (what I wrote): 
“Persepolis” and “The Burning Times” vividly depict how society enforces traditional gender roles, upholds the gender binary, and employs cultural surveillance for social control. In “Persepolis,” In Iran, Marjane faces the challenge of opposing the strict gender norms enforced by the repressive authoritarian regime. All women are required to wear a complete veil, and Marji is frequently cautioned that her veil must cover more. She is told, “The veil stands for freedom. A decent woman shelters herself from men’s eyes. A woman who shows herself will burn in hell.” (Persepolis, 2007); women are taught to be submissive and lack sexual desire or else face punishment in hell, reinforcing gender role by the act of surveillance from authorities. This surveillance extends beyond Iran; in France, her female landlord accuses her of being a prostitute due to her clothing, highlighting gender norms are everywhere. “The Burning Times” documentary highlights how powerful women were labeled as witches, which not only restricted their authority but also forced them into domestic roles. The Inquisition regulated women by accusing midwives of harming the Catholic faith by easing the pain of birth and interfering with God’s will through birth control and abortion. A new law was implemented that required physicians to have a university degree to practice but only allowed men to do so, which reinforced patriarchal dynamics and resulted in the burning of powerful women as “witches.” Both films reveal how patriarchal societies use surveillance to maintain control and perpetuate inequality, punishing those who defy traditional gender norms.