Week 11

This week's topic was two-in-one: pop-culture and disabilities. Our guest speaker was another instructor on-campus, Matt. He mainly teaches economics but instructs some math classes as well. I appreciated him coming to speak with us so much because he shared this amazing attitude toward life with us. As we have been learning throughout the semester, people are just people, no matter what culture they belong to. A disability doesn't make a person any more than religion or orientation. Sure, these things play parts in who we are, but that isn't all there is to us. Matt was a great example of this. His message to me was be sure to not only treat people respectfully, but to act respectfully at all times. I think that's something people forget to do, act respectfully.

We read a number of articles and had a few videos to watch. Reading and watching them made me feel humble and grateful. Humble because the strength and resilience of people with disabilities makes me wonder just how strong I truly am. (Not very.) Grateful because I don't have to deal with the extra stress of having a disability. Or maybe it's better stated as a different stress. However, envisioning some of these scenarios for myself is a little frightening. I like to think that I would be able to overcome and conquer a disability, but I wonder at the end of the day just how tempting it would be to fall into despair toward it. This topic really made me think more about myself and how I act, the decisions I make, etc. This may be a selfish perspective, but I think it's an honest one.

My favorite article on pop-culture was "Being a Teen in North America". It brought out a lot of facts and truths about where we get ideas about beauty and why it is so unattainable. One thing that I have noticed, extrapolating from some facts in the article, is that many "beauty" companies have begun to campaign for women (especially) to have confidence no matter what they look like. It makes me wonder if this "value" is sincere or just another marketing plot. I mean, I'm a bigger young woman and I by no means think I'm ugly, but I would like to be healthier. Since I've started working out at the gym I often stop at mirrors to "check myself out". I feel better about myself, I like my "lines" better, I like smiling when I see myself. I even entertain the idea that people smile when they see me (for whatever reason.) But if I think back to a few years ago when I was a lot less confident, due mostly to how I felt I looked, I would have purchased items from companies who claimed to "endorse" my image and not the super-model's. Now, I think I care a little less whether or not people are telling me to "be confident despite your flaws" or whatever. My flaws are me. I can't be someone else and it's silly to try.

I wish every teen in America would read this article, though. I wish they would understand that there's more than one perspective to have and that the most important thing is being yourself. (As long as you follow good hygiene!)