Blog post #3

Katie Wandrey

Blog Post

            Identity is one of the most difficult thing to find within oneself. Many kids in America these days are growing up with all sorts of confusing gender misconceptions and stereotypes have kids wondering who they really are inside. With all the transgender celebrities coming out and revealing that they have been a woman growing up in a man’s body their whole life and new genders manifesting out of no where have kids questioning the most simple, basic concept of their own gender and identity. This week in class Professor Joyce Anderson came in to give a more hands on approach to learning what we have been talking about thus far this semester, which would be about the indigenous people and their ways of respecting, caring for, and appreciating our environment. She showed the class how to make corn husk dolls which I thought was an awesome way of showing us how the kids of indigenous people grew up and played. They would make these dolls as a pass time yet by still using every part of a plant to show respect towards the Earth. By not wasting any part of the corn plant, children found an outlet to find their own identity. Joyce showed us how to fold and braid a small doll with damp corn husks and specifically told us not to put a face on the doll. She said that by not making a doll look a certain gender or body shape, it teaches children to find themselves in these dolls. The dolls are a true expression of whoever braids the arms and ties the knots on this simplistic toy. I love this idea because in today’s era dolls are meant to look skinny, curvy, straight hair and blue eyes. Sounds like white washing to me. By making the toys that kids play with and give their whole attention to all day long, it truly has an impact about how they want to look and explicitly forces this ideology of what they should look like. Though, kids and all people should grow up knowing that everyone looks different. We are all uniquely modified people of the human species. By guiding kids to find themselves in their own dolls, it gives kids a chance to learn that idea of uniqueness and also learn to love and cherish it. I truly enjoyed Professor Anderson’s visit and her presence gave me insight to write this blog about the gender and identity crisis we have in America today.