Prompt One:

1. “A History of Women’s Bodies” by Rose Weitz offers an historical survey of Western ideas about women’s bodies from ancient times to now. How do historical, Western interpretations of women’s bodies inform current day beliefs? What part of this reading did you find most interesting?

2. In this week’s Ted Talk video (see link on announcement page) Stella Young makes a number of profound observations (“disability porn” etc). Discuss your own “take away” on any of her points, and tell us what you most liked or found most interesting about her talk.

3. In “If men Could Menstruate,” Gloria Steinem uses humor and the concept of “flipping” to make a point. In the spirit of her humorous approach, who could you add from our current cultural moment to further illustrate her point?

Prompt Two:

In “The Story of My Body” by Judith Ortiz Cofer, Ortiz Cofer relates the changing “story” of her body related to skin, color, size, and looks. Reflecting on her story, how do women’s intersectional identities complicate standards of race, desirability, able-bodiedness, and “normalcy”?

In this week’s Ted Talk video (see link in Week 8 module) Stella Young makes a number of profound observations (“disability porn” etc.) Discuss your own “take away” on any of her points, and tell us what you most liked or found most interesting about her talk.

In “If men Could Menstruate,” Gloria Steinem uses humor and the concept of “flipping” to make a point. In the spirit of her humorous approach, who could you add from our current cultural moment to further illustrate her point?