As I read through the two articles, "Body Matters: Cultural Inscriptions" by Lynne Segal and "The Importance of Feminist Critique for Contemporary Cell Biology" I began to realize I had failed to recognize an important concept that was always in front of me. The concept of feminism has always been essential to my being, mainly due to the reason I am a woman, but I never imagined there could be a trace of feminism in the world of science. The articles provided an insight to this intriguing combination, which left me questioning the facts I consumed in the beginning of my science education. "The Importance of Feminist Critique for Contemporary Cell Biology" discusses the interaction between the egg and sperm, which clearly demonstrates the biases found in science. It justifies that a scientist's personal beliefs are reflected in his or her's scientific thought. These type of influences dismiss science's factuality, because people's thoughts are constantly being shaped by the society around them. In addition, Segal points out some very engaging topics throughout her article. Her discussion about the clitoris and vagina with their distinct characteristics defined a very compelling argument against the penis. I'm sure most people do not daunt on the fact that a male can engage in reproduction and pleasure in one step, while women are stuck with two.
It was interesting to see the contrast between the two commercials. The Viagra commercial displayed a joyous sense of erectile dysfunction, which shaped the problem into a "fun guys out." The commercial shadowed the problem by approaching the conflict with confidence and happiness. In addition, the commercial never directly addressed the problem. As for the Lyriana commercial, it was dull and depressing. The woman in despair reflected a message of shame and remorse. These type of commercials contribute to the sexist stereotypes of society, which affect the way people think. After viewing these commercials, I recalled my high school days as a pharmacy technician, where I dispensed these drugs. I remember when women would bring their prescriptions for sexually-related medications, they would be embarrassed. On the other hand, when men would bring their Viagra or Cialis prescriptions, their faces would be lit with excitement or masculine confidence.
It is eye opening for me to realize that not even science can be objective. Yet, I believe it is imperative to have feminist critiques to create a balance of scientific thought and to eliminate the biases in science, because science is crucial to our academic society.
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Yes. Our society is no doubt based in academic knowledge. This is why it is so important to challenge what is take as truth in science and to expose biases that we might otherwise overlook. Hopefully this will come to light over the course of the semester.
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