Compulsory Heterosexuality :: Sexuality Gender Society Essays

Compulsory Heterosexuality In today’s world, as humankind is still in progress, we have a much more liberated world compared to past. In terms of politics, we learned discrimination is not a honourable case to be involved in and we tried to minimize constraints reflected on â€Å"other† races, â€Å"other† nationalities, in short all of the others that are not similar to â€Å"us†. â€Å"Us† is, without doubt, white, Western man. Despite all the back-drawed prejudices of others in the name of liberation, respect and equality, it does not seem to be the situation for non-heteronormatives to live in a peaceful environment. Since I came to Amsterdam as an exchange student this term, I had the opportunity to experience daily-life with all the people from different sexes, genders not considered â€Å"normal† which is rarely the case in Turkey. Amsterdam made me face non-heterosexual world and I realized that these people do suffer from unequal rights mostly in other parts o f the world. I questioned myself as being far away from that topic in the past and it really made sense to me to investigate about supremacy of heterosexuals. In my opinion, only after we learn to respect all kinds of differences out of majority we are able to have liberal minds, which makes the world a better place to live for all people. That is the reason I decided to write my paper on compulsory heterosexuality. To come to main idea, my arguement will be dominantly on heteronormativity. I will try to prove that both heteronormativity and gender are social constructs, which means that they are all learned behaviours by society through culture, tradition and religion. I will show a world where any norms and taboos exist, to turn our origins of nature. I will support my arguement by the works of writers and researchers on that topic. My whole effort will be on to claim that there is nothing called heteronormativity by nature, it can not be. We can not rule out the genes and instinct behaviour of people. It is just a coverage, to live in a reproductive and moral society. My final idea would be to accept all forms of non-heterosexuality as being â€Å"normal† , just like heterosexuality, by ignoring all social constructs to open our mind to a brighter world. Review There is quite extensive research on studies of lesbians and gays and the compulsory heteronormativity. One major researcher is Adrienne Rich.

Paul Lutus Advertising Essay

In his article entitled Consumer Angst written in 2007, Paul Lutus claimed that â€Å"No matter how true any single advertisement is, modern advertising, taken as a whole, tells a lie — that you need the thing being advertised. † To explain his point, Paul Lutus further claims that valuable consumer goods need not be advertised because it is a necessity by itself and no promotion is needed for it to attract and obtain sales. Moreover, he explained that the quality of the product should speak for itself and there is no need to â€Å"waste company’s money asserting the obvious†. In his above-mentioned arguments, Paul Lutus obviously focuses only on one aspect of advertising which is to sell. He missed to appreciate the other function of advertising which is to inform. Advertising, as defined by Wikipedia. org, â€Å"is the form of communication whose purpose is to inform potential customers about products and services and how to obtain and use them†. The primary purpose of advertising is to create public awareness about a certain product or service that is being advertised. It aims to communicate to the intended audience that such a product or service exists. As Taflinger (1996) claims â€Å"the basic purpose of advertising is to identify and differentiate one product from another in order to persuade the consumer to buy that product in preference to another. † Advertising is usually used to create a unique image that will be identified to a product or service. The message that is being communicated usually highlights the best features of the product – its uniqueness, usability, best characteristics, etc. – that will customer’s attention to it. After providing information on the product or service features, advertising’s goal is to entice customers to try out the product. It is therefore safe to claim that the end-goal of any advertisement is to generate sales in terms of product or service. However, while it is true that every advertising campaign is aimed at generating revenue for the brand that is being advertised, it is not proper to claim that all advertisements are lies. Even premium brands such as Nike, Armani, Prada and others do advertise their products. These brands are sought after and have all proven to be of good quality. But these brands still invest on advertisement. Advertising has become an important part of today’s business. With new products sprouting like mushrooms everyday, competition has become stiff and advertising has taken a big role in allowing the product or service to compete in the market. In his article entitled â€Å"Educating the Consumer about Advertising: Some Issues† Stephen Gotlieb (1991) explains that advertising â€Å"promotes competition among producers of products and services, keeps prices low through the development of mass markets, encourages store owners to stock a variety of items, supports free expression by funding media sources, and spurs invention†. The more you are seen and understood by your customers, the bigger chance you have to stay in the mainstream. It is therefore important to get you message through, so that your product or service gets noticed. Or else, your offer will just perish. Also, with the competition getting tighter, advertisers today cannot afford to rely on false claims for their products of services. With a lot of other options available in the market, a single wrong claim will trigger the customer to try out other product. It is the role of advertising to entice customers and encourage them to try out the product. Once the customer is convinced with the advertising claim and decides to avail the product or service, it is now the role of the product to prove itself and embody what is being stated in the advertising claim. It is therefore crucial to communicate the message that best embodies the product. Once advertised, the product or service is already exposed to t he public eye and scrutiny. Unless the customer has already tried out the product or service, their perception of the product will depend on the advertisement. It will either make or break the future of the product or service depending on how you position the message about the product. Therefore, while an advertisement is typically used to create or alter the consumer’s perception of a product and induce them into buying it, it cannot be said that it is Always  a lie. For obvious reasons, advertisements only highlight the good side of the products or services. We cannot blame the advertisers to do this. While they are obviously banking on the good side of their offer, we cannot accuse them of telling us a lie. The beauty of advertising is it gives the customers the chance to evaluate the competing products or services even before purchasing it through the product claims.

Volunteering and Attitudes Toward Social Welfare Spending...

Volunteering and Attitudes Toward Social Welfare Spending Despite extensive research having been done on explaining why some individuals are more likely to support spending on social welfare than others, to this date, no one has examined the effect that a person’s level of volunteerism has on support for spending. However, the level of community involvement is worthy of consideration as an explanation for support for social welfare spending because, as has been reported by previous research, volunteers often find that structural problems exist that can only be remedied by government intervention. Using data from the 1996 General Social Survey, this research tests the hypothesis that the more areas in which a person volunteers, the†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, a large portion of the federal government’s budget is reserved for spending that seeks to improve the general welfare of citizens, such as money spent on fighting drug addiction and solving urban problems. Despite the assistance that welfare provides, many people are opposed to its expansion. In 1996, the welfare system underwent significant changes that reduced benefits and reformed the nature of several programs (Welfare Reform). Debate on this topic continues to the present day. Claiming that the country needs to remedy the ever-growing gap between rich and poor, some activists (as well as the poor themselves) clamor for financial support from the government in order to level the playing field. Another way to increase the quality of life for the poor, however, is through volunteering, a method often supported by those who disagree with an expansive government or do not trust the sometimes ineffective federal bureaucracy. Although seemingly contradictory, it is completely plausible that volunteering would cause an individual to support an increase in social welfare spending because he or she may come to realize through volunteering that some problems are too vast to be cured by the work of a few individuals. By examining the relationship between an individual’s level of volunteerism and his or her support of social welfare spending, this researchShow MoreRelatedEssay about PWC Corporate Social Responsibility 1469 Words   |  6 Pages There is a debate about the level of social responsibility of multinational and national companies there days. Various books have been written detailing the right approach to the problem covering different perspectives. The ideology is well developed, however, there is a lack of current case studies analyzing what is really happening in the corporate executive level to support the society. There are many mission statements written about social responsibility, however, it is essential to examineRead MoreCommunity Service as a Graduation Requirement1680 Words   |  7 Pagescommunity. Not only will the students become more aware of the activities that occur in their community, but they will also have a greater sense of self. Each student has his own reason for volunteering. Many volunteer for the joy of helping others, and some volunteer to seek career opportunities. Simply volunteering at a place that is related to the career one is interested in will help him determine whether that career is suited for him. Bill Jensen, Superintendent of Curriculum for Bartholomew ConsolidatedRead MoreMovie Report : The Fall Festival 1516 Words   |  7 Pagesvolunteers are doing and make conversation. The positive environment that Potter provides for clients, shoppers, and volunteers makes it a welcoming and comfortable place for everyone involved. While I was volunteering at Potter, I found it difficult to make time for. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time at Potter, but my busy schedule did not want to allow it. Work occupied thirty hours a week, and fifteen hours of class did not make the situation any easier. When I was able to go, I could only stayRead MoreAgeism Is Seen As A Significant Element2001 Words   |  9 Pagesthrough its prejudice and stereotypes, affects social policy formation and its direct effects on older people. This will be achieved through accessing how ageism has become institutionalised throughout society, and how this shapes policy. Recognising ageism is such a broad spectrum, this essay will focus on how ageism effects the active ageing discourse, employment policies for older people and lastly, the effects of the dominance of neoliberalism in social policy for older people today. FurthermoreRead MoreAttitudes on Poverty Essay1636 Words   |  7 PagesPennsylvania, the site of our study, has the largest share of its residents living in poverty in the United States according the Census Bureau data (Tavernise 2011). With poverty clearly an issue to its inhabitants, we are going to investigate locals’ attitudes towards poverty. Items that affect peoples’ opinions on poverty include local context, political views, religion and education, race, gender, and family structure. LOCAL CONTEXT In his study Daniel Hopkins (2009) looked at the effect local contextRead MoreA Brief Note On Unemployment And Its Effects On Society1966 Words   |  8 Pagesgander at month to month spending all the more nearly and from a point of view of purchasing what s truly required as opposed to simply needed. Along these lines, a fleeting monetary emergency can turn into the motivation you have to enhance or learn better cash overseeing abilities that can extend to the long haul. Way of life: Lifestyle changes that frequently go with unemployment are serious for a few individuals and difficult for most. Upset day by day schedules, less social connections and beingRead MorePoverty and Social Work Essay example8858 Words   |  36 PagesFrom Poor Law to Welfare State: A History of Social Welfare in America- Walter I. Trattner Chapter 1: The Background The chapter traces the origin of welfare practices and caring for the needy from primitive times to the Elizabethan Poor Laws. References include Hammurabi, a Babylonian ruler who included protection of the vulnerable a part of his code in 2000 BC and the ancient Greeks and Romans (including Aristotle, 384-322 BC) who considered giving to charity a virtue. Perhaps more importantRead MoreWork Life Conflict4710 Words   |  19 Pagesequitable and beneficial to both employer and employee. Work life balance plays a huge role in determining whether a person will reach career advancement. Today’s workers have many competing responsibilities such as work, children, housework, volunteering, spouse and elderly parent care and this places stress on individuals, families and the communities in which they reside. Work-life conflict is a serious problem that impacts workers, their employers and communities.   Work life balance is theRead MoreRural Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria10400 Words   |  42 Pagescollection and disposal, storm drainage, public transportation, access roads and footpaths, street lighting, and public telephones. In some countries, other neighborhood amenities such as safe play areas, community facilities, electrical connections, and social services become important in helping increase the standard of living so that the poor can break the cycle of poverty (World Bank 2001). Now breaking away from cycle of poverty is another way of saying alleviating poverty. WHAT IS ALLEVIATION? To alleviateRead MoreAn Employers Guide Inclusive Workplace16409 Words   |  66 Pagesworkplace: †¢ There is a welcoming workplace culture where everyone is treated with respect and dignity and everyone feels valued. †¢ Policies are in place concerning equality and human rights, working conditions, dignity at work, employee welfare and fair recruitment and procurement practices. †¢ Members of staff at all levels are aware of the inclusive values of the organisation and are actively consulted and involved in policy development. †¢ The workforce is representative of the