Yesterday’s conference really made me emotional. I am an arabic muslim woman, so I could really relate to everything Miss Naqvi said. Her message was about the law 21, and she explained how it affected her and why she is against it. Her speech affected me, but I didn’t learn anything new. The experience of her dad getting beaten up made me realise how people are ignorants.

I am born in Quebec too, and I find it really sad that the place that I’m born doesn’t even accept me. I am seen as a stranger everywhere I go, and it shouldn’t be like this. At the end of the day, we are all humans and we all deserve to do what we want in life. Muslim women are limited in their choice of carreer because of what they have on their heads, and it’s discrimination. I asked one of my friends who assisted to the conference and she has the same opinion as me and Miss Naqvi. We are supposed to evolve, and this bill makes us regress.

What touched me the most is when she said at the end that we should not let it go, and we must fight for our rights. I don’t understand why can’t we just live how we want to and respect the others among us. A veil on my head does not define who I am, because it is simply a piece of fabric and it is certainly not that which should prevent me from doing what I want in life. I would totally recommend this event to my friends because this law is something that affects us all. Mostly religious people obviously, but it creates hatred between us and it really should not be like this…

1. Why are you close to your friend? Be specific.

“Because he is realky funny and he is one of the few I can trust.”

2. What kinds of things do you like to do together?

“We play video games and soccer and talk about women.”

3. Have you ever told your friend how much he means to you? If so, what did you say and how did he react? If you have never told him how much he means to you, why not?

“No, he already knows it by my actions I don’t need to say it and and also never told him because it’s gay.”

Honestly, I was very surprised and shook when I asked those questions to my brother. I never thought that he would fit in the category of “typical men”. The text No man is an island : Men in relationships really confirms everything my brother said. I think it’s very sad that guys can’t express themselves towards other guys about their feelings, because at the end of the day we are all humans and we all need a certain level of affection. I know guys who tell their friends how much they mean to them and they are insulted, and they even lose their friends sometimes because they are seen as gay. It shouldn’t be like this in 2020. Guys should be able to express themselves just as much as girls. In addition, not telling others how you feel because you’ll be ridiculised adds tabous to our society, and it’s the worst thing.

1. I think that he means that institutions have a big role in the gender problems. Institutions create our society, so their rules create out society and how it works in there. How men are supposed to behave, to dress, how women are supposed to talk, it all reflects on the gender problems. When I was in highschool, we had uniforms. These uniforms were strict. Girls had to wear skirts and boys had to wear ties, etc. This has an impact on how the boys feel, and how « masculine » they should be.

2. I think the author says masculinities because just like je explains in his text, mascilinity has a different definition in every culture, everywhere in the world. Some things may be seen masculine in Africa while in America, it doesn’t make sense at all. In the fourth episode of Man Enough, the author explains all the types and definitions of masculinity. The quote given means that if we understand gender problems, it can change the world, for the better. That’s what he means by social change.

The theme of masculinity that was assigned to me was Status & Achievement. This theme is represented by men who always win, who succeed in everything in every field (women, money, family, etc).  It’s represented by men who think everything is a competition, and don’t ever do something only for their good. Gandhi is the opposite of all of that, and that’s why he is the person I chose.

Mohanas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian lawyer. He used non-violence to lead India’s Independence. He is born October 2, 1869 and he died January 30, 1948. Everything Gandhi did was for his country. He was not someone competitive, someone who wanted a lot of conquests, etc. He didn’t care about all of that, all he wanted was peace in his country! He is the absolute opposite of what men are ‘’supposed’’ to be, the opposite of what we can read in Status & Achievement. Gandhi was respected all over the world because he made a difference in the life of a country, and that’s why I chose him.

In conclusion, I chose Gandhi for this blog because like I said previously, he is the opposite of what I read in the theme of Status & Achievement. He is someone good, someone who does everything for himself and his country, he doesn’t care about the competition, conquests or even gaining other men’s respect.

Bibliography:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi

http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belvedere_MS/student_work/Gandhi/Why%20he%20is%20famous

https://www.livescience.com/2851-gandhi-changed-world.html

The man who inspires me the most is my dad. My dad inspires me because he never gives up. I want to be like him when I grow up. His life has not always been easy for him, but he suceeded and always got everything he wanted. He always worked very hard to get to where he is now, and I admire that. He started with nothing, and now he has everything he ever wanted! My dad has a really big heart ; he forgives everyone, even when they don’t ask for it! When he sees that someone needs something, he’ll give them what he has. I look up to my dad because he always sacrificed everything for me, and that means a lot! Finally, for me, someone who is inspirational is someone who works hard and never gives up even if it’s hard! It’s also someone who always wants the best for people, who helps people who need help, etc.