Reflection

I do not even know where to begin in relation to how this class and project has affected me. Before this class, I did not know about women’s issues nor were they important to me. This class, and helping Scrappy’s owner, has changed that. These past couple of months has changed me as a woman, and my knowledge of women’s issues, tremendously. Before, I have always wanted to be a volunteer and make a difference in the world by doing things such as planting trees, or helping clean up an environment. Not that these things are not important, but being a woman, helping Animal Safehouse has been way more rewarding than ever expected. This has been not only a learning experience, but a life-changing one as well.
Honestly, in the beginning of the semester when I signed up for a Woman Studies class I was not excited. Just like we went over in the first week, I had these stereotypes of feminists in my head and surely thought that I was not going to fit in. I thought that I was going to have to meet twice a week with man-hating, bitter girls whom I would have nothing in common with. I soon realized that I was wrong, and even more so after getting involved with Animal Safehouse.
I never thought that these issues would have such an impact on me. The things we learned about domestic violence, patriarchy, women’s health, and how the “personal is political” changed me. I remember getting defensive when I learned of how women are treated different than men in the work force, and thinking, “Whoa, what is happening.” But I am glad it happened.
What upset me the most was when we discussed women’s healthcare. After watching “The Business of Being Born” I was appalled. How the doctors schedule C-sections so they can go home for dinner, or how pregnant women are drugged up and caused more pain, then demand an epidural and other drugs which can be toxic, blew my mind. I could not believe that these things were so normal to us, if more women were more knowledgeable of this, I guarantee there would be more home births.
I was getting so into these women’s issues that for the first time in my life, I felt like a feminist, and even more so after fostering Scrappy. Seeing first hand a woman, who had three children, being forced by her abusive husband to seek shelter and safety really hit me hard. I remember driving back to my house after picking up Scrappy thinking how naïve I have been. I have been living my life day-by-day worrying about only myself, unaware of the bigger issues. I look at the world differently now, and I look at myself differently as well. This world is not perfect, and the issues concerning women are only growing. Through this class and service learning project, I am a changed woman. I go through every day with my eyes open, taking a different perspective on things. As much violence as there is in this world, there is even more people available to make a difference.
Now, I am not more educated than other women, but I am more aware. And I am better for it.