Reflection 20

Intersexuality is basically having the termed medically condition of combined sexual differentiation. Some forms of intersexuality are hermaphrodites, female pseudo hermaphrodites and male pseudo hermaphrodites. Each of this has a certain difference, but all have a combination of a sexual gentile or reproductive organ. A Hermaphrodite is a person who is born with one ovary and one testie. Usually at birth it is hard to name place the child as female or male. This makes things rather difficult for the parent and the child later in life. Many arguments come about if the child was named a female then she will forever be female. But what if the person does not feel that way as they continue on in life? Does that make them less human? Some hermaphrodites end up discovering what they really are and change their whole life style. Some that were deemed women end up changing gender assignment to be a man or vice versa. This is very difficult topic to discuss because many controversies come into play with the assignment and choice of the hermaphrodite. Sex is determined by the two sex chromosomes. The male chromosome is Y and the female chromosome is X. Intersexuality is said to be caused by genetics. Some of the reasons are: by rare hormonal levels during pregnancy, and sometimes by unknown causes. It’s very hard to find the proper explanation for why this happens to only a same group of people. Some also find some comfort in surgeries. These can help the physical appearance look more like the sex they “feel” they truly are. Others may not decide to go under the knife. Being in that position seems incredibly difficult to handle. Not knowing who you really are, or being accepted for the way you feel you are, would be very hard for me to cope with. I applaud those people who have the strength to be who they know they are. By reading this assignment I got a lot more knowledge on a subject that was strange to me. It is very useful because now I know enough to keep me educated on this topic. I become more interested to research this into more depth. I am open minded to the stories that I found about real people who are going through the sexual identity confusion. The stories are very detailed and insightful to what it is like being a hermaphrodite.

Reflection 19

When talking about homosexuality, you can see that many people tend to shy away from getting into how they feel about it. Not me. I am very open to my views on homosexuality. Based on what I know, I do not think there is a “cause” for homosexuality. Homosexuals are not caused to feel a certain way about the same sex; they have an emotional and physical attraction to them and are merely what anyone would feel about the opposite sex. They feel an erotic orientation when coming in contact with the opposite sex. To me, that is not strange whatsoever. Who are we to tell someone who it is right for them to get sexually aroused by? I think homosexuals are that way maybe from birth or when they begin to discover feelings during the earliest time of childhood. What makes homosexuality so hard is the reaction they receive from others. It’s a scary world out there and some people aren’t as accepting as others. I know that I would be afraid to show who I really am because of the way I would be treated. Homosexuals are discriminated against more and more each year. That’s why I agree with their demands for civil rights. Nowhere in the constitution does it say that because you love someone of the same sex, you will be denied your natural born rights. Religion and politics try to get together on this particular discussion for no apparent reason. Some religions where based on homosexual experiences, not because they were gay, but because it brought them closer as men. Homosexuals have been around for a long time, yet we still act like this is something new and scary. Everyone should take the time to be educated on this subject matter, whether they are homosexuals themselves, straight, and even gay non-supporters. My views on homosexuality have always and will always be the same. I was raised catholic; I complete disagree with the way Catholics are teaching everyone to condemn the gays. In my form of Catholicism, I was taught to love everyone no matter how different they were. Why is this situation any different? Why should we shun the children of god away? I have no right to exclude them from anything. To me, they are just normal everyday kind of people. I see so many forms of hypocrisy and would love to see the day that the gays are treated with respect any human being on this earth deserves.

Assignment #2

This assignment was a little confusing to me. I really didn’t understand what taking these surveys would prove. I know a lot of myself and where I stand with most of these situations and opinions. The mind body and spirit survey asked questions about what I thought about the different theories of the human ego. Some of the questions were very hard to understand at first, but with deeper reading the meanings were much more understandable. It went through many of the theories we have talked about in class. It basically focused on the theories of Freud and his ego, superego teachings. By looking at my results, you can tell that I really didn’t agree much when it stated that the human feelings and emotions are only chemical reactions and imbalances in our bodies. I don’t agree with that what so ever. I am more of a believer that emotions and behaviors are dealt with differently because of personality differences.
One of the surveys that I enjoyed taking was on the Core beliefs. It asked statements about what I learned from my parents. It gave me two different statements and I had to choose which one fit better with my parents’ teachings. When reviewing my results, I like the fact that my parents gave me the freedom to feel. They taught me that expressing my emotions was the best way I could live. They also taught me how to respect everyone, no matter who they were or what they do. They taught me to think and to create, not only by what they have instilled in me but what I came up with on my own. My mother and father also taught me never to be afraid of knowledge. I should never hide my intelligence or dumb myself down for anyone. No proper situation would call for such a matter. I should be ashamed of who I am. I was raised, above all else, to be something. They did everything they could to give me all the opportunities I needed to succeed. This survey was very eye opening. I think everyone should take this survey and really analyze the statements shown. Before I took this survey, I didn’t give my parents enough credit for the way I turned out to be. Not only did they give me the proper starting tools but they gave me the push I needed.
The survey about men was very eye opening. It was interesting to see how some women actually think about men and their position in society. Some of the statements showed were a little over dramatized, but some of them had a hint of truth. If you look at the answers to me survey you will see that I do think men sometimes think they deserve everything just because they are male. Even though most women won’t admit the truth, I am not afraid to point out my opinions. I do believe that men are more about wanting success and power than women are. Men value position and competiveness. Women are more into the emotion and feeling when it comes to most situations. It may seem that I am a sexiest toward the attitudes and beliefs of men, but I am nothing of the sort. This, like in many other cases, does not mean that ALL men are like this. I just think the majority of men I know are like this. To be clear, my opinions have nothing to do with men I do not know or have some sort of understanding for.
When doing the survey about women, I wasn’t in complete shock when I saw most of the questions had to do with emotions, feelings, and a women’s position. It was similar to the survey about men, but it asked more about what a woman is in tune with. I do believe that women are more emotional creatures when compared to men. Most women will not act without analyzing who will benefit and who will get hurt by her decision. Like in every circumstance, there are exceptions this belief. I’m not saying it’s impossible to find a woman who is not controlled by her emotions in that sense. I do think that both men and women make similar efforts when it comes to being successful. How this achievement is done, that is where the difference lies.
The Race survey was a little hard for me to cope with. It is incredible that some people actually think that there is a superior race. This just goes to show you how educated some claim to be. If they were truly educated, they would know that there is only one true race on the face of this earth; and that is the human race. Some of these statements were hard to believe. There were some stupid justifications that people actually agree with. I was shocked, utterly shocked, that human beings could be so judgmental about something they don’t know anything about. There is no such thing as a yellow race or a red race. Peoples skin colors and facial properties do don’t define there personalities, actions or race for that matter. No “race” is unfit for certain situations. Nowhere in any science does it claim that dark skinned men are better at sports, while light skinned men are better in school. These justifications are totally untrue. I think everyone should take the time to really read the survey. If you read it with enough time and understanding, you will see how absurd that way of thinking really is.
The sex and gender survey was sort of like the men and women’s belief survey. I think this survey asked the questions in a more comparative mode. It dealt with things such as gender identity and sexuality and also sexual orientation. By looking at my results you can see that I am very liberal when it comes to sexual orientation. I myself am not a homosexual, but I believe that everyone is entitled to the right to love whom they choose. Why shouldn’t gays be allowed to marry or adopt? There is no evidence that proves they are unfit to be married or take care of children. Most of the times, they are better parents than straight ones. I think it is ok to show the world who you are. Hiding your true sexual identity will only hurt you in the long run. No one should be ashamed of being different. I also believe that gays will not be condemned to hell. Nowhere in the bible does it say that homosexuals will be persecuted. From being a practicing catholic myself, I know that my God is a loving and forgiving God. He loves his children no matter what they do or what they look like. He loves everyone in an equal matter. To bring religious excuses into that argument is just a false justification.

Finally, I took the survey that outlined my political typography. I have taken this particular survey in another class. I came to find that my results have not changed at all. My result said that I am a Liberal. This wasn’t shocking to me whatsoever. Liberals represent 17 percent of the American public, and 19 percent of registered voters. The results stated that liberals have the strongest preference for diplomacy over use of military force. We are Pro-choice, supportive of gay marriage and strongly favor environmental protection. Liberals have a low participation in religious activities. We are also the most sympathetic of any group to immigrants as well as labor unions, and most opposed to the anti-terrorism Patriot Act. This basically defines where I stand today. This clearly defines what I believe in. I am very open to others and what they feel needs to be corrected in this government.
In conclusion, the surveys were not only supposed to let us know a little bit more about ourselves, but to also show us where we stand. Some of the surveys just showed me that my ideals have remained pretty much the same over the last 2 years of my life in college. And some of the surveys helped my redefine and reprioritize where I should be at a mental point. These made me think about how others might answer the questions given. It’s interesting to think that because it shows how diverse the results of the same survey could be. I really hope that people will take the time to do them thoroughly. Yes, it is tedious work, but you will be surprised to see that some are pretty accurate and hit the nail on the head. I have come to understand myself a little bit better than before. Who knows, maybe if I take the same surveys in two more years my results could be the same. Maybe they will be different. It all depends on the information I intake and believe in.

Reflection 18

When reading a tale of Two Islands, I began to understand much more of what I had already known about this issue. Being from Cuban Origin, I Love the place where my family has thrived from. Many different instances have put the U.S.A. and Cuba in very odd circumstances. The relationship between both countries has often been denied, but I know that Cubans might just have it a little easier than Haitians. Both Haiti and Cuba are near Florida in the Caribbean. During 1980, in the Carter Administration, Haitians and Cubans came to Florida on the Mariel. Unlike Cubans, The Haitians were not allowed to apply to be permanent residents. To me, that just seems unfair. What really are the differences and the reasons that justified that law? Just likes Cubans, Haitians were trying to escape a form of persecution and unsatisfied freedoms. I see no difference between the two. If you are going to grant a certain amount of Cubans entrance to the states, the same should be done to the island of Haiti. One reason to justify the passed laws was that Cubans were political refugees trying to escape communism. Communism as we know was one of the United States biggest fears. To have an island so close to our boarder that is based on communism terrified us greatly. Haitians were just trying to escape economic depressions. Just because the country is poor, it does not give the U.S reason to accept them. I think people stereotyped the Haitians just because they were “black”. Being a colored immigrant showed the image that you were low class and uneducated. I don’t think that was the reason the U.S did not let them pass the boarder or let them stay as permanent residence. It’s always easy to play the race card and state injustices that way. This is a totally different situation. I think the problem is much deeper than skin based. Some Cubans are dark skinned or very tanned. If that was the case, those dark Cubans would not have been accepted to stay either. Tanned people are also looked down on. Because their skin is so brown, some assume they work in manual labor because they are uneducated. I think this problem needs to be analyzed more deeply. The problem here is not race. The problem here is merely a political loss and gain system.

Reflection 17

In this class, we have extensively studied what Racism is. All throughout my schooling, I was taught that Racism is not a born trait. It is a trait that is taught thorough the years of one’s life. This class helped affirm that statement. As a child, we are not born to feel hate and racist attitudes toward anyone. On the contrary, as a child we love to explore and look at all the different wonders around us. But as our brain begins to develop, we come to “learn” different forms of discrimination in our behavior. When we are finally engulfed in a school where everyone is a different race, religion or gender, our taught habits come into play. Maybe one day the child was watching the news and saw a black man’s picture as the most wanted. He may think that all black men are criminals and cannot be trusted. Or he heard his mother say something negative about the African American next door neighbors. The media and others help influence this terrible derogatory feeling. The feelings of racism might not always be shown on the outside. Just because one doesn’t see the racism in action does not mean that it does not exist or go one in everyday life. It’s horrible to think that some people think these feelings are normal. Feeling hatred and negative feelings toward anyone is not acceptable in my eyes. People should not condone racism. This is a serious issue that has been around for years and years. This is a problem that is always shoved under the rug. Everyone should at least try to see the world through different eyes. The one feeling the hatred toward the race should take a walk in the shoes of the man he hates. Only then, will he be able to see clearly and justly. I recommend that people should take a diversity class at least once in their life. It can help explain situations and maybe help clear the air for some. Like I have stated before, we are not separate races. We all belong to the grand scheme of the Human race. No one is less important than the next. Everyone has a role to play and a purpose in this world. One of the main reasons I think our world is so beautiful is because we are all so different. The world is an exciting place because it changes constantly. Being diverse is part of way I enjoy living where I do. I walk the streets and see so many different people. I feel that everyone should take the time to step back and see how remarkable our life is due to the factor of differences.

Extra Credit: Emmett Till

The story of Emmett Till is a tragic one; probably one of the hardest stories I have had to hear. I was unaware that this was the main cause of the civil rights movement. If I would’ve known that a mere child’s death was the cause of such revolution, I would have had more of a grander interest in the expansion. Emmett Till was sent to Mississippi to visit his family for a break. He got on the train and headed south. When he got off the train he was mystified by the beauty of the south. Emmett and some of his cousins went to a corner drug store to get something. When they entered the store Emmett was being a little “fresh” with the woman at the counter. When they walked out, that’s when the trouble began. Emmett whistled at the woman and that was the end of that. A few days later, Emmett’s body was found floating the Tallahatchie river. He had been severely beaten, shot, mutilated and tied to a 70 pound cotton gin fan. Emmett’s mother and the police could barely identify the body because of the state of his face. When looking at the pictures of what he looked liked, I was in complete and utter disbelief. He barely looked human. His face looked like melted leather and his body was in terrible condition. I have no idea how a human being could be so cruel and rotten. Emmett was only 15 years old. He was barely a man. It’s scary how three grown men could do that to a child. It is like they didn’t have a heart to begin with. At the trial, they looked like they could care less about what they did. They smirked and smiled at camera because they already knew that a white southern man would never be convicted for killing a nigger. The way they spoke about the blacks in the community, was like they were speaking about worthless cattle. Emmett’s mother would write letters to the Supreme Court and even to the president of the United States and would get no reply. It’s as if the world didn’t care about a little black boy who “fell” into the Tallahatchie. But one good thing came out of this case. Because of the courage Emmett’s mother had, other African Americans raised their voices and forced people to listen. This was the beginning of the civil right movement. I feel such disgust when I think about those murders. The injustice in this case is clear. I hope the world will learn from this mistake. This story should inspire all people to change their racist ways because this can happen to anyone. I hope that when people read about Emmett Till, they think twice about treating different people with detestation.