Facebook's Influence on Healthy Relationships

Research has been done that shows the relationship status found on Facebook determines how happy relationships are among young couples. The true meaning of Facebook's in a relationship was an article I recently read in LA times by Shari Roan. It really caught my attention being that I am currently in a relationship and I felt that there are others who could relate to it. The study was conducted through the Journal of Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking. A total of 58 heterosexual mostly college couples who had been dating for an average of 19 months. The survey showed how partners declared similar relationship status through Facebook.

"The study showed that partners tended to be similar in how they used social media and the importance they placed on it. In 45 of the 58 couples, both partners reported being in a relationship on Facebook. And in 31 of the couples, both male and female partners showed their dating partner in the profile picture. Men were somewhat more likely to include their girlfriend in their profile photos than vice versa" (Shari Roan, 2012).

What the study also found was that there was a gender difference between  how females and males felt about the importance of indicating, "in a relationship". It turns out that females thought it was more important for males to indicate they were in a relationship in comparison to males not thinking it was as important for their female partners to indicate they were in a relationship. I have to say I'm not too surprise. I think females have higher expectations when it comes to having public portrayals of their relationship status and men definitely don't need as much validation about being in a relationship.

Personally, I would like to have an equal relationship status with my partner because to me that validates the seriousness and commitment of our relationship in the sense that we are both in the same page as to where we stand in our relationship. Social networks may not seem as important to some and I would agree that it shouldn't be the only thing that defines your relationship. This is important to grasp though, when you have "Facebook friends" who happen to be your family members and close friends and co-workers you respect, and you don't make your relationship public it can make your significant other question why hide the relationship? Nevertheless, I think the main things is about being confident and secure with the relationship you have. At the end of the day, a Facebook relationship status shouldn't affect your relationship.

Denim Day!

So you ask yourseld Denim Day? Isn't every day a great day to wear jeans? Well there is more to Denim Day. On Wednesday April 25, 2012 I opened  my county email I have as part of being an intern at the Monterey District Attorney's Office, Victims of Crime Unit. I looked though my mail and I come across "Denim Day" subject title. Little did I know the special day it was. I learned that Denim Day is a national day dedicated to victims of sexual assault. According to the Denim Day website, "It is a rape prevention education campaign, where we ask community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion statement and on this day wear jeans as a visible means of protest against misconceptions that surround sexual assault". I was entrigued by the origin of Denim Day through a story the email had attached.

An 18-year old girl is picked up by her married 45-year old driving instructor for her very first lesson. He takes her to an isolated road, pulls her out of the car, wrestles her out of one leg of her jeans and forcefully rapes her. Threatened with death if she tells anyone, he makes her drive the car home. Later that night she tells her parents, and they help and support her to press charges. The perpetrator gets arrested and is prosecuted. He is convicted of rape and sentenced to jail.

He appeals the sentence. The case makes it’s all the way to the Italian Supreme Court. Within a matter of days the case against the driving instructor is overturned, dismissed, and the perpetrator released. In a statement by the Chief Judge, he argued, “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape but consensual sex.”

Enraged by the verdict, within a matter of hours the women in the Italian Parliament launched into immediate action and protested by wearing jeans to work. This call to action motivated and emboldened the California Senate and Assembly to do the same, which in turn spread to Patricia Giggans, Executive Director of Peace Over Violence, and Denim Day in LA was born. The first Denim Day in LA was in April 1999, and has continued every year since. (Denim Day Usa, History n.d).

After reading I was so upset with the Italian Supreme Court's decison. I asked myself, how could someone in that position with so much education and power be able to conclude that the victim was not really a victim. I was beyond upset, I was quite infuriated! The thought that using a women's ability to express herself thorugh her clothing could be use against her in a court of law. Applying this to what we have learned in this class, I believe that protesting silently by wearing jeans on a designated day can help many become aware of the dangerous of sexual assault and how to take action. How do you feel about Denim Day? Did the origin of the day convey any kind of emotion? I am curious to know how men feel about this topic.

For more information such as statistic of sexual assault you may visit the Denim Day website. If I had known about this earlier, I would have totally brought this to your attention sooner but there is always next year to wear your favorute pair of jeans!

Invisible Pain of Infertility

Becoming a mother may be one of the greatest gift a woman can have. At least for myself, I feel that motherhood is the only way to create such an emotional and truly loving connection with another human being. For women and some men  who feel like myself about having a child, hearing you are biologically unable to do this can be tragic and devastating news.

The article, The Invisible Pain of Fertility, by Norin Dwokin-McDaniel brings up the topic of women who face infertility. The article addresses females' feelings about shame and secrecy behind infertility. With so many older women celebrities recently getting pregnant, regular women wonder why they can't get pregnant. The article further goes stating, "By age 40, a woman has only a 5 percent chance of conceiving during each cycle. "Regardless of how well you take care of yourself, ovaries age at a constant rate, and there's nothing you can do to halt it. That clock ticks on," says Robert Gustofson, M.D., medical director of the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine in Denver. "By 45, the chance of having a child with your own eggs is 1 percent." (Dwokin-McDaniel, 2012, par.2).

To better understand this issue I did some side research. First of all it is important to understand what infertility is. According to The U.S Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women's Health, "Infertility means not being able to get pregnant after one year of trying (or six months if a woman is 35 or older). Women who can get pregnant but are unable to stay pregnant may also be infertile" (2009). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states it is a common problem, with about 10 percent of women (6.1 million) in the United States ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant. 

Both women and men may be infertile but for different reasons. Women and men who are infertile have the opportunity to get pregnant by taking better health care and seeking a doctor for irregularities. There are solutions available for men and women who suffer from infertility. Some can be simple while others may require surgery. Nevertheless, there is hope for those who suffer from infertility. 

Minority Health

The CDC is Celebrating Minority Health Month. This year motto's is: Health Equity Can't Wait. Act Now in Your Community! Both the CDC in collaboration with the HHS are making an effort to reach health equity among minorities. The CDC has referenced work from "HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities".

The 45 page document, "Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities" illustrates and action plan toeliminate the health disparities among minorities. As a minority I am very thanful for this. I believe health should be universal and accessible to every human being. I think that it is important to acknowledge the differences among different races in order to address certain health problems. For example as a Mexican-American woman I am at much higher risk for numerous health problems such as diabetes and high cholestreol. Culture is a very influential factor that coontributes to many minorities health problems and should also be considered.

According to The World Health Organization (WHO), it defines these "social determinants of health" as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age that can contribute to or detract from the health of individuals and communities (2012). Also, "Individuals, families and communities that have systematically experienced social and economic disadvantage face greater obstacles to optimal health. Characteristics such as race or ethnicity, religion, SES, gender, age, mental health, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, geographic location, or other characteristics historically linked to exclusion or discrimination are known to influence health status' (HHS, 2012, p.2). This statement makes me try to correlate perhaps a relationship between the roles of the minorities we have study and this class ans see how they are affected not just cocially through politic but how it affects tehir health.

Overall, I feel that being aware of the health disparities faced among minorities is a great start to provide and advocate for equal  as well as equitable health care opportunity.

Stop Bullying!

Policies and Laws

Bullying is perhaps something that we are all familiar with. Some of us may have been bullied in the past, others may have been the bullies and some have been bystanders, nevertheless, it is likely you know someone who has been a victim of bullying. In recent years a new type of bullying has emerged known as cyber bullying.

States have taken action and established laws and policies in order to help diminish the bullying. According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services 2012, "Through laws (in their state education codes and elsewhere) and model policies (that provide guidance to districts and schools), each state addresses bullying differently".

In the state of California, both laws and policies have been implemented to address the issue of bullying. This article provides a breakdown of all the states' regulations for bullying. I am thankful that finally bullying is being addressed by the law.