Valdes' essay raises important validation issues as to if and/or how exercise can be justified as empowering for women. I understand the contradictions the author lived through and I see how her job as an aerobic instructor perpetuates society's obsession with striving for an ideal shape; simultaneously, her job provides women with the tools they need in order to lead healthy lifestyles while enjoying upbeat, encouraging and motivating self-challenges. Women who choose to work out are not at fault if they do so to keep their hearts and minds in shape. Yet women who dance in Valdes' class, or who partake in any type of cardiovascular exercise simply for the sake of burning off calories in order to achieve a desirable body type are products of a society that values exercise as a means for physical attraction above its health benefits. Valdes' decision to leave her high-paying job was her own, for she felt she was reinforcing the idea that women needed to dance for hours in aerobics classes and the like in order to achieve their ideal bodies. In some ways, Valdes is right. Take Colgate's gym and phys ed class atmosphere, for instance. How many of the women who jog and sprint on treadmills, move on ellipticals, bike, jump and crunch are doing it for the sake of their health? How many are there because they worry that without a workout, they'll put on pounds, or be unable to go out that night and drink their calories, or become undesirable in the eyes of their Colgate peers? College athletes are a different case, for they practice a sport; it was not as if Valdes was coaching a sport, fostering teamwork, commitment, and leadership skills while giving her team a great workout. Instead she found she was just dancing in front of a room of women.
Still, I to agree with Young and Morgan, whom she cites as proponents of the idea that "consciousness as a human being is related not to the intellect alone, but also to the body; the body is the vehicle thought which everything comes to and goes from us" (30). Valdes provided the means for women to strengthen their bodies, thus strengthening their minds and "women's ability to achieve our goals" (30). There is nothing more empowering than the feeling of self-accomplishment, knowing that after a hard workout, you've challenged yourself to do your personal best in making body and mind stronger. Check out the pic of the women crossing the finish line, thrilled to have accomplished a goal. If this happens in spandex, so be it. It's when women feel they need to don spandex and work out in order to slim down and achieve an ideal in order to meet societal standards of what is beautiful that exercise becomes problematic. The individual exerciser is not at fault; instead, our societal values need correcting.
Switching topics, Sexton's poem may seem vulgar to some, but I respect her audacity in creating a work that focuses on what is a traditionally unexposed topic. To have published her piece in 1969 was certainly against the conventionality of the time, which shows great confidence on her part. I am struck that exposure of a completely natural topic was interpreted so delicately by readers and critics; why is it that the vehicle of life, "this thing the body needs" (332,) should be considered taboo content? Those who shudder at the intimately female nature of the poem should at least compliment Sexton's beautiful message "in celebration of the woman I am and of the soul of hte woman I am" (331).
Valdes' discussion of aerobics tries to focus on woman's status as second class citizen by claiming economic disadvantages. However, in working as a Swim Instructor in the same way Valdes worked as an Aerobics instructor I have found no gender discrimination. In fact, most of the instructors I work with are men who, like me, are working to say economically afloat while we study. I think Valdes' work with aerobics is a use of her body to push her forward; in fact I do not think many men would be as successful as she was as an aerobics instructor. Her situation was not a gender one but an economic on that she was masking as gender discrimination. I also agree with Eileen’s point about accomplishing a goal as empowering, even if that goal is created by a paternalistic society. I see no harm in Valdes’ aerobics and while it should not have hindered her development as a writer, it was not anti-feminist.
ReplyDeleteI was significantly confused about the Anne Fausto-Sterline piece; was she arguing that PMS does not exist? Because I certainly experience it and while the research is not legitimate or conclusive, that does not deny the existence of the phenomenon! However, I see the hesitation in deeming female menstruation as a medical issue, but there could be an equivalent study on male hormonal changes.
I also agree with Eileen about the poem. It was alright; I’m glad it exists for feminist sake but I was not particularly astounded by it.
Valdes's argument is absurd. I think the root of the problem is that she attached feminism to aerobics. Not every activity we do has to have a feminist purpose. By forcing "feminist" ideals on everything in life we could pro/con any activity. I think Valdes's problem is that she read too much into aerobics. If it made her happy, she should have just continued with it. Feminism is about choice-the choice to be feminine if you want, or not.
ReplyDeleteEchoing Lindsey's comment on Sterling..does Sterling think PMS doesn't exist? Because myself and many others have felt the symptoms of PMS. I am curious what medical studies have went into PMS and discovering if it actually has a medical explanation.
And the poem, meh. I feel like sometimes certain "feminists" try to hard to shove feminism and the female body in our face. My problem with this poem is like my problem with the Vagina Monologues. Why do people feel the need to scream about the female body? A Penis monologues doesn't exist. If anything, poems like this and play's like the Vagina Monologues just fetishizes the uterus and vagina. Why do some women feel the need to reduce women to their sexual organs? I just find it unnecessary. Its women like these, who frankly, give feminism its stigma.
To add to Eileen's post, I think we must also consider the ways of "staying healthy" or "losing weight" outside of the gym. I completely recognize that many do not workout for the right reasons; however, from a medical standpoint, I would much rather see someone running or kickboxing to lose weight than starving herself or throwing up every meal. Our society has divided weight and health into two completely separate categories. Many women are desperately thin, but not at all healthy when it comes to strength, cardiovascular fitness, etc. While perhaps the lesser of two evils, I much prefer the idea of "healthy" as an aerobics class than an eating disorder.
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