Reflelction paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflelction paper - Essay Example As a citizen I feel less than nationalistic towards any form of government. I see myself as a citizen of Earth not a particular nation. As a worker I am honest. I may procrastinate and deviate from social norms but I still do what I need to get done. My role as a leisure user is important to me. I throw myself into all visual forms of art and literature and I practice very hard to perfect my skills. As a learner I am always there. I will never stop learning new things as each day passes by and for every new thing I learn will add to my well of wisdom. As myself I value my individuality highly, which is normal for an INTP. I refer to myself as an enlightened anarchist. I do not care what others think about me or what they do as long as it does not affect others in a negative way. I believe my self-esteem is average. I do not over-estimate my value though I am proud. I do not mind using myself as the butt of a joke nor am I quick to criticize others. If I would change something about m y self-confidence it would be my notorious shyness when it comes to meeting new people. My timidity tends to lock me up when I’m surrounded by new faces. I also find it hard to make conversations with others without being introduced to them. Most of my friends are there because they came to me. When I break out of my shell it is when people realize that I am not as innocent or quiet as they initially thought. They tend to think of me as crude but at least I am not hiding behind a shell like most people do. When it comes to being a worker, I believe that is where my weakness lies. I would like to able to enjoy work instead of despise it. I do not want to feel like a serf to some sleaze who is sipping coconut drinks all day on the beach while many others barely have enough money to put food in their stomachs. I know this is a very pessimistic view and that I need to change it. But I feel that society has been brainwashed into wanting to live inside of a golden cage. 2. There ar e different levels of loving, among them: passion, romantic and consummate forms of love. Passionate loving means an intense sexual desire for the object of desire. The main core of this relationship can be purely physical, meeting one’s sexual needs at the most. Many people derive happiness when their sexual needs are met regardless if there’s a commitment or none. Passion can happen between two strangers such as a one-night stand where both parties feel a burning desire to have sexual relations. After passion has been consumed, a partner can simply forget the event since there are no strings attached or what we call â€Å"commitment†. Passion is also possible between two people who truly love each other like couples in a marriage. Romantic love is more on developing intimacy and passion but with no commitment. Most young people feel these nowadays thinking that emotional commitment and making their other person happy is enough to sustain a solid relationship. Although some relationships can begin this way, many relationships also fail after this stage. When a relationship is tested by adversity, partners who are not willing to commit would just abandon the romantic relationship. Consummate love includes all three levels of loving: intimacy, passion and commitment. Solid marriages are often characterized by consummate love because the partners were able to balance the three levels. The attributes that the relationship must have to become consummate are the following: transparency, trust, compassion,

American president wilson's fourteen ponits and the importance of such Term Paper

American president wilson's fourteen ponits and the importance of such a plan for the world - Term Paper Example The 14 points from Wilson’s speech were a general outline of any treaty the U.S. would sign. This outline included diplomacy must be open, free international waters, world trade encouraged through lowered economic barriers, low army upkeep, colonial claims adjusted, the new territorial boundaries that returned land to Russia, Belgium, France, and Italy, Turkey and Poland would become sovereign nations, Austria-Hungary should have free autonomous development, Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro should be evacuated by Central Powers, and a league of Nations should be formed (Wilson 1917). All of these suggestions, along with reparations and other demands by England and France came about, except for the League of Nations. Wilson was a man before his time, because the U.N. would form after WWII. In 1917, the world was not ready for a global body of like the U.N., or the League of Nations. The 14 points was also used as propaganda to help bolster Wilson’s war and to give the Germans a message. The message given must have been the right one, since Germany surrendered without being totally overrun like in WWII. The United States wanted these points to be addressed in any treaty discussed. The Versailles Treaty’s harsh measures were due to England, France, and other negotiating countries. America did go along with these harsh terms, not realizing the oppressive terms would lead to

Communication and Professional Relationships with Children

Communication and Professional Relationships with Children Hanan Adrime The educational environment is a place that gives us opportunity to make a deep and a vital link with children and young people. This also enables us to communicate and build positive relationships with them. Support staff should bear in mind that there are specific principles, skills, and regulations that are compulsory to provide a productive learning environment for children and young people. So, what are the main principles that the supporting assistant should be knowledgeable of when working in a school setting? The principles of relationship building: Effective communication with its both sides verbal and non-verbal is very important to develop positive relationships with everyone, from inside the school setting and from outside it like parents and careers. It has a good impact on children emotionally, intellectually, and socially as it provides them a harmonious and a happy learning environment. It is hard to build relationships with everyone in the school setting especially when we come across different people with different ideas, morals, and working practices. Therefore using good communication principles helps us easily to build positive relationships. We value children and young people when we respect them and when we communicate with them effectively by listening and making time to them. We should consider their feelings as well by avoiding making assumptions and prejudgements, and try to know what the reasons that push them to behave differently. When we show interest in children as human beings and when we behave with them with a sense of humour makes relationship building with them easy task. There are some social, professional, and cultural factors that affect our communication and relationships with people. Due to that the communication can be either formal or informal depending on the context and situation we are in. A formal communication can occur between a parent and any working staff in the school when discussing the child’s behaviour; it should take place as well when the teacher is discussing any learning information with children. On the other hand the informal one is considered to be an efficient manner to build relationships between teachers themselves and support assistants and also between teachers and their pupils. Informal communication gives more space and freedom for everyone in the school setting to get to know each other deeply. The other factor to be considered is culture. We already mentioned that working in a school setting we may come across different people from different backgrounds and cultures. For that reason, it is mandatory that we mo dify our communication to be adequate for everyone in order to avoid any misunderstandings, because what might be considered as respect in one culture might be considered as disrespect in another one. In addition to these principles, the supporting assistant should adopt some skills and adapt them when communicating and when dealing with disagreements, either with children and young people or with adults. Communication skills: There are different skills that are important when we communicating with children. For example keeping eye contact and adopting the art of silence shows them that their talk is valued by the listener, and it gives them freedom to express themselves and talk freely, especially children who have a low self-esteem. Once the child starts speaking we should pay attention to what they are saying and react appropriately by correcting their language mistakes implicitly. The use of questioning is another skill that proves to children that we are interested in what they are saying. It is an effective skill that enables us to converse with them. In addition to that, we value children more when we use body language; bending down to talk to a child gives him or her feeling of security and equality. Some other aspects like the age of children, the context and communication differences are strong reasons for us to adapt our communication with children and young people. When supporting 3-7 years age group, non-verbal communication is more used such as eye contact, tone of voice, gestures and motivation. Whereas, communication with the age range of 7-12 years is more verbal. Children at this age tend to converse freely with adults as they have more needs and problems to confess .This verbal and non-verbal communication is likely to change though ,according to the context of the situation we are in. For instance, the tone of voice may either be soft or loud depending on the activity being supported. When we adapt communication with children and young people it strongly means that there are differences that must be put into consideration. With children: The tone of voice should be projected appropriately to assure that the instructions are heard and being acted upon. The purpose of communication with children aims more to teach them or ask them to do something and we should show interest, and then listen to them when they are responding to questions being asked. With young people: The tone of voice here should not be projected when it is not required in order to avoid causing any offence. The purpose of communication with young people is different, in terms of passing a lot of information besides what is being taught to them by adopting verbal communication. In general communication with young people takes another sense depending on their level of maturity ,on their interest in the subject being taught and depending on their personality. Besides children and young people, adults as careers and parents also have some communication needs that support staff should be knowledgeable of, precisely when they pass information from school about their children or to explain them things that need to be done. These are some adult’s needs that communication should be adapted to meet them: Literacy: Information should be simplified and clarified as much as possible. Vision impaired: We should show the parents their children’s work closely. Hearing impaired: We should speak slowly and loudly with a clear voice. Speaking English as a second language: The supporting assistant should simplify their English language level and a translator should be provided if required. Communication skills are not only important to build positive relationships but also to deal with disagreements that may lead to break these relationships, and produce us negative relationships instead. Differences in personalities and culture backgrounds are factors that may lead children to disagree easily if they are not brought to accept and respect others. When children disagree, it is preferable to follow these skills: -Keep calm, as low voice makes it easy to discuss the situation. -Encourage both sides to reconcile and communicate. -Ensure no issue is dismissed regardless of how big or small they are. -Encourage both sides to apologise and remind them that they should treat others as they would wish to be treated themselves. Mostly disagreements happen with adults because of lack of communication, dishonesty, and inability to compromise, but if these negative elements are avoided adult’s disagreements might be decreased. When it is inevitable, adults should sort out their conflicts far from children’s earshot and sight especially if any aggressive disagreement is taking place. The support assistant should discuss other’s opinions calmly far from raised voices and assumption making. We should remain polite and professional as we are representing the school policies and principles. Then, consult with other member of staff or the teacher if the disagreement is beyond our position. We should also exercise confidentiality in all disagreements and discussions. When the support assistants comes across complicated disagreements ,they should refer them to teacher or head teacher of the school and it is also advised that they refer to the school grievance and policy. The purpose of practicing these skills wisely and peacefully in disagreements, guaranties a safe and a secure schooling environment for children, and it helps them to develop their positive attitudes towards others. Regulations: Exercising confidentiality in the school setting is a crucial condition that ensures safety for children and young people. All the school staff has access to confidential matters of pupils their families and even the school information. To safeguard this data and information, we should be aware of the main legislations covering and governing this confidentiality. The Data Protection Act 1998 explains us how to exercise confidentiality lawfully, fairly, appropriately, and professionally. The teaching assistant has a duty towards children and young people to reassure them that any information related to them is safe and will not be shared with someone else, as long as this information is not harming the child or anyone else around him. In every rule there is an exception no matter how strict this rule is. Therefore, confidentiality must be breached in cases like these: -Situations disclosed by pupils that would indicate they could come to harm. -Where a child is involved, or could become involved, in criminal activity. -Evidence of an adult being at risk or suffering harm. The teaching assistant should notify the child protection officer as soon as possible. There is another case that necessitates sharing data. For instance, having a child suffering from any dangerous illness. In cases like that the other members of staff should be privy to the whole situation so that attention is paid to the child to ensure his safety at any time. When the teaching assistants raise their knowledge about these principles, skills, and regulations it makes their work with children and young people productive and easier. Effective communication and positive relationships are vital contribution to children’s progress in the school setting.

Dutch vs. American Euthanasia Essay examples -- Euthanasia Physician A

Dutch vs. American Euthanasia      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Dutch take their euthanasia seriously. The Dutch government has resubmitted its proposal for formally legalizing assisted suicide and euthanasia, while modifying its controversial provision allowing euthanasia for children. When first proposed to Parliament over a year ago, the bill allowed for cases where children from 12 to 16 years old could request and receive euthanasia "against the wishes of their parents." The modified proposal still allows child euthanasia in this age group, but not over parents' objections [New York Times, 7/14/00]. Still unclear is the fate of another controversial feature of the original bill, allowing adults to sign advance directives requesting euthanasia in the event of future mental incompetency. This would allow legal euthanasia for patients with dementia or Alzheimer's disease for the first time [Id., 6/20]. Dutch euthanasia practice has long included lethal injections for children, including newborn infants, with parental co nsent. Euthanasia for kids - a bit extreme?    Numerous US studies have established that the Americans most directly affected by the issue of physician-assisted suicide -- those who are frail, elderly and suffering from terminal illness -- are also more opposed to legalizing the practice than others are:    * A poll conducted for the Washington Post on March 22-26, 1996, found 50% support for legalizing physician-assisted suicide (Washington A18) Voters aged 35-44 supported legalization, 57% to 33%. But these figures reversed for voters aged 65 and older, who opposed legalization 54% to 38%. Majority opposition was also found among those with incomes under $15,000 (54%), and black Americans (70%).    * An A... ...e: attitudes and experiences of oncology patients, oncologists, and the public." 347 The Lancet 1805 (June 29, 1996):1809    Humphry, Derek. "What's in a word?" Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization 1993, Table 1-A.    Koenig, Dr. Harold et al.. "Attitudes of Elderly Patients and their Families Toward Physician-Assisted Suicide." 156 Archives of Internal Medicine 2240 (Oct. 28, 1996)    Lee v. Oregon, 891 F.Supp. 1429 (D. Or. 1995), vacated on other grounds, 107 F.3d 1382 (9th Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 118 S. Ct. 328 (1997).    "Poll Shows More Would Support Law Using Gentler Language," TimeLines (Jan.-Feb. 1994):9    Washington v. Glucksberg, 117 S. Ct. 2258, 2262 n. 7 (1997. -- -- --. 117 S. Ct. at 2272, quoting United States v. Rutherford, 442 U.S. 544, 558. 1979.    Washington Post, April 4, 1996.      

Constructing Feminine Form for Masculine Sake Essay

Fashion provides one of the most ready means through which individuals can make expressive visual statements about their identities. (Bennett, 2005) Constructing Feminine Form for Masculine Sake. Does it make sense to say that sex is at the heart of identity today? The answer is surely yes, and more so than ever before. (Gauntlett, 2008). Introduction. Consider the cover of the December 2011 edition of FHM (Fig. 1). It portrays a constructed ideal of female attractiveness. Aimed at the male market it conveys the attributes of female form deemed attractive to men. Has this identity been constructed by women or imposed upon by men? Butler (1999) suggests ‘the female body is marked within masculinist discourse’ , and women have not had the freedom to create their own identity, ‘women with the ostensibly sexualized features of their bodies and, hence, a refusal to grant freedom and autonomy to women as it is purportedly enjoyed by men’ (Butler, 1999). Macdonald (1995) notes that this enforced construction is neither a new concept nor just present in magazines aimed at a male audience: The body has historically been much more integral to the formation of identity for women than for men. If women had defined for themselves the ideals of their bodily shape or decoration, this would not be problematic. It is the denial of this right in the western cultural representation, in medical practice and in the multi-billion dollar pornography, fashion and cosmetic industries, that has granted women only squatter’s rights to their own bodies. However for the purpose of this essay we will concentrate on the feminine identity constructed in men’s lifestyle magazines and identify from where this was created. Why we enjoy beauty. ‘It is suggested that what makes one thing beautiful and another less so is our psychological attraction, probably unconscious, to some quality in the former that is absent from the latter, combined of course with equally-implicit cultural biases.’ (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) Considering this, it is hard to determine how a particular portrayal of the female form is universally attractive. However studying the following passage from Sigmund Freud’s study Civilization and its Discontents we can note the possibility that the images constructed of women in men’s magazines are not to portray beauty, but to invoke sexual feeling through lack of clothing and provocative poses: Psychoanalysis, unfortunately, has scarcely anything to say about beauty either. All that seems certain is its derivation from the field of sexual feeling. The love of beauty seems a perfect example of an impulse inhibited in its aim. ‘Beauty’ and ‘attraction’ are originally attributes of the sexual object. (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) Another psychotherapist Lacan puts forward the idea ‘women are objects for men: men are objects for women: men are objects for men, and women are objects for women. Each of us can only ever be objects for another subject, however much we try. (Hill, 1997) With this in mind it can be said that all identity is constructed to receive the admiration of others, regardless of gender. (Gauntlett, 2008) states ‘sex as being at the core of identity’ further suggesting that male identity is constructed with the same intentions the female. Although ‘it has been women in particular who have been defined primarily in terms of their physical appearance’ (Negrin, 2008). The emergence of new men’s lifestyle magazines. It is interesting to note that men’s lifestyle magazines are not a new concept, neither has their content changed over time. The earliest attempt to launch a men’s lifestyle magazine in the UK was in 1935, it consisted of ‘heroic masculinity with style features and pictures of female nudes’. (Gill, 2007). The 1950’s saw the launch of Playboy, a lifestyle magazine aimed at an emerging class of men who enjoyed consumption as much as their female counterparts. The magazine ‘became the ‘bible’ for the men who dominated this class fraction; its individualistic, hedonistic, consumption-orientated ethic of personal gratification represented a rebellion against the ‘old’ figure of male as breadwinner and family provider and opened up a space of libidinous fun and lascivious consumption, albeit premised on troublingly sexualized and objectified representations of women. (Gill, 2007). The content of such magazines was not necessarily in place to objectify women but to protect the ‘new man’s’ masculinity. ‘Consumption for men was promoted in an atmosphere not threatened by suspicions of homosexuality’ (Gill, 2007) and said of Playboy ‘the breasts and bottoms were necessary not just to sell the magazine, but also to protect it’ (Ehrenreich, 1983.). If we look forward to the 80’s and 90’s we see a new generation of men’s magazines emerging, ‘constructed around an assumed white, working class aesthetic and sensibility, centred on football, (beer) drinking, and heterosexual sex. (Gill, 2007) In circulation terms, figures from 2006 show that over 370,000 copies of FHM are sold per month and almost 300,000 copies of Nuts per week. (Gauntlett, 2008). From this we can see the popularity of such publications and the importance of the portrayal of a new type of masculinity. Considering the content of these magazines; ‘numerous photo-shoots of semi-clothed and topless women appear in the UK magazines’ (Gauntlett, 2008), and speaking of the launch of Loaded ‘the sexual politics of the magazine were in place from the first issue, which featured photographs of Liz Hurley, a homage to hotel sex, porn channels etc., a ‘travel feature’ recounting cheap cocaine and cheap women, and the Miss Guyama bikini contest. (Gill, 2007). The magazines depict the rise of a new type of masculinity or the ‘new lad’, the figure of which ‘became embedded in advertising and popular culture- his multiple articulations in different spaces generating a sense of his solidity and ‘realness’, making him instantly recognizable as an embodiment of a type of masculinity’ (Gill, 2007). This new generation of ‘Lads Mags’ has often been attributed to two factors; firstly the ‘feminine backlash’ occurring in the 80’s. These new publications ‘constructed around knowingly misogynist and predatory attitudes to women, represents a refusal to acknowledge the changes in gender relations produced by feminism, and an attack on it. (Gill, 2007) served to reaffirm male dominance in the gender war and a refusal to change. They are considered by Whelehan ‘a direct challenge to feminism’s call for social transformation, by reaffirming – albeit ironically – the unchanging nature of gender relations and sexual roles.’ (Gill, 2007) Studying the content of these magazines in more depth there is an underlying theme where ‘’feminist’ becomes a pejorative word to label, dismiss and silence any woman who object to the lad mags’ ideology’ (Gill, 2007). Two examples of such; ‘an article concerned with the question of ‘how to get your girlfriend to come in your face’ (FHM, April 2000) any possible feedback is forestalled with the comment ‘now before I get any angry letters from feminists†¦..I have asked women and they agree it can be an incredibly rewarding experience’. (Gill, 2007) and ‘a letter to FHM from a woman called Barbara who wished to object to the magazines portrayal of women as ‘weak, fr ail, obedient, submissive and sexually available’ is dismissed as a ‘blundering rant’ from ‘Butch Babs’ (FHM, May 2000)’ (Gill, 2007.) Two prime examples of where the subject of feminism is dismissed before it has even been raised, suggesting the magazines know their content is anti-feminist, but either dispel the argument before it is raised or ridicule and patronise anybody that dares challenge their viewpoint. The second factor is again a backlash, this time on a type of masculinity, himself more aligned with the ideals of feminism, referred to as ‘The New Man’. (Gill, 2007). Trying to dispense with this, the ‘masculinity they constructed was regarded as true to men’s real selves, in contrast to the contrived image of the new man.’ (Gill, 2007.) As with the issue of feminism this form of masculinity was ridiculed and dismissed, leading the way for ‘laddish’ behaviour to be accepted. ‘New man was derided for his ‘miserable liberal guilt’ about sexual affairs and presented as insipid and unappealing. By contrast, new lad was presented as refreshingly uncomplicated in his unreserved appreciation of women’s bodies and heterosexual sex.’ (Gill, 2007) Are these the views of the average man? So we can deduce how these magazines and images within them came to be but where does this leave the average male? Are these depictions of woman the ‘ideal’ for men? ‘By men’s own admission, the playboy ideology has created conflicts both in men’s view of themselves and in their attitude towards women.’ (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) Many men insist they do not subscribe to this scantily clad, temptress type identity as being their ideal. (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) suggest what most men fantasize about is a woman they can connect with and that personality is more important than looks; ‘Many men spoke of movement, gracefulness, a direct look in the eyes, an aura of mystery, attributes which cannot quite be captured by a camera, as what they felt constituted female beauty.’ Their ‘observations seem to contradict what the media not only tell us men want but also what they propose women should look like.’ This seeming indifference to contrived images of female form could be the over production and readily available means to consume them. ‘we are so bombarded with visual images that men are taking refuge and looking for the real thing’ (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) Also another factor is that as we are increasingly aware of artifice in the production of images it can cause the consumer to be disillusioned with them; ‘And its disappointing to find that the women, when interviewed, don’t sound that interesting really. And it’s disappointing because you see these gorgeous women who wouldn’t look twice at you, but then you remember that they probably look like people you know, really, and it’s the careful styling and makeup and photography that makes them so irresistible’ (Gauntlett, 2008) Where do women fit in? What we have to remember is there always a willing subject to construct identity upon. In this case, a women to present as the ideal to men. Whilst feminists may view the women featured in the magazines as ‘submissive, obedient and sexually available’, do the subjects themselves feel this is the case? Pre-feminist women were programmed to be as attractive as possible to their male counterparts. Anne Fogarty an extremely successful American fashion designer highlights the importance of dressing for men ‘when your husband’s eyes light up as he comes in at night, you’re in sad shape if its only because he smells dinner cooking’ (Fogarty, 1959). It is possible that even now women are still programmed by society to want to appear as attractive as possible to men. With the post-feminist shift in gender relations it is argued that women are now objectifying men in the same way that they have traditionally been; ‘looking at scantily-clad women was clearly quite wrong for a right-thinking man, but have started to change their views as time has moved on and gender relations have changed again (including the development of the new language in popular culture where women can treat men as disposable eye-candy too).’ (Gauntlett, 2008). This seems to have caused a sense of double standards when talking of the objectification of women; â€Å"I used to agree, and I mean I really did agree, with women who said that naked women in magazines was a bad thing. But now-a-days I can hardly remember what the argument was. Women can look at handsome men in films and magazines, and men can look at attractive women†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦it seems fair.† (Gaunlett, 2008) Another reason argued why women cultivate this identity is it can provide means to increase their economic and social standing; ‘denied access to power and status by legitimate means, they had to resort to using their looks as a means of furthering their aims.’ (Negrin, 2008). This was very true of the playboy era where working class women did not have the same opportunities for advancement as their male counterparts. Conclusion. So who is determining this supposed ideal of the female form? Psychoanalysis tells us we all respond to natural sexual urges and have the need to objectify other beings. Yet today’s men’s magazines were not primarily constructed to satisfy their sexual urges. The content was also put into place long ago, not to objectify women, but to protect masculinity from any suggestion of homosexuality. What better way to diminish these threats than by filling the pages with naked women? The tone of the ‘new generation’ of men’s magazines was constructed around a backlash to feminist principles and the emergence of the ‘sensitive, understanding man’. Again what better way to protect these new threats by objectifying women and distancing themselves to ‘new man’s’ ideals? As gender roles have shifted and the issue of equality is facing us, men do not feel that looking at women is a guilty pleasure, as women do it themselves towards men and are compensated for it by the advancement of their social and economic standing. It can be said that this construction of female identity truly is for masculine’s sake, not necessarily for their consumption and enjoyment, but to protect and cultivate the meaning and existence of masculinity, reminiscing of a time where men were secure in their place in society. Fig. 1. Bibliography. Halberstam, J. (1998) Female masculinity. Durham, N.C. ; London : Duke University Press, 1998.:. Bennett, A. (2005) Culture and everyday life. London: Sage, p.95 – 116. Berger, J. (1972) Ways of seeing : based on the BBC television series with John Berger / a book made by John Berger †¦ [et al.].. London: Penguin. Butler, J. (1999) Gender Trouble; Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. London: Routledge. Forgarty, A. (2011) The Art of being a Well Dressed Wife. 2nd ed. London: V&A Publishing. Gauntlett, D. (2008) Media, Gender and Identity: An Introduction.. 2nd ed. Oxon: Routledge. Gill, R. (2007) Gender and The Media. Cambridge: Polity Press. Happysocks.com (2011) Happy Socks / FHM UK  « Happy Socks in the Press. [online] Available at: http://www.happysocks.com/press/?p=2851 [Accessed: 2nd June 2012]. Hill, P. (1997) Lacan for beginners. London : Writers and Readers:. Lakoff, R. and Scherr, . (1984) Face value : the politics of beauty . Boston ; London : Routledge & Kegan Paul:. Macdonald, M. (1995) Representing Women:Myths of Femininity in the popular media. London: Edward Arnold, p.192 – 221. Meyers, D. (2002) Gender in the Mirror. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.. Negrin, L. (2008) Appearance and identity: Fashioning the body in Postmodernity. Cowden: Palgarve Macmillan, p.33 – 52. Sturken, M. and Cartwright, L. (2001) Practices of looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press., p.72 – 108.

Amber’s Secret Essay

Amber is an 18 year old woman who has found she is feeling sick and unusual. She comes to find out that she is pregnant and consults her doctor. Being concerned of her student status and what her parents might think are her biggest fears. The fetus growing inside her is almost 11 weeks and has her own story from the inside. Mentioning all of the growth that has occurred and the development milestones she has reached, the fetus is concerned of her own well being. The doctor offers Amber the options of abortion and adoption, and then the heart beat will be heard. It is unclear what Amber’s choice is in the end. 1. What are the hormonal and physical changes that occurred in Amber’s normal menstrual cycle before she became pregnant? Prior to Amber’s pregnancy she went through a normal ovarian cycle. It is stated throughout her story that she is very irregular with her cycle, most women do not have regular cycles until after three years since their first cycle (Marieb & Hoehn 2013) . During the ovarian cycle which she went through to produce an egg, hormones are released through each stage of interaction to regulate the cycle. Gonadotropins are released via the anterior pituitary gland and luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are secreted. These affect the release of estrogen which through constant feedback with the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, a follicle matures waiting to be fertilized. During this process bursts of different hormones during the ovarian cycle can cause abdominal pain known as mittelschmerz, German for â€Å"middle pain† (M arieb & Hoehn 2013). If it is notfertilized it continues into the menstrual cycle, but since Amber became pregnant the fertilized embryo implanted itself into the uterine wall. 2. Apparently Amber did not use a birth control method. If she had, what options did she have and how do the various methods work.  Amber had many options of birth control. There is only one preventative measure with 100% fail proof ratings and this is abstinence. If two consenting individuals decide to engage in sexual activities, there are many options to prevent pregnancy. Barrier methods, such as female condoms and male condoms are probably the most cost effective for birth control (Women’s Health 2011). The rate of effectiveness relies on many conditions, whether the condom is still good because they do have an expiration date, if they have been damaged, if the correct lubricant is used or not. Oil based lubricants breakdown the materials causing damage to the condom (WebMD 2013). There is also hormonal birth control offered in the form of pills, patches, injections, and vaginal rings. These are hormone releasing agents that prevent the egg from releasing in the ovaries. Implantation devices can be used as well, but are more of a permanent fixture for about 2-5 years. Depending on the device depends on how it prevents pregnancy. Some or hormonal, making the mucus lining thicker in the cervix to prevent sperm from entering. There is a copper device that releases copper into the uterus and kills sperm. Those are both intrauterine devices, but there is another that is implanted under the skin in the arm. It is hormone releasing and prevents sperm from reaching the egg and also thickens the mucus in the cervix preventing sperm to enter. There are other options, but they include sterilization and are more of an invasive surgery (Women’s Health 2011). 3. What are the normal stages of development in a fetus during the first weeks after conception? The first weeks after conception are very busy for the embryo. It travels down the fallopian tubes and is very rapidly dividing mitotically. It implants into the uterine wall for further development. The embry goes through gastrulation, which is the forming of three layers that turn into the greater makeup of the fetus through development. A heart, neural tube which turns into the spinal cord, and the yolk sac have formed to the embryo which later forms the digestive organs. It becomes a fetus just after week 7 (Marieb & Hoehn 2013). 4. What are the hormonal and physical changes going on in Amber during her pregnancy? What is keeping her from menstruating as normal? Physiological changes occurring in Amber’s body are happening in her gastrointestinal, urinary, respiratory and cardiovascular system. She is feeling sick because of the increased hCG, progesterone and estrogen levels. Her story is only until her 11th week of her pregnancy, but she may feel many symptoms throughout the rest of her pregnancy if it is not aborted. Those symptoms could be increased urination because the kidneys are disposing of fetal metabolic waste as well as her own. Blood volume also rises to help accommodate the fetus’ needs (Marieb & Hoehn 2013). An over production of the hormone progesterone is created which stops the follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Those are the hormones needed for an egg to be released and travel down into the uterus for a menstruation cycle. If that does not occur, there is not menstruation (Marieb & Hoehn 2013) 5. How does a pregnancy test work?  At home pregnancy tests can be purchased over the counter or a blood test can be performed at the doctor’s office. They both check for the human Chorionic Gonadotropin, hCG, hormone that is produced during pregnancy. The home pregnancy test uses urine, and the doctor’s office tests blood (Women’s Health 2006). 6. How can we account for Amber’s symptoms?  It sounds like Amber is having symptoms of morning sickness, bloat, and head ache can be explained by the fetus growing within her which is causing a rise in progesterone and hCG and making her feel sick. Her headache could be caused by the rise in blood volume which she needs to provide enough nutrients to herself and the fetus. The bloat could be caused by the expansion of her uterus. It expands from the size of a fist to filling the entire pelvic cavity by 16 weeks (Marieb & Hoehn 2013). 7. Can we consider the embryo a parasite in Amber’s body, if yes why? What prevents Amber’s body from rejecting the new tissue developing in her body that is genetically different from her tissues? I think we can consider the embryo a parasite in Amber’s body. It is feeding off of her nutrient intake and her blood to survive. A parasite does just that, feeds off the nutrients of the host and benefits from it (Tortora, Funke & Case 2013). Now even though that the embryo benefits from the mother’s nutrients, I also believe that it is beneficial for the mother as well. People procreate to carry on their genetic code, and even though that during her pregnancy Amber does not have as many benefits, I believe the outcome is very beneficial of having a child. 8. How much control does the embryo/fetus have over its own development? The embryo has no control over how quickly it develops. There are only certain times in which vital parts of it are produced, and if anything affects this it would be a teratogen by which the mother had come into contact with. Gestation is during about a 9 month period, and it occurs in the mothers body so it can be protected and nourished during this critical time of development before the fetus is introduced to the world (Berger2010). 9. How is the sex of the embryo determined, and what happens during the developmental process when the sex organs finally become apparent? During the ninth week of development there are two different duct systems that change into female and male reproductive organs. The ducts are the mesonephrenic and paramesonephrenic duct. Depending on the activating hormone is what the sexual organs develop into. The mesonephric duct turns into the male sex organ, and the paramesonephrenic duct turns into the female sex organ (Sajjad 2010) . The gonads then differentiate into the ovaries or the testes (Marieb & Hoehn 2013). 10. What is the degree of fetal development that has occurred by the end of the first trimester? Almost all organs have completed development, though they aren’t fully working yet. In the first trimester the fetus went from a zygote, to an embryo and then turned into a fetus. Within the first trimester is also when the fetus does not yet have its sexual organs yet, but the sex is predetermined genetically by its chromosomes (Cort & Erickson 2001). 11. What are the regulations regarding abortion in your state and what are the medical, religious and political reasons behind the legislation? The state of Colorado is pro-choice in regards to abortion. It allows any woman over the age of 18 to get an abortion, and those who are minors need consent from one parent or have a judge waiver the consent. Medicaid will even cover the abortion if the pregnancy was due to rape, it causes the mother psychiatric or concern for her health, or if it is a life or death situation. I do not believe the state of Colorado has much of a religious reasoning for it, but more of a large non-religious affiliation with the high Democratic and Liberal rights activists in the larger metropolitan areas. I believe that is the political reasoning as well. The state of Colorado larger cities have carry a high percentage of population, and are Democratic. I believe that this is the main reason that Colorado is a pro-choice state (Pro-Choice Colorado 2013). 12. Is it appropriate for the physician to raise the issue of abortion? I don’t think it is appropriate for the physician to raise the issue of abortion because it is not their place to place a position of their own personal agenda on a patient. The doctor is there to treat the patient, and that point in time he is treating the mother as a patient and the fetus as well. I think it will be appropriate to wait and listen to the questions of the mother to ask what her options are through her pregnancy. If termination comes up from the patient, it just should simply be stated what the process is, when it can occur during pregnancy legally and that since Amber is a minor that her parents would need to be involved in the process. If her health was at risk or if it was a life or death matter, is when I think it is appropriate to bring up abortion. 13. Should the father have any say in the question of abortion? Yes he should have a say on whether a child is aborted. There are many situations where just because the mother and father are not in a relationship, but are both fully capable and responsible for the creation of the child. Just because the mother does not want the child does not mean that the father does not. In the state of Colorado, the mother has the rights to her abortion and does not give any question to what the father would want (Pro-Choice Colorado 2013). In conclusion, it is not known if Amber goes through with the abortion or not. There are many questions raised towards the health of the fetus and mother as well as the moral and ethical aspects. Since the pregnancy does not show past the 11th week of gestation, it is not known if it is continued or not. Abortion seems to be the last resort answer, and almost a form of birth control to some, but the fetus itself is a patient and should have the rights to be cared for whether or not it is fully developed. In today’s society it seems to be offered after hormonal and other direct forms of birth control. Instead of the option of ending a life that was begun due to actions from two parents that should be held responsible, it should be a life that is cherished Although opinions may differ, a beating heart is an unforgettable organ that is supporting life.