Author: Former Student

Diet Culture Token

Posted on by Former Student

December 5th, 2022

Diet Culture Bomb: On TikTok when a video comes up of a girl discussing how dieting changed her life and that she wants to become an inspiration to other cultures to demonstrate the resolve and importance of dieting and losing weight.

How it landed: I was a little shocked. I had seen this person on social media before and they always gave off the impression that they were confident with their body weight and enjoy eating and the various pleasures associated with it. It seemed like since I had last seen them 

How I recovered: I went to sleep. 

December 6th, 2022

Diet Culture Bomb: I’m studying with in the library with a friend and she discusses the specific calorie content of her coffee drink she got from the vending machine.

How it landed: I had have similar experiences with this friend in the past, so I was able to remind myself that everyone has there own person journey and relationship with food.

How I recovered: reminded myself that calories are perceived in society is often incorrect and having a balanced diet that I ensure is more important than counting specific calories 

December 7th, 2022: 

Diet Culture Bomb: I saw a TikTok of a very slim girl with the caption “the two main things that helped me get in shape”, this was followed by the girl saying 1. Being more active every day and 2. Eating healthier and more protein. The video had multiple videos of the girl showing off her slim figure. The girl made it seem like having a slim figure and “being healthy” was a simple matter and choice that could be accomplished by just eating more vegetables.

How it landed: I was shocked. I thought that social media had a least for the most part moved past this unproductive type of instruction. 

How I recovered: I looked at the comment sections and found that everyone was also as baffled as I was which made me realize the vast majority of people did not support this behavior.

TOKEN: My Body, My Voice, My Choice

Posted on by Former Student

This past week I attended an EDU event called My Body, My Voice, My Choice which was hosted by PPGA, AKA, and Connor House. This event was very informative and especially interesting when compared with the abortion topic we covered in class earlier this semester. The session began with a Kahoot which tested our current knowledge of abortion healthcare. I would consider myself relatively informed on the topic of abortion so I was surprised that I got a few of the answers wrong. One specifical answer I got incorrect was the lack of abortion access in North Carolina. I don’t remember the exact statistic, but I believe it was that only around 13% of all counties in North Carolina have access to abortion centers. I was surprised by how low this number was and many of the other members of the audience were surprised as well. 

Although I was familiar with the topic of abortion from the unit within our class as well as my personal knowledge outside of the classroom, it was beneficial to hear a concise and well-though out presentation discussing many of the various components. One note made at the start of the presentation was the distinction of terminology. The presenters made a point to use gender inclusive language throughout the presentation and referred to individuals who could receive abortions as those with uteruses. Another part I found particularly helpful was the information around the two different types of abortion, medical and surgical. It was interesting to learn more information about these types of abortions and the specific instances they were used. The presentation ended with slides that demonstrated various resources available to Davidson students and others in the surrounding community. 

Overall the presentation followed similar themes to those we discussed in our classes about abortion. The following quotation from Feminist Perspectives on Reproduction and the Family from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy exemplifies the importance of choice discussed in the presentation and our class discussion, “contract or choice based feminists would allow individuals themselves to determine what kinds of families they want to create.” 

Trans Medicine: The Emergence and Practice of Treating Gender by stef shuster

Posted on by Former Student

Throughout the last century the treatment of trans individuals in modern society has evolved and become more publicizedWC. With this increasing exposure, the discourse surrounding the treatment of trans individuals and their rights also increases. One important area of discourse is trans medicine. In their monograph Trans Medicine: The Emergence and Practice of Treating Gender, stef shuster discusses the history of trans medicine from the mid-20th century to the early 21st century. Shuster utilizes a multi-sited research design to incorporate archival records of physicians interactions and perspectives with a combination of modern day interviews to demonstrate the gaps in trans medicine that have existed throughout time. As modern medicine develops and new technology is created, the opportunity and range of treatment for a trans individual increases. However, treatment of trans patients still needs to be altered. The monograph covers topics from physician gatekeeping, to the balance of treatment between psychologist and physicians, and uncertainty regarding treatment. 

This monograph focuses on trans-medicine from the perspectiveWC of a physician. It examines the variety of medical practices used throughout the 20th and early 21st century and it demonstrates the thought process exhibited by many physicians when dealing with trans patients. In an interview with Indian Public Radio, shuster declared that his monograph attempts to answer the following questions regarding trans medicine: “How do healthcare providers manage their uncertainty? How does their vast uncertainty challenge their sense of themselves as experts? What does trans medicine teach us about medicine in general?” I argue shuster succeeds in providing answers to these questions and accurately provides insight into the mind of a variety of physicians and their relationships with trans medicine. The monograph highlights the unique power dynamic between a trans patient and their physicianSAY MORE. ADD TRANSITIONS AND SIGNPOSTS THROUGHOUT, The common gender conforming interventions such as hormone interventions or surgical interventions are highly regulated and require approval from a physician or psychiatrist. Physicians are often crucial in the transitioning process so the relationship they have with their trans patients is extremely important.  Shuster additionally highlights gaps within trans medicine and the treatment of patients that must be addressed. Shuster argues that medicine has become so uniform in the attempt to improve the quality and prevent mistakes that it no longer teaches how to approach each situation from an individualistic perspective. A clear framework for trans medicine does not exist CLARIFY SEEMING CONTRADICTION so many physicians do not feel prepared or qualified to treat trans patients.

The author of Trans Medicine: The Emergence and Practice of Treating Gender is stef shuster. Stef is a professor of psychology at Michigan State University. They earned their bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Indiana University, Bloomington and their Ph.D in Sociology from University of Iowa. Their work at Michigan State University focuses on medical providers, social movement actors, and language used to regulate subjugated groups. Shuster discusses their personal history in an interview on Indiana Public Ration (Chambers). Stef states that they identify as a part of the queer communities. In the same interview stef states they began to identify as trans during college and discovered that as they began to consider gender conforming interventions for themselves there were gaps within the healthcare for trans individuals. As their experience in this community grew, they identified a clear lack of education for doctors and healthcare providers on how to treat trans people. They discovered that although many doctors were willing to have trans people as their patients, they felt ill equipped to properly treat them and did not want to be a disservice to them. These discussions inspired shuster to look further into the field of trans medicine. They ended up writing their dissertation on the perspective of healthcare providers in trans medicine, which eventually developed into the monograph discussed in this paper. 

The monograph is split into two sections, part one details the history of trans medicine and part two explores the modern day healthcare provider’s perspective on trans medicine. Shuster used a multi-sited research design ALONGSIDE BOTH HISTORICAL? AND QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGIES (11). Part one utilized historical archives from the Kinsey Institute which is composed of artifacts from the biologist and sexologist Alfred C. Kinsey who worked in the mid 20th century. Within these archives were detailed records from Harry Benjamin, an endocrinologist who was known for treating trans patients. Benjamin corresponded with many health care providers and trans patients throughout the mid 20th century. These letters of correspondence reveal an extremely flawed system surrounding healthcare that places the power directly in the hands of the physicians. During this time period the physicians willing to treat trans patients were extremely limited and those who did had a narrow minded view of the perception of trans people. Trans patients were expected to “feel disgust with their bodies, particularly their genitals, and always to want to dress in the clothing and play with the toys of the ‘opposite’ gender”(Shuster, 32). Patients who did not fit this description or have the financial means or social status deemed sufficient by the doctor were denied. MORE DETAILS–HOW DOES SHUSTER DISCUSS THEIR METHOD, DIGITAL ARCHIVES, SECONDARY MATERIALS OR PRIMARY SOURCES?

In part two of this monograph, shuster jumps in time to the modern status of trans medicine. This part consists of a series of interviews with 23 physicians about their history and experiences working with trans patients. These interviews demonstrate a wide variety of perspectives. In addition to these interviews, shuster attended a variety of medical conferences and observed the discussion of trans medicine. Conferences are designed to discuss emerging and new healthcare ideas and strategies. Finally, shuster examined the diagnostics and clinical guidelines created for trans-medicine. Combined these sources provide perspective on the individual and systemic level. 

Shuster provides an unbiasedWC review of the history of trans medicine. Although they discuss the flaws within many of the common practices by physicians, they do not place blame on the physicians instead accrediting misdeeds to the medical institution and training system as a whole. Additionally, the monograph provides a wide range of physicians perspectives, including those who have become somewhat experts in the field of trans medicine as well physicians who know very little. CLARIFY THIS SENTENCE WITH EXAMPLES–>Shuster also does a remarkable job of parsing out the individual components of trans medicine. They provide ample evidence and direct quotations that demonstrate each aspect that is discussed. 

This monograph provides a comprehensive overview of the history of Trans Medicine from the perspective of a healthcare provider, however it distinctly lacks information regarding the patient’s perspective. Excluding a few letters from patient’s during the mid-20th century, there are no modern day perspectives. It could have been helpful to include information from the patient discussing their experience with healthcare and the treatment they have received. Patient perspective is a crucial component in improving the system and adjusting to treat their needs. Although each patient is different, it can be helpful to know general strategies that are successful.  The two parts of the monograph focus on the mid-20th century and modern times, the early 21st century, how it does not discuss the status of trans medicine in the intervening years. Although many of the issues in part 1 of the monograph are still concerns in the second part, a large chunk of progress and history is absent in that could illustrate the specific event that caused any changes in the practice of trans medicine. Additionally the monograph provides no future directions towards the improvement of trans medicine. 

This monograph could serve as a powerful tool for physicians. Although it focuses on trans medicine the monograph emphasizes larger themes surrounding health care and interactions with patients. It stresses the importance of the doctor patient relationship and the trust that should be formed within this bond to make the best possible decision for the patient. Ultimately, it teaches physicians how to be more mindful. Each student coming out of medical school should be required to read this monograph to improve their understanding of trans medicine and develop an understanding of the history of trans medicine as well as the progress that still needs to be made. 

References:

Chambers, A. (2021, November 8). Sociologist stef shuster. other, Bloomington, Indiana; WFIU Public Radio. 

Stef Shuster. Department of Sociology | Michigan State University. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://sociology.msu.edu/people/directory/shuster-stef.html 

Shuster, S. M. (2021). Trans medicine: The emergence and practice of treating gender. New York University Press. 

University of Alabama Rush TikTok and the Perpetuation of the Perfect Southern Girl

Posted on by Former Student

Every August over two thousand college freshman flock to the University of Alabama two weeks before the start of the academic semester to begin the infamous and demanding Greek life rush process. These two weeks involve primarily female-presenting individuals who participate in a variety of daily social mixers and events designed to introduce potential new members (P.N.M.s) to life as a member of a sorority at the University of Alabama. Throughout the two weeks the P.N.Ms make judgements regarding their desired sororities and the current sorority members make judgements on which P.N.Ms they would like to allow into the sorority. This exclusionary process results in only a specific section of girls getting the house they desire with many P.N.M left disappointed with the selection they received or dropped from the process entirely.

This sorority rush tradition has existed for decades, but the process came directly into the spotlight last year when P.N.M.s began to post TikTok videos highlighting their experiences with the rush process. Millions of people both in the United States and other countries began to obsessively follow these P.N.M.s throughout their recruitment process. Much of the attention directed towards this recruitment process comes from viewer’s fascination with the outward perception demonstrated by the participants of this cultural phenomenon. Despite the participation of over two thousand new members in the sorority recruitment process, there is a uniformity to this process that allows for only a small amount of individual expression among participants. In order to, be recognized by the sorority a P.N.M must meet this standard. A standard P.N.M could be described as the stereotypical “perfect southern girl”; often pictured in a pink feminine outfit, with perfectly curled blond hair, and tanned skin. To be successful in this process and gain internet fame it is often necessary to be from a higher economic class, be of a lower body weight, societally judged as attractive, and have meticulously selected clothes and hair.

These ideals are demonstrated by the viral TikTok videos that can be found under the hashtag #BamaRush. The screenshot below depicts an Outfit of the Day video (OOTD) which is popular way for a P.N.M. to show off the intricately chosen outfits they have selected for that day’s activities. The clothes shown often come from high fashion brands. In this OOTD, which has 5.9 million views and over 300 thousand likes, the designer brands mentioned include: Gucci, Cartier and Louis Vuitton.

The creator of the video is a girl named Kylan Darnell who became one of the faces of Alabama Rush 2022. She now has over 500 thousand followers on TikTok and numerous brand deals with popular clothing and jewelry brands. Kylan is just one example of someone who rose to fame due to her documentation of her experience with the recruitment process. Her videos demonstrate a level of financial inaccessibility that is manifested throughout the sorority culture. In addition to the hundreds of dollars spent on the clothing for the recruitment process, the sorority dues per semester average $4100, which can be a financial burden for many participants and their families.

The media craze surrounding these sororities has become so large that current members have whole days of preparation designated as “media days.” On these days, each member focuses on producing content that can be posted on social media to capture the attention of P.N.Ms as well as other viewers. The content produced by these members portray a very specific type of member.

The screenshot above comes from a TikTok dance video created by the Phi Mu chapter. The video was designed to attract new members and portray the current image of the sorority. The people in the video are all dressed in pastels with short skirts and tight feminine tops. Additionally, the dance is performed in front the sorority house, which could be more properly described as a mansion. This videos presents the image of the perfect life, complete with beautiful hair, clothes, and an extravagent house.

The exclusionary methods of rush extended beyond socioeconomic class and appearance, YourTango reports that of the twenty-six national sororities only three of them have made formal policies that include trans women. The exclusion of non-cisgender individuals is demonstrated within the Alabama Rush process. The image below shows Grant Sikes a nonbinary person who participated in the rush process this past year. Grant was not met with enthusiasm throughout the rush process. In an Instagram post Grant states “out of the almost 20 chapters- I was dropped by every single one except 2 before day 1.” Grant was not selected by any sororities at the end of recruitment.

These TikTok videos represent only a small selection of sorority life available at the University of Alabama and might not be representative of all Greek life. However, the intense public focus on these specific sororities and P.N.Ms demonstrate the hyper-feminization perpetuated by these sororities and consumed by the wider public. The mass amounts of media attention placed on the participants of the rush process endorses the negative ideals held up by the Greek life system.