Blog #15 (Question #2)

Mickey Mouse Goes to Haiti
It is unfathomable that as wealth and prosperous a commercial business as Walt Disney is here in the U.S. and around the world, that they would not willingly and quickly provide a reasonable living wage of just 58 cents an hour to hard working Haitians who slave away in one of the most depressing work environments imaginable. Then, just as I was trying my best to wrap my mind around “why” such an obvious and obscene abuse of human rights is allowed to continue, I learn that Walt Disney fired anyone who spoke out against the working conditions, long hours and low wages. Shame on Walt Disney!
This video should be shown far and wide to shame Walt Disney to simply do what is right and fair. If it takes boycotting Walt Disney products and entertainment to get their attention, then so be it. It was heartbreaking to hear the women and men describe how they are always in debt with just basics, like food. These people work hard yet live as though they are the laziest of the laziest. It is American to reward hard work. Again, shame on Walt Disney, an American-based entity, for being so stubborn as to threaten to close up shop in Haiti rather than pay 58 cents per hour. For Walt Disney or any business to come into an undeveloped country and leverage their poverty and desperate circumstances for gain should be criminal. Even if there are no international laws to protect that exploitation, it is still morally inexcusable and should not be encouraged by our purchases. Such a business deserves the harshest penalties until such time as they change their exploitive policies and make things fair. I don’t think I can ever look at another Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck image again without seeing the eyes of despair of those who help produce them.

Video on maquilas and their impact on women's health
This series of videos of Mexican factories was equally disturbing as the Mickey Mouse videos. There were many overlapping themes of desperately poor people being taken advantage by greedy money hungry businesses. In the case of these Mexico based factories, in cities called “Maquilaopolis" there seemed to be some small reason to hope that someday things may change. There are national women who work in these factories who are organizing themselves to take a stand for change of working conditions and wages. These video diaries available on many websites, including TWU and YouTube, are exposing the hardships of what amounts to as slave labor. Working accommodations are deplorable and would be unacceptable in the U.S. where, for instance, only one bathroom for over 1000 employees. Women made to work and stand on their feet all day while pregnant, a practice that continues to cause miscarriages. Like the Haitians, any attempts to discuss with any level of management about working conditions or pay were forbidden, as were any cameras.
While many Americans lament the loss of work here in the U.S. as our work was outsourced overseas, we begrudgingly had to admit that the move at least made business sense. We all heard the rational, that it is cheaper to produce goods in developing nations because oversea wages, though less than their American counterpart, are appropriate for their cost of living. As a result, cheaper made goods allow saving to be passed on to the U.S. consumer. It all seemed to be a”win-win” situation, except of course, for the displaced American worker. Then with videos like these, we see the degree of unbridled greed of wealthy CEO’s and their distributors, like Wal-Mart, and it’s ugly to behold.

Arcoiris, TV. (1996). Mickey Mouse goes to Haiti [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_OXhtgHBxk&feature=player_embedded#

Blog #14 (Question #2)

Blog your reaction to the video clips on female circumcision or the Eve Ensler video talk that is posted in the Supplemental Readings.

My first reaction to Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologue and her Vagina Warriors was absolute amazement that such a comedic sounding topic could get so deep and personal and mushroom into a movement. As women after women revealed to Eve their own abuses they suffered simply by being a woman, Eve soon realized that there was a huge need for women to discuss not their genitalia but the many ways they were exploited and abused. Clearly having a vagina is a liability for many girls of all ages in all cultures around the world. It’s is so secret and yet so commonplace for these abuses, that 1 in 3 girls will suffer some sort of sexual abuse. Whether discussing date rape or female circumcision (mutilation), girls were sharing with Eve their deepest hurt and betrayal. But Eve did not leave the victim there, but in fact, showed a path whereby the victim could be a victor.
Eve has shared stories like the 14 year old Guatemalan girl who was habitually beat up by her husband but who became a vagina warrior by taking her pain and using it as a means to prevent others from staying trapped in such a brutal existence. At 20 years old, this same Guatemalan girl, now a woman, approached a platform to address a filled to capacity public civic center to proclaim “I did not have to stay in that relation, and neither do you!” Most inspiring was the story of the Kenya lady who was circumcised against her will at 10 years old but made it her life’s mission as soon as she was old enough to travel from village to village on foot with pictures of what a normal healthy vagina looked like, with its names and parts purposes, and contrasted with a mutilated vagina, stripped of all its essentials. In 8 years, she saved 1500 girls from being “cut”. When asked how she could be helped even further, she asked for a Jeep. Armed with that jeep, she saved 45,000 more girls from being cut. When asked what she would like next to help her reach more, she asked for enough funds to open a “vagina safe house” so girls would have a place to run away to.
Eve concluded by saying that she has discovered, sort of by accident, which makes for happiness. The 3 things she outlined for true happiness were first it must exist in action; that one must speak their truth; and to give others what they most wanted for themselves. That by healing others of what is broken in ourselves, we heal ourselves.

Ensler, E. (2004, February). Happiness in body and in soul [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=e_ensler

Blog#13 (Question #1)

Is it a sign of personal weakness or strength for a woman to admit that she has a problem with alcohol or drugs?

For any person to admit to themselves and others that they need help because they have a weakness, an addiction, a problem or some other issue requires the strength of humility, honesty and courage. It is only after a person is first honest with themselves can they be honest with others and reach out for the help they need. Alcoholism carries a certain social stigma, which makes the “admitting” even harder especially for a woman. Yet, this is the first step in any recovery program so whenever a woman gets to the point of admitting she is an alcoholic; it is a significant turning point in her addiction towards recovery. With help, guidance and support, she can learn how to overcome her addiction. Each day upon waking, the woman resolving not to drink “just for today” is going to be a key strategy. But it all starts with admitting the problem.

Blog #12 (Question #3)

My sister-in-law Michelle lived a life afflicted with an intense phobia of being alone. She could not bear to be alone even for a moment. No one knows the origins of this fear but Michelle thought it might have developed when she was left by her mom at the hospital for a tonsillectomy. She was only 6 years old at the time. After that experience, Michelle feared being left alone. Michelle grew up, married and had 2 children. Her husband left her for another woman, leaving Michelle to live in a low income housing project in a crime ridden neighborhood where drug addicts were common place. Michelle often took in street people who were down and out to help them, and in so doing saved her from being alone. These people that Michelle took in often robbed Michelle’s money and prescription drugs although Michelle knew it, she was more afraid of being alone that being robbed and taken advantage of. Michelle’s phobia ended up playing a part in her eventual death at the age of 53 years old. Michelle allowed a stranger to practice his new craft of tattooing on her. In so doing, Michelle somehow became infected with some bacteria that gave her blood poisoning, which overwhelmed her lymphatic system, leaving her with a bad case of lymphedema. An infection finally settled into the bones of hip and knees, eating into her bones, making walking difficult and painful. It seemed Michelle was beyond the help of the most powerful antibiotics that were delivered to her via IV or a pic line 24X7. None of it helped her. Michelle had gone septic and even her Infection Control specialist could not help her since surgery to scrape the infected bones clean was the only option but since Michelle was so septic, surgery would likely spread the infection and kill her.
As such Michelle, with swollen and blistered legs was eventually confined to a wheelchair and pain killers. She was beyond the help of the medical community. Even so, Michelle’s phobia of being alone was still far greater than even the unrelenting pain and loss of all independence. Michelle continued to allow street people in with her and even though they stole her narcotic controlled pain pills, she let them stay. This meant Michelle often went without pain pills because the pharmacy limited how often a prescription could be filled. In the end, Michelle finally succumbed to high potassium levels from unknown causes, which caused her heart to give out. At Michelle’s funeral, there were so many street people present all crying and sharing their testimonies of how Michelle helped them and took them in when no one else cared. I realized at her funeral how Michelle’s phobia was a curse for her but a blessing to others. I feel sad when I think of Michelle and wonder what her life might have been without this phobia of being alone. It also has made me aware of how strong these phobias are, where even suffering all she suffered was preferable than being alone. At least for Michelle.

Blog #11 "Question #3"

On question #3; if everyone lived "with our future in mind", do you think that we would live differently? (Different habits, behaviors, etc)

I would like to answer that question from my sister-in-law’s perspective. Susan has been a diabetic for over 35 years, first diagnosed when she fell into a diabetic comma. For the longest time Susan lived in a state of denial. She continued to eat as she pleased, including every once in awhile having a binge on sweets. Over the years her conditioned worsened yet Susan persisted in her state of denial but made some concessions, such as eating a slice of cake as her “exchange” for a slice of bread. Susan’s weight piled on, her conditioned continue to worsen, meaning that her many doctors could not get Susan’s A1C down to a healthy range. They classified her as a “Brittle diabetic” meaning her blood sugar levels were unpredictable. One doctor over 15 years ago told Susan she may as well quit college because she was not going to live much longer. Susan has since been in a steady decline, experiencing a slow death and ever-increasing loss of independence. All the things she loved to do, she can do no longer. She cannot drive a car, go to the bathroom, bathe, or eat anything she likes. She has not slept in a bed for over 5 years but must sleep in her power chair where she is confined to 24X7X365. She has crying fits that last for hours because of the pain from severe neuropathy in her legs which feel like “fire and ice” pain. This is actually her nerves dying. Susan has often said that if she knew years ago that this would be her future, she would have taken her diabetes seriously and managed it better, and obeyed the doctors orders. Susan is a warning of what could happen if people live in denial about a serious chronic disease. Her life is a constant living hell of pain, loneliness, dependence, and regret…with no end in sight until her body can take it no more.

Blog #10 "Question #2"

What factors can influence women to adopt healthier lifestyles and engage in preventative behaviors so as to reduce their risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer?

According to our text, genetics and lifestyle are major factors to chronic diseases. (Alexander, LaRosa, Bader, & Garfield, 2010, p. 264). I have been managing cholesterol for a few years now, with medicine, exercise and diet. My doctor and I had a very difficult time finding just the right medication. At one point my cholesterol had gone as high as 350 mg/dl and my triglycerides were about the same. I was very worry. My doctor suggested lowering my stress level, which at that point in time was very high due to my job. I made some drastic changes in my life starting with resigning from my high stress job and took a less stressful job. I also revised my diet of what I ate as well as when I ate (nothing after 7pm). Finally, after years of trial and error, my doctor & I finally found a healthy alternative to the statin family of cholesterol drugs when my doctor put me on Niacin 1000 Mg. twice a day, and Welchol. What a huge difference, and no negative side effects. I now feel that I have decreased my risk for developing Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). I feel in charge of my health thanks to having a good relationship with my doctor and working together with her. I am finally back on track!

Alexander, L.L., LaRosa, J. H., Bader, H. & Garfield, S. (2010). New dimensions in women’s health. (5the Ed.). Cardiovascular disease. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Blog #9 "Question 4"

4) What role does the media play in how we feel about our bodies? How can health educators help to prepare effective messages that counter some of the negative images and ideas generated in the media? Do you think that the media is embracing more diversity in body shape, size and color than what was "acceptable" years ago?
There are many sources of influence and what amounts to as mass manipulation aimed at the girls and women of all ages. As these influences combine they powerfully redefine what is considered beautiful, glamorous and worthy of love and appreciation. Including the media we have examples of this unhealthy “thin is beautiful” view from various sources. “Branding”, the early instilling of ideas or values” starts when our young daughters play with unrealistically proportioned dolls like Barbie or Brat dolls, or read stories of fairy tale princesses, some anime cartoons, ballerina dancers, actresses, models, the list goes on. By the time our girls are teenagers, they are convinced that they need to be thin to be loved. The thinner they are, the more they believe they will be accepted. Unfortunately, all too often, that belief is reinforced when the feedback they receive validates that belief. Chubby girls don’t seem to get as many hugs or signs of appreciation in this culture of thinness. This has to stop! It is slowly changing here and there. In Toys R Us, some dolls are available with normal body types. In some cartoons and after-school TV shows, we see more normal shapes, sizes and ethnicities now represented. Even mannequins in other countries are increasingly representing more normal body types. This is a big step, but more is needed, starting in the home. Teaching our children that the “true beauty” that never fades is inner beauty and character. Teaching them early to not only accept but appreciate their own body and their own uniqueness; that there are many kinds of physical beauty, each with its own “magic.” As a society we need to work together to reinforce these concepts.