How Spirit Mediums Blur Gender Lines in Southeast AsiaCNN April 12th, 2018 How Spirit Mediums Blur Gender Lines in Southeast Asia Oscar Holland This article explains how in Southeast Asia, biological men wear makeup and clothing that are traditionally worn by women. It's a growing phenomenon, thats become much more accepted in the more recent decade or so. The biggest reason why the men dress as women for religious ceremonies is that women are easiest to posses. This has been going on for a long time and has been a long standing tradition especially in Southeast Asian culture, however, it's become more common and accepted in the more recent years. Around sixty years or so ago, spirit mediums were, more often than not, cis female women. Now, the more popular spirit mediums tend to identify as gay men, transgender women, or gender non-conforming mediums. A state of fluidity tends to take place during these rituals, depending on the spirits believed to be present in these rituals, the medium can change from a more masculine or feminine roll throughout the session depending on the presences they sense around them. The mediums interviewed throughout this article are very open in discussing their identities and and sexual orientation, the article giving me more insight and information about a culture that I hadn't previously known anything about. I found this article to be insightful and something that really interested me. The individuals photographed for this article all are so beautiful, the photographs well taken and incredibly intriguing. I'd love to look more into this culture and see how it compares to the other cultures and religions around Asia. A big belief in this culture is that the spirits the mediums are looking to connect with beauty and cleanliness. One of the transgender women interviewed to this article believes that the spirits are especially drawn to the transgender women because of the beauty they posses. I will comment on Bre and Simon C's blogs.
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CNN March Seventh, 2018 "Harvard professor retires amid allegations of sexual misconduct" Laura Ly This article is about the ex Harvard professor, Jorge l. Dominguez, who retired, but is still on "administrative leave" from Harvard University after many different women stepped forward and told their stories of Dominguez trying many different sexual advances. He started as a Harvard professor back in 1979 and has continued to work there till very recently. The allegations of sexual misconduct started back in the year he began working at the university, and more and more women came forward each year with their own stories. Dominguez is under investrigation for this misconduct against several women. He had stepped down from his position not only at the university, but also at the "Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies". There have been so many stories of sexual misconduct, he ended up deciding to retire. Except now that the professor is under investigation, he is only allowed to be on administrative leave, this will not affect the investigation in any way or form according to the officials administrating the investigation. One of the vicitims to Dominguez's advantages was Terry Karl, a woman who is now a professor at Standford but who previouly worked as a junior professor at Harvard. During Karl's time at Harvard and working with Dominguez, she had to file many different complaints to innapropriate touching and other attempted advances, those complaints resulted in Dominguez being proven guilty to the misconduct. Yet, even after proven guilty, he only was "barred from administrative esponsibilities for three years, Dominguez was allowed to remain at the university and went on to hold various positions of power, including vice provost for international affairs." How will those actions stop him from doing it again? It didn't change anything, and through out the year he was accused of continiously doing it yet no other major actions took place to stop it. The Me Too movement was something that really helped connect all these women who shared the same experiences with Dominguez. Without diving too deep, the #MeToo movement was something that began in October of 2017. Women came forward with their stories of being sexually harassed and it helped show how big the problem of sexual misconduct all around the world. This event also helped conect the women who were victims of Dominguez, and together they're going to hopefully get the justice they all deserve. He was proven guilty in 1983, yet Dominguez was still allowed to work again at Harvard? To me, it is extremely disapointing that Harvard would even let Dominguez back, and even more disapointing that this status on the campus and in the Harvard community would only grow. Terry Karl, the woman mentioned in the previous few paragraphs, had done everythinng she could to make sure that nobody else fell prey under Dominguez. Yet, he still somehow managed to be a respectable figure on campus even with the years of sexual misconduct and allegations. It doesn't make sense to me that such a good college like Harvard would let something like this happen. The only way to stop Dominguez from assulting any women in the future would've been to fire him completely. Sexual misconduct is never okay, and what does that reflect on Harvard? The students obviously felt really uncomfortable around him, especially the ones who had come foward, and they deserved better than what he got in 1983. There should've been more harsh repercussions for his digusting actions. It's unfair, and continues to be unfair. I only hope that this time more appropriate actions will take place for the things he'd done over thirty years in a row. I am now going to comment on Bre and Simon C's blogs. bjones2020.weebly.com/ https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/06/us/harvard-professor-retires-amid-allegations-of-sexual-misconduct/index.html CNN
January 18, 2018 Snow May Hide Dead Migrants on Alps Route Saskya Vandoorne and Melissa Bell This article is about how mountain guides in the Italian Alps have been warned about finding people's dead bodies when the snow melts. These people would've been migrants trying to make the crossing from Italy into France. The route through the Alps that so many migrants had taken was an extremely dangerous route, although it was a much quicker choice than the simple route along the coastline. The exact location of where this event occurred was the Italian Alps, which is located in Italy (although the Alps also run through a few different countries, this event took place on the section located in Italy). The guides were warned that the bodies of the migrants could also be found by tourists or hikers, and that wouldn't be a very ideal situation. The mountain guides are also instructed to look for migrants who do happen to be passing through, that way they can lower the number of bodies they eventually discover months later. This event happened because people are looking for ways to get out of the country and head over to Italy or France. There have recently been a lot of tightening of border controls between France and Italy, which has made it difficult to get to either country. The deaths of these migrants are mostly caused because most of them aren't equipped for the dangers and harsh conditions of the mountains themselves. They end up either running out of food or water, or dying due to the harsh and bitter weather conditions. This honestly makes me really sad, mostly because it must be a really hard thing to do and see. I can't imagine the emotional toll it could take on volunteers and the guides, and I really think they're strong for what they have to do. Article: https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/18/europe/alps-migrants-border-crossing-intl/index.html I will comment on Sorel and Cole's blogs. |
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April 2018
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