Okay, I'm late. Really late. But what can I do? I really like reading everyone's responses. I agree, I like the discussions we have in class. But what can we do outside of class?? I think we should talk about that.
I had a hard time reading a lot of the essays so far. And writing the body paper was hard. I wasn't sure which way to go. I could explain my body image on good days or bad days. It changes.

education: There was this made-for-tv movie on usa a couple of years ago. I think it was called "secret cutting" anyway it was one of the first times the topic of self-abuse, self-injury, or cutting was addressed on television. Of course it showed an extreme case, where the girl got involved in drugs and sex and almost bled herself to death in the end, but I think it opened a lot of people up to the problem. At the end of the show they had carla from cheers (she played the psychiatrist in the movie) talk very briefly about the disease. Well, it wasn't enough. The media (movies, tv, stars like britaney, magazines, etc.) AND everyday normal people need to start taking responsibility for the messages they send. It isn't just enough to inform people about issues. there needs to be discussion. Like the health teacher I read about. She had only one day schedualed to talk about eating disorders. A few weeks later, she notices some of the girls in her class have lost a lot of weight. There needs to be discussion. All you future teachers (everyone)....remember that. That's how we can do something outside of class. Not just talk, discuss.

Ok, so i am def the last one to post:) I guess this class is very hard for me. I am usually very outspoken, verbal and expressive...but not about my body. I am very insecure with my weight and the way i look and therefore it is difficult for me to come to class and talk about it. I am so glad that we can all be so honest with each other. I really didnt think it would be so hard for me to simply talk about issues such as weight and appearance. I want so badly to be thin and beautiful, but i am not sure why. I hope that this class will help me to realize that we are who we are and i cant be this ideal. I often catch myself getting upset in class because i am forced to face what i really look like....so if i get teary eyed, ignore me:) thanks for being so supportive!

Ok, since I'm probably one of the last to post due to my problem with getting on here, I'll probably end up repeating alot. Like a lot of people said, I definitely didn't think I would be talking about such issues in a college english class. But when I found out what the topic of the class was, I was thrilled. I have always had issues with my body. All my friends think I'm crazy, but just because I'm not too skinny or too overweight, doesn't mean that I can't want to see myself differently...and I think that was established in class. I agree with Ingrid. This is like a support group and it helps that its not a read and write about it kind of class, because I feel that discussions allow us to read so much more into what we are actually talking about, and the discussions have helped me realize I'm not the only one and that I shouldn't be afraid to say what I'd like to say. I'm really looking forward to what the next 4 weeks will bring and what issues will be developed and/or resolved. :)

What I like about this class is the opportunity it gives students to be open about their ideas. I always liked taking sociology and philosophy classes for this reason. I especially like how the discussion takes both sides. I have never had any real big issues with my body, yet other people seem to fuss more than me. I have always been thin. I went through a period of a couple of months where I was only eating one meal a day, but that was quickly corrected when my mother threatened to pull me out of school. I chose what was more important to me. Ever since then I still have had many comments made to me on a continuing basis. Though I eat three, and even sometimes four, meals a day, people get on me for not eating enough. It's hard when you have a sister who goes around telling people you have anorexic tendencies even though she watches you eat. It gives off a bad image (though most men don't seem to mind, of course).

I also would like to say this clas is not what I was expecting. iam glad the class does seem supportive and open. I was surprised to hear so many of my fellow classmates have excatly the say concerns about thier body as me. This made me feel alot better about my-self and the class as a whole. I hope we as a class continue to have this open and honest discussion. I feel we can all benefit from open, non-judgemental comments. Thanks for sharing some of your fears and genuine concerns.

I'm glad that this class hasn't turned into a real male-bashing type of discussion. I was afraid in the begining that it might take that turn. I guess the other thing I wanted to express was that I feel like I took that paper a little over the top, maybe. I feel a very real emotional connection with my body because every emotion has a serious physical effect. Even emotions can leave scars on your body. However, good things effect the body as well. Like exhileration or first love. Not just women, but men too.

Well I guess I can only repeat what everyone else has said. I agree with Kim...I had heard about this class from another friend (who actually loved it) and I vowed to never take that class. And I didn't know when I was registering what class I was registering for...but now that I am in I am very happy with it. I think its a class that makes you think about yourself, which not many of them do. I am glad that we have diversity in the class and especially guys. It would not be complete without their opinions. I look forward to talking to all of you for the next few weeks!!

As part of the minority of men in this class, I don't know if my points are overvalued or undervalued. I would like to think that neither is the case. So far, I praise each of you for listening to what I have to say and not discounting my opinion because I'm a stupid guy. In fact, I was extremely happy to hear people talk about male friends of theirs that encouraged them to feel good about themselves and didn't act like how the majority of men are portrayed or actually act. Personally, I love the female body as a I do artwork. I love to admire women's bodies and I can find something beautiful, physically , about each of the women in our class. That sounds petty maybe, but, even more so, i see wonderful ideas and values endeared in every woman as well. I am very happy to be in this class with all of you.

I really enjoy this class and am excited to come everyday to hear what everyone has to say. I believe this class is good that it helps some women realize problems that are out there but gives women a way to feel good about themselfs. I truly believe that when women feel good about themselves and stop fighting against each other for petty jealously reason. That there will be nothing that can stop up, and equality will naturally come about. Though that take time, classes like this are a good first step.

When i signed up for this class i had a completely different idea of what we would be doing. Actually if i had known that I had to deal with the issue of my body so intensivly, I probably would have chosen another class, but this is probably good for me. I have always had issues with my body and still could never sit in front of a group of people (women especially) and name something that i like. It is very reassuring and encouraging for me to listen to everyone else feeling the same way that I do but having good things to say along with the negatives. I hope by the end of the session that my confidence in my body will rise.

I am so glad that I took this class instead of technical writing. It's almost as if we have a support group as well as a class. :) It is so reassuring to hear other people say the things that I myself am thinking. I really believe in women empowerment and that our body shouldn't define who we are, but it is so much easier said than done. I don't really like my body very much and it was amazing to me that all these beautiful women in our class are saying the same thing. I guess everyone is their own worst critic. I have never really talked about my body, so I am finding the assignments to be challenging yet rewarding. I think I am getting a lot more out of this class than I expected. Thank you all for being so honest!

This class is definitly not what I had expected, but I am happy about that because it is making me really think about myself, and my own body in ways that i never have before. Like alot of you had said; I feel like other people, men and boyfriends have paid close attention to my body, but never myself. I especially have never paid close attention and found positive things to say about the parts of my body that I like. I will admit, the media and men in my life have shaped the way i feel about my body and the way I feel my body "should appear." But that has changed somewhat and hopefully I will become more intouch with my body in a positive way. I had a hard time writing about my body in general, so i know this four page essay about my vagina is going to be a trip!I know it will be very difficult for me to write that much about a topic that i have never written about or disscussed in any detail at all, but it will be a good thing to do i guess.

This is so hard to talk about. Since I am not comfortable with my own body, I figure everyone around me feels the same way or hates me worse than I do. I have anxiety disorder and depression. The medicines I have to be on make it impossible to be the size I want.

I've been out of school for a couple years. And decided to go back spring quarter. A few weeks before I started class, I was dressing and looked in the mirror. I thought I was pretty cute. I am overweight, but secretly I think some parts of my body are sexy. (Sheesh this is embarrasing!) My stomach has this cute little line running through the middle it and on each side it curves with my ribs. I guess my abs are in there after all. But when I started walking around the streets of Athens I noticed all those sleek, thin, tanned girls and started hating myself even worse.

Anyway, I want to be happy with myself. But I have no earthly idea how I'm suppsosed to do it. Anyone know?

The autobiography was my first step to actually noticing my body. I have other people such as boyfriends notice my body but I have never really paid my body any attention. In saying this I do not have claim over my body because in many ways it is ruled by outside ideas and not my own judgement. I would love to have control and power over my body since I am living in it. Hmm.. that would be nice.

This class is not what I was expecting. When I found out what is was focusing on, the body/women issues in general, I didn't want to talk about it. I feel like I have a fairly good ideal about my body and didn't need further discussion about it, but now that the first week is over I have changed my outlook on the class. I think it will be helpful to me, or at least more helpful than I had first thought. I like hearing what others think and so far they have only made by prior thoughts on the issues stronger.

there is a lot of pressure on women to look a certain way...what if you dont buy the magazines or examine every flaw a "perfect 10" actress has? will those media images affect women as much? what if we all just closed our eyes for a few years to the worlds unachievable goals for our bodies? honestly, i do not know if i could do that. despite not wanting to buy into the media crap...there will always be a desire to be desired.. magazines with "1000000 ways to get a guy" , movies with beautiful actresses being wooed and chased by movie hunks enforce that desire in women..and we try and become what the media is portraying hoping for the same results. but that never works out. so, we go home, call our best friends, get the "sex and the city" videos out, make popcorn and drink strawberry daquaries...what could be better?!!:)

I feel that so far this class has opened my eyes to so any women issues that are out there and how many of us feel victimized by our social stereotypes. THe female body is said to be such a beautiful creation, yet so many of us, myself included, hate our bodies and want to hide it from others. I just live for the day, I wake up and not worry if I feel fat or if I dont have to suck in my gut when I walk by crowd of people. Every second of my life, I can honestly say I think about my weight. These psychological issues have gone so far within myself, I often get sidetracted from other things going on in my life. Will anybody truely be satisfied with themselves?? Danielle

After reading "A Weight that Women Carry," I decided to go get something to eat at Taco Bell. When I sat down I saw that a infomercial was on. It was the Atkins Diet. There was this guy on there breaking down the differences between a "thin" person's body, and a "fat" person's body. He basically said that "fat" people can't eat as much or even the same things as a "thin" person. I was really hoping that there would be someone on there with a real medical opinion, but there wasn't. Then I got to wondering who is really behind the marketing of diets and other weight loss programs? Were they ever overweight? Or is it just a group of people dedicated to helping the "Fat Cause?" Also, how does it affect a child to see their parent constantly dieting? These are just some of the questions I thought about. Let me know what you think. . .Othni

It was interesting to hear about everyone's autobiography today. :) I think it's kinda fun to take a step backward and look at ourselves from a different point of view. Sometimes we find what we did stupid, or unbelievable sometimes. In fact, I feel a lot better about my body when I am in this country than back home in Hong Kong. Every girl there is so "slim" (skinny?) that my mom always tells me I am too fat. Good to be in this country - at least no one will come up and tell me I should go lose some weight. :P