Unit 7

1. Gender Aspects on Campus

One aspect of gender differences on campus is the use of clothing and hair style. For males looser fitting clothes and T-shirts are seen as normal and pretty routine. As for females, it's more understood that females wear more-fitted clothing, both pants and shirts. Females also have the option to wear skirts or dresses, while men don't, at least not where it would be largely accepted. If a man wants to dress up or be dressy he can wear a casual suit and shoes, which some males do wear depending on their major or place of work before/after school. Women tend to have long flowing hair that is either put up in a pretty way, or down and straightened or curly. Men however have shorter hair that is more manageable right out of bed and they often don't take the time to do anything with it for classes.

Another aspect of gender differences among male and female groups on campus is the way they communicate. Women when talking are often much closer, they use their hands and body to express emotion, they face each other and also tend to be more 'touchy-feely' with one another. This can be seen at all ages of women. Men however, are often seen talking to one another facing the same direction, they minimally use their hands and do not touch one another when they talk as girls do. Another difference in the communication of females and males can be seen even in the classroom. Men are normally more prevalent to take control of speaking in a classroom setting. However, this is not as common anymore and women are beginning to set the standard in classroom communication.

2. Sexuality, Generation, Class, and Ethnicity in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area

In the PBS documentary, The Lost Children of Rockdale County  it focuses on a group on females who have contracted Syphilis and how it has affected their communities and families. What is so shocking is that these females are young girls of about 14 yrs old often from middle-class white families. This came as a complete shocker to many researchers; "A Syphilis outbreak does not occur in a middle class white girl" they said. 

Young girls in this film often said that losing their virginity or being a part of any sexual activity wasn't pleasurable, but yet "a part of socialization". Often times drinking or drugs were involved in these so-called gatherings of young just barely high school students. One thing the documentary seemed to continuously harp on was the parenting, or lack of parenting by these girls. It never seemed to pin-point and directly blame the parents, but at times asked where the parents were, or whether or not these girls were taught any better? It also leads to believe that young men are also not respecting not only themselves, but in no way are they respecting a woman's body or woman in general.