WGSST 110: Gender, Sex, and Power
Central Classrooms 226
Mondays & Wednesdays 1:30 – 3:18pm
Instructor: Nicole Engel
Office: 337B University Hall
Spring 2012
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Mondays 11:30am -1:30pm
ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
We all have varying abilities. Students who have verification from Disability Services are
responsible for contacting the instructor as soon as possible to make necessary arrangements.
The Office for Disability Services verifies the need for accommodations and assists in the
development of accommodation strategies. Please let me know early on in the quarter what we
can do to maximize your learning potential, participation, and general access in this course. The
Office for Disability Services is located at 150 Pomerene Hall,
1760 Neil Ave, (614) 292-3307, TDD (614) 292-0901.
http://www.ods.ohio-state.edu
Course Description
This course is an introduction to the field of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and to feminist scholarship. It
is designed to give students from a diverse range of backgrounds and disciplines a basic understanding of the
terminology, perspectives, and debates that constitute this field. We will examine the history of feminist political
activism in the United States and we will learn some of the most significant concepts and frameworks feminists
have developed. Although we will pay particular attention to the ways in which gender impacts our everyday lives,
we will also examine the ways in which race, sexuality, class, physical ability, and age also impact our lives and
inform public policies and institutions in the U.S. This course is a pre-requisite for both the major and minor in
Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. It also fulfills GEC requirements for: Cultures and Ideas, Social Science
Individuals and Groups and Social Diversity in the US.
Course Objectives
 Understand essential concepts in feminist theory.
 Understand how gender shapes cultures and the social institutions that structure them.
 Identify manifestations of privilege and oppression in society.
 Develop and apply critical reading, writing, and thinking skills to issues of gender, race, class,
sexuality, and ability.
Required Texts


Reading Women's Lives for Nicole Engel/WGSS 110/Spring 2012 available at SBX.
Additional readings can be found on CARMEN (these readings will be marked with an * on your syllabus)
Carmen
Carmen (OSU's online learning system) will be used in this course. To access Carmen, log on at
http://carmen.osu.edu and select this course from the list of Spring 2012 Classes.
I will use Carmen to post various class materials, changes to the syllabus, and any readings that are not
included in Reading Women's Lives. You are expected to print the readings from Carmen and bring them
to class with you on the day they are discussed. If you cannot bring the actual readings to class with you,
then I expect you to bring notes on the readings to class with you. This last part is no joke. Showing up
without the tools means you can't do the work.
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Graded Assignments
Participation: 15 %
There are 2 components to your participation grade:
1. Attendance: Attendance will be taken every day. You are permitted 2 unexcused absences, no questions
asked. After 2 absences, your absences will have an adverse effect on your participation grade – after all,
if you are not in class, you are not participating.
2. Discussion: This course is a dialogue intensive course. Both prepared discussions and spontaneous
conversations will be essential elements in this course. Class discussion is designed to help you become
engaged with, and think critically about, the materials presented in the essays, films, and lectures we
encounter. It is mandatory that you complete all of the reading in order to participate meaningfully in
class discussion.
a. We will also be discussing some controversial issues in this class. I ask that you all be open to
exploring the world through a feminist lens. Respect and sensitivity toward others is required.
Our critical thinking will be deployed to analyze ideas and arguments - personal attacks are not
permitted. We will be exploring issues of personal and cultural relevance to us all, and will
question the values and assumptions apparent in a wide variety of texts. You are not being asked
to change your beliefs, but we all must contribute to an environment where everyone feels
welcome to participate.
b. *Note* In order to facilitate class discussion, turn off your computers and cell phones, refrain
from talking while others are speaking, and do not pack up or leave early.
Reading Check-ins: 15 %
Check-ins are meant to ensure that you are completing and comprehending your reading assignments. 4 check-ins
will be given over the course of the quarter. The lowest grade will be dropped. Check-ins are given at the beginning
of class and CANNOT be made up unless you have an excused absence for that day.
Short Writing Assignments: 30 %
Short writing assignments are brief (3-4 page) reflection papers that will help you think more deeply about
concepts that we will touch on over the course of the quarter. At the end of this syllabus, you will find a list of the
assignments and the requirements for each. You will write 3 short essays of your own choosing, and turn in each
on their respective due date. Each short writing assignment is worth 10% of your final grade. It is your
responsibility to make sure you have submitted 3 papers by the end of the quarter.
Mid-Term: 20 %
The in-class midterm will cover material from the first 5 weeks of class; this includes assigned readings, lectures,
and films. It will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. Exam Date: Wed 4/25
Final Project: 20 %
Final Project Options:
(You are required to submit a brief project plan on April 18th, and no late projects will be accepted.)
1. Write a 6-8 page analysis of a film, television show, or other pop culture product that applies theories and
concepts from at least four (4) sources used in class. You must use correct citations and attach a
bibliography.
2. Write and illustrate a children’s book that explains a theme from class, such as: feminism, gender
socialization, intersectionality, the history of the women’s movement, etc. You can include images from
magazines or photographs as well. The project should showcase critical thought and creative effort.
3. Create a piece of artwork or write three thoughtful poems that address personal experiences relating to
course material. Please include a 3-4 page explanation of your work that cites three sources from class,
relating your art to course themes.
4. Write a 5-6 page book review. Begin your review with a brief summary of the main points (1-2 pages),
and conclude with a 4 page critical analysis of the text that addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the
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5.
book, its intended audience, how the book fits into the field of Women’s Studies, etc. Please cite three
related course materials in your analysis.
Books include:
a. bell hooks, The Will To Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love, 2004
b. Jean Kilbourne, Can’t Buy Me Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel, 1999
c. Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickled and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, 2001
d. Ariel Levy Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture, 2005
e. Jessica Valenti, The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young
Women, 2009
f. Jody Miller, Getting Played: African American Girls, Urban Inequality, and Gendered Violence,
2008
Plan your own project. Examples: plan an action - such as a letter-writing campaign or a demonstration in which five members of the class can take part; create a public service announcement or short video
about a class theme; write a research paper about a topic that interests you, and demonstrate how it
relates to feminist thought.
Additional Course Policies
Extra Credit: 5 points of extra credit may be earned by attending one campus or city event that relates to themes
and topics discussed in class. A 1-2 page description of the event and how it relates to course concepts is due no
later than one week after the event date.
Late/Make-Up Work: Assignments are due on the day listed on the syllabus. If you must be absent on the day an
assignment is due, I expect to receive it in my email inbox by 1:30pm that day for it not to be counted as “late.” I
will reduce a paper’s grade by one half grade for every day it is late (A  A-  B+, etc.). The midterm exam may
only be made up in the case of university-excused absences and emergencies.
Do not assume that you will be granted an extension for anything until you have spoken with me.
Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism
As defined in University Rule #3335-31-02, plagiarism is “the representation of another’s works or their ideas as
one’s own; it includes the unacknowledged word for word use and/or paraphrasing of another person’s work,
and/or the inappropriate unacknowledged use of another person’s ideas.” Plagiarism is one of the most serious
offenses that can be committed in an academic community; as such, it is the obligation of this department and its
instructors to report ALL cases of suspected plagiarism to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. After the
report is filed, a hearing takes place and if the student is found guilty, the possible punishment ranges from failing
the course to suspension or expulsion from the university. Although the existence of the Internet makes it
relatively easy to plagiarize, it also makes it even easier for instructors to find evidence of plagiarism. It is obvious
to most teachers when a student turns in work that is not his or her own; plagiarism search engines make
documenting the offense very simple.
 Always cite your sources (your TA or instructor can help you with this)
 Always ask questions before you turn in your assignment if you are uncertain about what
constitutes plagiarism
 Always see your TA or instructor if you are having difficulty with an assignment
To preserve the integrity of OSU as an institution of higher learning, to maintain your own integrity, and to avoid
jeopardizing your future, DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!
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A = 93-100
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 63-66
D- = 60-62
Grade Breakdown
Participation: 15%
Reading Check-ins: 15 %
Short Writing Assignments 30 %
Mid-Term: 20 %
Final Exam: 20 %
Total: 100 %
WEEK
Week 1
Week 2
DATE
THEME & QUESTIONS
READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS
3/26 MON
Introduction to Course
---
3/28 WED
What is Women’s Studies?
Defining Feminism
Penny Weiss. “I’m not a Feminist, but…” (1-16)
FILM: Iron Jawed Angels
Baumgardner and Richards. “A Day Without
Feminism” (17-26)
4/2 MON
What is Women’s Studies?
History: The 1st Wave
Seneca Falls. “Declaration of Sentiments and
Resolutions” (27-32)
FILM: Iron Jawed Angels
Sojourner Truth. “Ain’t I A Woman?” (33-34)
4/4 WED
What is Women’s Studies?
The Social Construction of
Gender
Judith Lorber. “Night to his Day: The Social
Construction of Gender” (69-84)
*Kate Bornstein. “My Gender Workbook”
Week 3
4/9 MON
What is Women’s Studies?
Understanding Oppression
Redstockings. “Redstockings Manifesto” (35-38)
Oral Herstory Paper Due
Marilyn Frye. “Oppression” (85-100)
No class!
No class!
What is Women’s Studies?
History: the 2nd Wave, the
Backlash, and the 3rd Wave
Susan Faludi. “Introduction: Blame it on
Feminism” (51-68)
4/11 WED
Week 4
4/16 MON
*Additional readings from 3rd Wave anthologies
on CARMEN
Gendering Childhood
Paper Due
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4/18 WED
What is Women’s Studies?
Difference Matters
Combahee River Collective. “A Black Feminist
Statement” (39-50)
Project Plan Due
Audre Lorde. “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women
Redefining Difference” (101-112)
Week 5
4/23 MON
How is Oppression
Maintained & Reproduced?
Privilege
Peggy McIntosh. “White Privilege: Unpacking the
Invisible Backpack” (135-142)
Belonging Paper Due
Judith Katz. “Heterosexual Privilege: Owning My
Advantage, Uncovering My Collusion” (143-146)
-- Mid-Term
-- Mid-Term
How is Oppression
Maintained & Reproduced?
Beauty
Naomi Wolf. “Excerpt from The Beauty Myth”
(147-160)
Feminist Blogs Paper Due
Stephen Hall. “The Bully in the Mirror” (161-180)
4/25 WED
Week 6
4/30 MON
*T. Denean Sharpley-Whiting. “I See the Same
Ho: Video Vixens, Beauty Culture, and Diasporic
Sex Tourism”
5/2 WED
How is Oppression
Maintained & Reproduced?
Sexuality
*Anne Koedt. “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm”
*Heather Corinna. “An Immodest Proposal”
*Various authors. “The Orgasm Gap”
Week 7
5/7 MON
How is Oppression
Maintained & Reproduced?
Violence
Robin Warshaw. “The Reality of Acquaintance
Rape” (199-213)
Politics of Safety Paper Due
“The Rape of Mr. Smith” (215-217)
*Jill Filipovic. “Offensive Feminism: The
Conservative Gender Norms that Perpetuate
Rape Culture”
5/9 WED
How is Oppression
Maintained & Reproduced?
Masculinity
*Michael Kaufman. “The Seven “P’s” of Men’s
Violence”
Film: Dreamworlds III
*Whitney Walker. “Why I Fight Back”
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Week 8
5/14 MON
5/16 WED
How is Oppression Maintained &
Reproduced?
Heteronormativity &
Heterosexism
Suzanne Pharr. “Homophobia: A Weapon of
Sexism” (113-134)
Heteronormativity Paper Due
*Charlotte Bunch. “Learning from Lesbian
Separatism”
How is Oppression
Maintained & Reproduced?
Reproductive Justice
*Dorothy Roberts. “Introduction to Killing the
Black Body”
*Several feminist blog posts, see Carmen
Week 9
5/21 MON
How is Oppression
Maintained & Reproduced?
Marriage, Motherhood, & Work
Judy Brady. “I Want a Wife” (181-184)
Susan Douglas & Meredith Michaels. “The
Mommy Wars: How the Media turned
Motherhood into a Catfight” (185-198)
*Eagly and Carli. “Women and the Labyrinth of
Leadership”
5/23 WED
How is Oppression Maintained &
Reproduced?
In a transnational context
FILM: TBD
Week 10
5/28 MON
Memorial Day: No Class
5/30 WED
Class Wrap-Up!
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*TBD, to go along with film
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Choose any 3 of these reflection papers and turn them in on their assigned due date.
Formatting for all writing assignments:
Margins: 1 inch margins all around
Spacing: Double-spaced
Font: 12 pt Times New Roman
Reference Page: You must include a Works Cited page or Bibliography.
Style: You can use any style you would like – MLA, APA, Chicago Style – whatever your home discipline uses is fine.
Just BE CONSISTENT.
-- This is a great website that I use all the time to find out how to cite things in my style – MLA, APA, and
Chicago are all included on this site. OWL at Purdue: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/
From this page, pick your style. Then select the “Formatting and Style Guide.”
-- How to cite our course text – MLA style:
Last name, First name. “Title of Essay.” Reading Women’s Lives. Ed. Nicole Engel. New York:
Pearson Learning Solutions, 2010. Pg x – x.
Oral Herstory Essay (due 4/9)
Conduct an interview with an older woman (preferably born before 1965) focusing on the course of her life and
how it has been shaped by her gender. Ask questions about important areas of her life, such as her childhood,
family, education, dating and/or marriage, work, etc. You can also ask her what she thinks of women and feminists
today; for example: does she believe that girls/women had it harder while she was growing up, or does she think
navigating girlhood/womanhood is more difficult today? Why? Drawing on this interview, write a 3-4 page paper
reflecting on what has changed, and what has stayed the same, in women’s lives.
Gendering Childhood Essay (due 4/16)
Spend some time in a toy store, or in the toy aisles of a department store. Collect data on the kinds of toys that are
meant for girls and those that are meant for boys. How are they different? What messages may be being given
with these toys? Are these messages implicit or explicit? Are there any “gender neutral” toys? Does the gendering
of toys change by the age level of the children for whom they are intended? In a 3-4 page essay, discuss your
findings and analyze what implications these toys may have on childhood gender socialization.
Belonging Paper (due 4/23)
For this assignment, you must write about one of the communities, groups, or subcultures that you feel you belong
to. In a 3-4 page essay, convey how this community is understood/misunderstood by the larger culture - what are
some of the stereotypes that exist about this community? How do you and the members of this
community/subculture face these stereotypes and misconceptions? Alternatively, you could offer a constructive
critique of your community; for example, you could also write about the misconceptions and stereotypes of other
communities that exist within your community.
Feminist Blogs Paper (due 4/30)
For this essay, you will need to go online and look at 2-3 self-identified feminist blogs. Based on your research,
write a 3-4 page essay analyzing the content of these blogs. What are some of the issues today’s feminists are
writing about? Who is their audience? What kind of discussions are they generating online? What are the
comments they are getting from their readers? Are they building a constructive dialogue online?
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Politics of Safety Paper (due 5/7)
Ask three men and three women the following questions:
- Is your personal safety something you think about often?
- Are there particular moments when you feel more concerned about your safety? What are those moments?
- What do you do on a daily basis to keep safe?
Write a 3-4 page essay in which you compare and contrast the answers of the men and the women, analyzing
them according to the types of fears they have. Using a feminist lens, speculate as to the political implications of
your findings.
Heteronormativity Essay (due 5/14)
Heterosexism is maintained by the illusion that heterosexuality is the norm. This illusion is partly kept in place by
the visibility of heterosexuality and the invisibility of other forms of sexuality. Think about this as you analyze the
following sites: greeting cards and television commercials. First, go to the greeting card aisle and analyze the cards
in the “love,” “romance,” and “anniversary” sections. How many depict heterosexual couples? How many depict
same-sex couples? What options are there for customers who may wish to buy a card for their same-sex or
unmarried partner? Second, pay attention to the commercials during one hour of television. How many images of
heterosexual couples do you see and how many of same-sex couples? In a 3-4 page essay, discuss your findings
and, using a feminist lens, speculate as to the implications of your findings for both homosexual and heterosexual
subjects.
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