Hi, it's been a long time since I have last posted. To be honest, I don't have a real reason for that. It was likely a combination of me feeling as if I did not have useful ideas to share and stress about AP exams. But, time has flied and I am going to be a senior in only 3 more days. And, I have come to the realization that some of my internal musings and introspection might be relatable or interesting to some of you. So, welcome inside my mind - it's a fascinating place.
So, for nearly a year now, I have worked for a nonprofit organization, that combines my passions for gender equity and science. With the rise of fourth-wave feminism, society is beginning to recognize some of the explicit sexism in the world including the lack of women in leadership positions and the pay gap. However, as a result, many of the programs, protocols, policies, and products in the world around us aren't catered to the biology and needs of women. So what does this mean? For example, I have played competitive volleyball for 7 years. One of the things I have noticed is that almost every female volleyball player has ankle braces or knee braces/pads, and getting ankle braces is considered a “rite of passage”. Personally, I have sprained my ankle several times and have had knee problems in the past. I have noticed while talking to many of my male friends who play volleyball they rarely if ever have similar problems. Therefore, likely due to the misdesign of female volleyball equipment and training protocols/drills not catered towards women, many female players end up getting injured. Even in regards to COVID-19, gender/sex is so incredibly important. Over the past months, I have been able to organize my own roundtable discussion and attend several like those for the American Medical Women's Association and the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. With these discussions, I have been able to see COVID-19 from a different perspective. Men are twice as likely to die of COVID-19 even in women are more likely to get infected. There are countless explanations and factors that need to be considered including immunological differences between men and women, hormonal impacts of testosterone and estrogen, immunomodulatory functions of the X chromosome, and the gendered nature of the health force. I can write a separate post on this if people are interested - let me know.
In addition to my thoughts on the nonprofit work I do, I have tried to analyze my current feelings with the school year coming to a close and the ever-approaching boulder that is college. I think everyone has felt torn between returning to "normalcy"(whatever that is) and really comprehending our situation. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, one that will be written in global history books. Take a minute - let that settle in. With a global pandemic, thousands of people have different opinions on how to cope. There is an insane push to remain productive as well as a push to take this time for yourself. I can't say that I have figured out how to walk this balance quite yet, but I can certainly say that a middle ground exists. There is time to study, and there is time to explore new hobbies (like this blog!). There is time to work, and there is time to check-in with yourself. And there is time to help our community. Personally, I have been part of a huge mask-making network and a nonprofit to provide food to the needy during this challenging time. I think that it is possible for everyone to create a middle ground between serving the community, reflecting on our situation, and creating a "new normal" by being gentle with ourselves and navigating this fine line ourselves.
So, that's what has been on my mind recently - my reflections on the fascinating conversations I have had about gender/sex and my thoughts about returning to normalcy. I wanted to conclude with a quote that I found during my endless time scrolling on Instagram: “You’re only unproductive by the standards of the world we lived in two months ago, and that world is gone now.”
Yes Janvi! I missed these! The concept of gender segregation is often misunderstood and painted to primarily affect professional women and their endeavors. Everyone has heard of the pay gap and is familiar with the amount of women holding leadership positions but, the way this segregation affects everyday women is often brushed over. I loved the addition of your personal example and the evidence that sports are not created with women’s biology in mind. The sexism of the world around us can be found in the professional world as well as the everyday world that you and I experience. Regarding the physiological differences of men and women and what leaves women more likely to contract the virus, please consider writing a separate post. I live off that stuff. Thank you for sharing your wonderful introspection and I wish you the best of luck on your next AP exams :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Amanda for your comments and feedback! So much in the world is not designed with gender/sex in consideration, and for so long, the "one-size-fits-all" approach has dominated. We now need incredible leaders, like yourself, to help dismantle the harms of sexism in our material and physical world! Looking forward to hearing more from you!
DeleteBang on Janvi about inadequate thought being given to women accessories and equipment wherever it is common to both the genders. Even though the golfing equipment, including gloves are differently made for lady golfers, similar thought and attention is not given to many other sports items. I have noticed that in the army, where we have both men and women, designs and patterns of their clothing and other equipment/accessories or weaponry are common to both; perhaps its for uniformity and need of the profession, but it could at times be awkward, to say the least. In number of ways, we would find the same for medical professionals as well. Obviously iGIANT is doing a great job in this field. It was such a pleasure to attend one of your round-tables recently and interact with so many other professionals. I do look forward to your further musings. Keep it up Janvi, and best wishes for a bright future ahead!
ReplyDeleteYes exactly! Your golfing and army examples are exactly what I am talking about. In the present, these small issues may not seem significant enough to need to be acted up; however, their long term effects can be extremely detrimental. Thank you for always contributing so meaningfully to this conversation!
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