"THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART"

WOMEN IN TODAY'S SOCIETY ARE PORTRAYED IN MORE OBSCENE WAYS THAN 10 YEARS AGO. THE IMAGE OF A WOMAN HAS BEEN SEXUALIZED AND DEGRADED AS AN OBJECT RATHER THAN FOR WHAT THEY TRULY ARE, A HUMAN. I THINK REDUCING A WOMAN'S RISK OF BEING ASSAULTED BEGINS WITH CHANGING THE FLAWED PERCEPTION OF A WOMAN AS BEING AN OBJECT. 

WOMEN HAVE BEEN OBJECTIFIED AS PIECES OF MEAT THAT CAN BE FOR ANYONE'S TAKING. THIS IDEA HAS BEEN PRESENTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN MOVIES, TELEVISION SHOWS, MAGAZINES, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND THE INTERNET THROUGH PORNOGRAPHY AND OTHER SITES. IF WE CAN FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE VIEW A WOMAN THEN THAT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THE RISK OF A WOMAN BEING ASSAULTED.

PERSONALLY TO REDUCE THE RISK A WOMAN CAN LEARN SELF DEFENSE, TRAVEL IN GROUPS, NOT BE IN COMPROMISING SITUATIONS, AND CARRY A PERSONAL DETERRENT SUCH AS A PEPPER SPRAY. HOWEVER IF WE DO NOT CHANGE THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM WHICH IS THE PROBLEM OF THE HEART, THEN REGARDLESS OF THE DETERRENTS AND SELF DEFENSE PROGRAMS A WOMAN TAKES, WOMEN AS A WHOLE WILL CONTINUE TO BE ASSAULTED.

BLOG #2: PLANNING & EXECUTION

TALKING TO ONE'S CHILD ABOUT THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SEX IS A CONVERSATION MOST PARENTS LIKE MY OWN HAVE AVOIDED OR CAUSES THE PARENT TO BE VERY NERVOUS ABOUT. HOWEVER SEX IS VITAL TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE HUMAN RACE AND THEREFORE WITH PLANNING AND PRACTICE THE PARENT WILL BE ABLE TO EXECUTE THIS TASK EFFECTIVELY. TOO OFTEN PARENTS TEND TO GO STRAIGHT INTO THE MECHANICAL AND ANATOMICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE ACT RATHER THAN FOCUS AND EXPLAIN WHY IT IS DONE. ESPECIALLY IN THIS SOCIETY OF AGE WHERE SEX IS DEGRADED TO VARIED FORMS OF PERVERSENESS DUE TO PORNOGRAPHY AND THE WIDELY ACCEPTED FORMS OF SEXUAL PRACTICES. IF THE PARENT DOES NOT LAY THE FOUNDATION RIGHT THE CHILD WILL LEARN AND BELIEVE IDEAS HE OR SHE RECEIVES FROM THE CULTURE, FRIENDS, AND FALSE SOURCES SUCH AS THE INTERNET.

WHERE: THERE IS NO PERFECT ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE PARENT SHOULD SEEK OUT IN ORDER TO HAVE THE TALK. THE ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE THE PARENT AND THE CHILD FEELS COMFORTABLE AND FREE TO DISCUSS ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THE CHILD WANTS TO KNOW/OUGHT TO KNOW. SOME EXAMPLES CAN BE AT A PARK, POND, IN THE FAMILY GAME ROOM, OR THE LIVING ROOM. AS LONG AS THE PARENT AND THE CHILD CAN FREELY TALK WITHOUT NO HINDRANCES THEN THAT IS CONSIDERED A GOOD ENVIRONMENT.

WHEN: THE PARENT SHOULD GIVE THE THIS TALK WHEN THE CHILD IS NOT TOO YOUNG OR NOT TOO OLD. THE IDEAL AGE WOULD BE WHEN THE CHILD'S BODY IS CHANGING PRIOR TO THE STAGE OF PUBERTY. WHEN THE CHILD IS ABLE TO DISTINGUISH AND GRASP CONCEPTS THAT REGARD THEIR HEALTH. ACCORDING TO WEBMD, " WHEN YOUR CHILD IS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL (IF NOT EARLIER, YOU'RE BOUND TO START GETTING QUESTIONS, WHICH THEY ARE PROBABLY ALSO DISCUSSING WITH THEIR FRIENDS. AND SINCE THEY'RE GOING TO BE GATHERING INFORMATION IT'S BEST THAT IT'S ACCURATE AND THAT IT COMES FROM YOU." I AGREE THAT PARENTS SHOULD LAY THE FOUNDATION AND THEY SHOULD GIVE THE CORRECT FACTS IN THE AGE JUST PRIOR TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.

HOW/WHAT: HOW OPEN SHOULD A PARENT BE IS A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION, THEREFORE THE ANSWER IS DEPENDING ON THE PHASE/MATURITY OF THE CHILD IN ORDER TO GRASP THE SITUATION. STARTING OUT THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SEX THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES ARE IMPORTANT BUT AS THE CHILD MATURES AND GROWS OLDER THE TOPICS OF THE PHYSICAL ACT OF SEX IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS AS WELL AS FORMS OF HAVING SAFE SEX. THE PARENT CAN REFER TO SITES SUCH AS WEBMD IN ORDER TO FIND TOPICS TO DISCUSS AND HOW TO PRESENT IT CORRECTLY AND THOROUGHLY. TOO OFTEN PARENTS MISS IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT SEX WHEN LOST IN THE ANATOMICAL & PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF IT. THESE INCLUDE:

-ABSTINENCE

-WHY IS SEX IMPORTANT

-WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE SEX

-MORALITY IN SEX

-THE FRAME OF WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE SEX

-LOVE AND HOW IT APPLIES TO SEX

IN A SOCIETY WHEN THE MORAL FRAME WORK IS CRUMBLING OUR BASIC FUNDAMENTALS ARE BEING DEGRADED ON TOPICS SUCH AS SEX. ONCE WE TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION THE DIFFERENCE AND IMPORTANCE ON THE ART OF MAKING LOVE AND JUST PLAIN SEX WITH NO POINT OF REFERENCE WE CAN TACKLE ALL OTHER ISSUES THAT PERTAIN TO THIS. IN A WORLD WHERE ALL OTHER PHYSICAL METHODS OF PREVENTION OF STD'S, PREGNANCY, AND OTHER RELATED ISSUES, I BELIEVE PARENTS TEND TO OVERLOOK ABSTINENCE. THAT IS THE ONLY 100% EFFECTIVENESS OF PREVENTING STD's, STI's, and PREGNANCY. IN A CULTURE WHERE THAT IS NOT TAUGHT AS A FOREFRONT IS DEFINITELY NOT RIGHT. I THINK AS PARENTS WE NEED TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATIONS HOW TO CONTROL THE THOUGHTS AND DESIRES OF THE MIND AND THE HEART AND LEARN TO HAVE SEX IN THE CORRECT FUNDAMENTAL FRAMEWORK FOR WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED FOR.

WHERE IT BEGINS

FIRST AND FOREMOST HEALTHY BEHAVIORS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED AT THE HOME BY THE PARENTS AT A YOUNG AGE. THE PARENTS ARE THE PRIMARY INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN HELP CONSTRUCT OR DESTRUCT A CHILD'S PERCEPTION AND TRAINING REGARDING HEALTHY BEHAVIORS. NOWADAYS EVERYONE IS QUICK TO POINT FINGERS AT EVERYONE SUCH AS THE SCHOOL LUNCH SYSTEM, THE SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION SYSTEM, WHICH PROCEEDS INTO BLAMING THE GOVERNMENT FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH TO HELP IN REGARDS TO CHILDREN AND HEALTHY BEHAVIORS. HOWEVER WE SHOULD STEP BACK AND EXAMINE HOW AND WHAT THE PARENTS ARE DOING TO INSTILL HEALTHY HABITS AND BEHAVIORS INTO THEIR CHILDREN. IF THE PARENTS TAKE TIME TO TEACH THESE LESSONS AND IMPLEMENT THEM AT A YOUNG AGE THEN CHILDREN TEND TO

WITH THE INCREASE IN TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES WE AS INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH NEWS, AND IN DEPTH HEALTH INFORMATION WITHIN THE PALM OF OUR HANDS. WE AS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCES WE HAVE INSTEAD AND INCREASE OUR AWARENESS. SPECIFICALLY FOR PARENTS TO RESEARCH WEBSITES SUCH AS HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020 AND HEALTH FINDER; BOTH OF WHICH ARE GOVERNMENT RUN WEBSITES WHICH OFFER GREAT RESOURCES IN PLANNING HEALTHY DIETS TO EXERCISING FOR ALL AGE GROUPS. FOR HEALTH EDUCATORS I WOULD SUGGEST THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TO VIEW THE PATIENTS AS A HUMAN INSTEAD OF ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. INSTEAD OF CATEGORIZING PEOPLE BASED ON A RUBRIC GET TO KNOW THE INDIVIDUAL AND CATER TO THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. ALSO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS SHOULD HELP THE INDIVIDUAL REACH REALISTIC AND PRACTICAL GOALS WHICH CAN BE ATTAINED RATHER THAN SOMETHING THEY HOPE WILL HAPPEN. HEALTH EDUCATORS NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THE TRENDS FACING THE CURRENT GENERATION AND APPROACH THEM WITH HEALTH INITIAITVES ACCORDINGLY.

THE MEDIA & CULTURE NEEDS TO STEP BACK AND REEVALUATE ITS PORTRAYAL OF THE IDEAL PERSON. THEY NEED TO STOP OBJECTIFYING PEOPLE AND ALLOW FOR A BROAD RANGE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THE NORM OF SOCIETY TO BE BROADCAST ON TELEVISION. ALSO PROMOTE SHOWS THAT ARE INTERESTING FOR VIEWERS WHICH INCLUDES THE TOPICS OF IMPROVING HEALTH. MEDIA & CULTURE DO TEND TO SHAPE A LOT OF HOW WE PERCEIVE AND UNDERSTAND VARIOUS TOPICS. HOWEVER IF WE OURSELVES HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION, A SUPPORTIVE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND PROFESSIONALS WE CAN CHANGE OURSELVES AND THE PEOPLE AROUND US ONE STEP AT A TIME. 

WHO AM I

MY NAME IS GODLEY JOHNSON AND I AM A SENIOR AT T.W.U. DENTON STUDYING IN GENERAL STUDIES WITH A FOCUS IN BUSINESS AND HEALTH STUDIES. I HOPE TO GRADUATE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR IN DECEMBER AND FURTHER GET INTO A MASTER'S PROGRAM IN ANYTHING HEALTH RELATED. I ENJOY WORKING/VOLUNTEERING IN THE HEALTH FIELD AND INTERACTING WITH PATIENTS AND HELPING THEM AS THEY PROGRESS IN THEIR TREATMENT AND EVENTUALLY GET TO GO HOME AFTER THEIR RECOVERY.

IN MY FREE TIME MY HOBBIES ARE TO LISTEN TO NEW MUSIC, WORKOUT/RUN, OR PLAY DIFFERENT SPORTS SUCH AS BASKETBALL, AND I ALSO ENJOY COOKING; HOWEVER I DON'T LIKE BAKING. I ENJOY EATING VARIOUS FOODS FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES AND LIKE WATCHING THE COOKING CHANNEL AND TRYING TO MAKE VARIOUS FOODS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING ABOUT THE VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES OF WOMEN'S HEALTH AND UNDERSTAND HOW THESE CONCEPTS WILL IMPACT THE SOCIETY, CULTURE, AND WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE. I HOPE TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE AND ADVOCATE FOR THE EQUAL RIGHTS OF ALL.