The first Grand Theory I’ll be looking at with prostitution (mainly women prostitutes) is Symbolic Interactionism. First thing that comes to mind; is how we talked about the Labeling Theory and here in America being a prostitute isn’t looked at in a very positive light. So I could see a girl going through high school being labeled a slut and end up becoming a prostitute in a bad way from being labeled so much or to provoke those who had labeled her. For some prostitutes, they look at their job as a major part of society- that they are helping people, on a side note, I heard some strippers even consider themselves as more of therapists than sex workers. Also, for all of time this “job” has existed; to help the basic needs of people-mostly men of  over sexual drives. Then leading me to my second Grand Theory; I’ll be discussing is Structural Functionalism it at the basic is to help men who have over sexual desires or who are not satisfied with their current sexual partner. It is also a job that helps women who may have no education or other way of making money. I know in Japan they have “host clubs” some where you just talk but others that do acts of prostitution and the number one call girl or hostess or basically prostitute is a millionaire because of her job they’re is also a male host or prostitute in Japan who makes $200,000 a night. So fictionally from low level street walkers who just need money to survive to call girls or hostess that are living rich and fabulous lives prostitution provides jobs.

Reading this chapter instantly reminded me of the first day in this class when Harry stood at the front of the class, and did nothing. As we all just sat their quietly and stared at him, because we’ve been taught over all these years just to sit quietly and wait for instruction-or do as we’ve been told. This chapter also, now as an adult, brings back my memories of kindergarten. I didn’t realize what was going on, I thought all these activity’s (that I now see as boot camp or a crazy training ground) was fun not knowing how mindless and non-individual  they all make us. Forcing us to celebrate the country we live and have pride for it, but also in some cases, forcing religion at such a young age. One major thing that happened to me was; I would hang onto my mom and not want to go into class, so my mom would have to literally hand me to the teacher. I would cry and cry not to go. My mom thought it was heart breaking; till one day my teacher told her to come peak through the window after I went to class. My mom was shocked; the teacher put me immediately down on the ground I  instantly stopped crying and went directly over to a friend and started working on the table project at hand. Already learning how to play the game besides how to act in society, but also how to get what I want- which later throughout my school years, lead to me being a pretty good actor of being “sick” when I didn’t want to go to school and a lot of the time getting away with it.

This excerpt made me uncomfortable-a little bit. I definitely agree that ‘beautiful’ people have an easier path, and more access to power because of their looks.
I have been complimented many times, and I know, depending on my daily dose of confidence that I am considered pretty. But, at 25, I have had only one partner, and we are nearing 10 years.
So I think the article though supported by a sea of research made some pretty broad assumptions.  Also, it did not addresss at all the envy that beautiful people have to deal with. I know it sounds like a pity-part; but sometimes, because of jealousy, a pretty woman is NOT liked by other women, and does not make women friends easily; especially if their boyfriends or husbands can’t stop ogling them.
However, I would have to agree with the broad assumptions. My aunt is disabled, and my mom once told me a story about when my aunt was about 4 or 5, and in school. It was a school that was for handicapped kiddos. The teacher told my mom, ( who was 17 when her sister, my aunt, was born), that her sister was “lucky, because she is so cute”. My mom replied, ‘ Thanks-but what do you mean, lucky’?  The teacher told my mom that cute kids have the ability to draw people to them, and protect them.  This is precisely what this excerpt talks about. It was a very ‘thought-provoking’ article.

The title alone gave me a ‘heads-up” about the deep and, seemingly, ageless struggle for men and women to communicate. I think a lot of what was said was true-half way through though, I had to re-read the author’s name, as it seemed that the viewpoint was slanted against women. The part about apologies rand so true to me. Once, on a job, I had a male peer give me some advice as I was the newbie. He said, ” Its okay to be sorry, but just be sorry once; otherwise you really are a sorry mess”. I really appreciated his advice, and realized that I did apologize too much. I am much better at it now. Now, if someone clearly bumps into me-I do not say ‘ sorry’, and that’s good!

Recently, because of COVID-19, most people I look at -or consider crazy- are people who aren’t wearing masks or abiding by the 6 foot Social Distancing rule. The first question on ‘How did I know the norms were being violated by this person?’ Is extremely prevalent at grocery stores or Walmart where they now have the huge tape or even markings that say ‘stand here keep a 6 feet distance’ in the check out lines and the people I consider crazy are not abiding by them at all. I’ve had to tell several people to
please take a step back from me because of them standing too close to me. Or I ask that they please stand on the specific marked spots. Another label, maybe to controversial, I think of when I see these people; are ‘Trumpsters’ or idiots who believe what our president says and not what all what the research and science data shows. With masks as well; I was at Smart and Final the other day, and they have a huge sign in the front of the store that says ‘must have face cover to enter’ with a picture of a person wearing a mask- and I saw a few people not even give it another second- and just walk right into the store without one on. Besides feeling that they’re crazy, I also just feel how inconsiderate they are. Another one of the questions is ‘Can you imagine you in a similar situation’; with the subjects I’m discussing-  absolutely not. My mother recently went through chemo for breast cancer and it makes me feel and label people even more for how crazy or weird or even rude and idiotic these people are not abiding by the masks and 6 feet rule must be. Lastly, ‘How did the label affect my interaction or feelings about the person?’ Is it affected me extremely so much now that COVID-19 is happening these people are a discussion now in my daily life how crazy some people are. One thing I’ve even started saying since this has happened is ‘it really shows who all the crazies are’.

Reading this chapter was quite shocking; I agree with the end statement that no matter what kind of deviant you are or may have become we’re all human and want to be treated as such. I was watching TV the other day, and in a talk show (The Real) they brought up the question if prisoners should be allowed to play video games and 3 of the women, (all but 1), thought no! How could they! They need to be suffering! And only 1 stated what this chapter is practically saying; about how we need to be helping these people rehabilitate. her thought was basically-if it’s a reward and they’ve been behaving -what’s so bad about letting them play video games, when another of the four women barged in saying,” well why can’t they just play basket ball that’s already allowed?”. For me, as human beings, deviants or not, we all have different interests and in prisons that should be ok just as it is outside of prison. Another thing about this chapter was how the guards and prisoners in the test group acted having your name taken from you and giving a number instead can do so many damaging things to your mental health; and with the guards giving some one that kind of power over people will always go to their heads. Humans like power and like war, so for me, even though they may be doing their job- their just as deviant as the prisoners themselves.

I had previously heard about this story, but the twenty one statements about it from a sociologist’s stand point really changed how I thought of it. First hearing this story from my dad years ago; I thought could I have done that? I think starvation would drive me and my will to live- I would think that I just had too. As we’ve been talking about deviants and as this chapter mentions, I didn’t realize how much of a play it had on the whole situation, having a close friend you could trust who also is majoring in the medical field, I think would have made me immediately be on his side. Also, as we state almost everyday in class, everything is socially constructed and varies from time to time, place to place, and culture to culture. Knowing in the past as the intro of the chapter mentions, warriors used to eat the hearts of the people they defeat to gain strength, also in many of cultures in the past similar cannibalism was very common. So only to us now would this act be considered deviant.

Even though socially it might be “weird” that me, as a women, and also one who’s been in such a long term relationship, I’ve never had dreams of my wedding or how it should be. As a child, I had friends talk about it, but it never really interested me. Even when I first met my boyfriend- I think we would both joke about it, but we were broke and 16. Now that we’ve been in a relationship for almost 10 years, we want to be husband and wife one day; but I personally think we should wait till we live together and own a house together even though I don’t think it’ll make much of difference between now and then. Besides all the legal stuff;  I’m also not very religious or have a huge family and lots of friends. Mainly I think weddings are a huge waist of money. I’d rather take a trip to Japan or Spain because traveling the world is one of my goals and that’s where I’d rather spend my money or my time with my love. I also have several acquaintances that “accidentally” get pregnant and then immediately get married. After these readings and what we talk about in class; not to brag- but I’m extremely lucky with how romantic and compatible my relationship is. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but it’s pretty darn close- we’re lovers, best friends, and life partners. So it’s kinda sad and weird to see these unhappy couples put on a show for 1 day out of the rest of their lives or at least until they get divorced not because they want to but because they got pregnant and think that’s socially what you must do. Another reason why white weddings or any wedding doesn’t appeal to me is it’s just a big show for your family and friends “like look at us we’re so happy and in love”. I mean all the gifts are nice but personally, I think love is very sacred and I don’t need the rest of the world to know or approve or disapprove of my relationship. I used to work as a photography assistant for weddings and one shoot always stuck out to me: the couple we were shooting was at to the San Francisco court house which is a beautiful building and his and her family were their all dressed up; she was in a very expensive and beautiful white gown with her bouquet but what I’ll never forget was another couple in line to sign their marriage papers in Adidas sweats, slides, and T-shirt’s (not matching or anything) just very chill and what my boyfriend and I wear grocery shopping) and I thought that’ll be us.

I thought this chapter was quite eye opening. For me, when I call my boyfriend and I traditionally am always thinking of the 1950s- where men worked and women were house wives; as the ideal time. But as this chapter pointed out, a lot of things were swept under the rug then. We seem to focus on the bad now and forget how bad it has been in the past. I think now most families are trying the best they can but as it mentioned- it’s hard to with such an out-dated system. In my case, our gender roles may be similar to the 50s but our passion and communication that we have is even past what some couples still today struggle with. For this chapter it really sums up how it’s just as hard to explain a family or marriage from the inside as it is from the outside.

For me as a child, there wasn’t much of a push that I had to be or act a certain way as a girl or young lady. I was considered a tomboy. I liked to wear jeans and my best friend was a boy so we would skateboard, play video games, and with mini monster trucks or hot wheels. Even as a girl, I didn’t want baby dolls or mini kitchen sets-though I had a kitchen set as a toddler. I wanted Barbies or Bratz dolls or Legos- it wasn’t until I got my first, and last, boyfriend -(we’ll be celebrating our 10 year anniversary in October), that I started to realize but also really love my gender-role as a women or mainly his woman. For example like learning a way to a mans heart is through his stomach and being a lady in the streets but a freak in the sheets, most couples today would look at us as very old fashioned but I like cooking and cleaning or getting all dolled up before he gets home from work  and having a delicious meal ready for us. I can be lazy too-so it’s nice to have him enjoy doing more of the hard labor stuff or killing a spider for me. We do work together very well – if I cook, he does the dishes, or if he does the laundry- I fold and so on. Maybe because we’re so old fashion is why we’ve been together so long. Another reason I think is even though I am a lady, we both are obsessed with video games and technology. So where in our gender roles we our very old fashion but also our hobbies are extremely similar even more on gender roles- even in gaming most women don’t play or shouldn’t play shooting games and I honestly am just not good at them. We play VR games together and some games like ‘God of War’, but our set up at home allows him to play his fps (first person shooter) games; while I play my mmorpg (massive multiplayer online role playing game) -like elder scrolls or even older games like Spyro. So,even in gaming we’re “traditional” with that- I play “games girls would play” and he plays “games boys should play” which is just how we are and works for us.