Language, Gender, and Race 12.31.2016

           Have you ever tried to defy a stereotype because you didn't want to be the typical person of your gender and race? In the article "I spent my life trying to defy race and gender stereotypes. Here's why I stopped." by Erica Williams Simon, she describes the many gender and racial stereotypes of a person. For example, she mentions the stereotype that Asians love math and women are sensitive. Simon also gives an anecdote of her own personal experience about a teacher who thought that she, a black woman, was uneducated and unintelligent. In reality, stereotypes do exist, and they are words that are placed on a group of people to separate them by race and gender. These words greatly impact how we view one another. The language used in stereotypes creates an image of how a person of a particular gender and/or race would look like. For instance, if someone were to ask you to picture a woman, you would most likely imagine a person who is frail and delicate, and not a muscular person. These types of stereotypes tend to limit people and cause them to not be themselves. Some would try to meet the stereotype, while others would want to be different from the typical image and defy their stereotype. Simon ends her article by saying that we shouldn't try to follow a stereotype or purposely defy and just be ourselves. I agree with her statement because stereotype does not define an individual person.

There Is No Unmarked Woman 12.17.2016

          What is the definition of the word "marked"? According to Deborah Tannen, the word "marked" refers to the way language is altered from its base word. In "There Is No Unmarked Woman", Tannen argues that in society women are marked while men are not. I agree with her claim because in society, there is no plain and "unmarked" woman who would not be judged by others. In my own personal experience, people would judge me for when I walk out with sweatpants instead of something that is considered more "fashionable." After reading this paper, I started to question why women aren't the unmarked gender in society even though they are the "unmarked" gender biologically.
          Throughout the entire paper, Deborah Tannen makes an effective argument. She starts off an anecdote and descriptive evidence. This gives the reader a visible image and a greater understanding of the topic. It also makes argument more convincing because it shows how this issue is evident in society. Tannen then uses hypothetical examples about what people would say of a woman based on her clothing. For example, she says that if a woman wears clothes that are too tight and revealing, people will say that she wants to be attractive. The use of hypothetical examples makes her argument effective because it reflects the thoughts of society. Towards the end of Tannen's paper, she uses logos to discuss the chromosomes of a male and a female and explain how women are the biologically unmarked gender. This use of reasoning raises the question of why society makes women the marked gender when they are not. Through the use of rhetorical devices, Tannen makes a strong argument.

Analysis of Pillow Angel Ethics 12.3.2016

          What does it mean for something to be ethical? The article "Pillow Angel Ethics" discusses the case of Ashley, a brain-damaged girl who is sterilized to keep her small. There has been controversy to this issue, and people argue whether or not the parents made an ethical decision. In class, we talked about how a criteria is needed to evaluate the ethics of a topic and that a nation's ethics will not always be the same as one's morals. This is relatable in reality because everyone has his or her own thoughts, and as humans, we tend to disagree with what others think is right, which is probably why there has been a split in sides of Ashley's case. I personally think that the parents decision was unethical because of its violation to both my morals and my ethical criteria.

          Throughout this article, the author provides evidence and reasoning for both sides. She uses expert opinions to explain why the doctors believed it was ethical. For example, she uses Dr. Daniel Gunther's statement that because of the treatment Ashley's risk for cancer has decreased and there were no long-term risks. By using an expert opinion, her evidence is more credible and convincing. However, her explanations for the parents motives makes the case seem unethical. According to the author, the parents just assume that stopping the growth of their child would make her happy. The parents used the logical fallacy, slippery slope, to try to make themselves seem as if they were doing the right thing. One can't just assume what another wants. Ashley's parents are not mind readers; they do not know what Ashley truly wants. Due to the use of a slippery slope, the parents' action seems unethical. The author then uses rhetorical questions at the end of the article to emphasize the ethics of the situation again. A rhetorical question that the author uses is "How can it be O.K. to make someone "unnaturally" taller but not smaller?"  This question makes the author seem to lean towards the ethical side because it raises the question of whether or not changing a child's physical structure in general is ethical. Overall, the author tries to stay objective; however, it can be argued on what side the author actually leans toward.