Gender, Dating, and Proposals

In response to the article on BustedHalo, I thought it was an interesting perspective on something we take for granted. I, for one, enjoy watching wedding shows like Say Yes to the Dress. I never really thought about it, but the media has definitely perpetuated traditional, outdated, and possibly even harmful traditions such as the surprise of an engagement. Weddings and proposals are so sensationalized-- whether it's in the movies, TV shows, or insane coverage of the royal wedding-- that we tend to expect our lives to play out in the exact same manner. I thought that it was interesting that the author talked about and encouraged women proposing to men-- this doesn't happen very often, but there's no reason why it shouldn't (I always thought that was a pointless rule anyway). But the most poignant point the author presented was the suggestion of actually talking to your partner about marriage before you propose. This conversation (an extremely important one) is very seldom portrayed in the movies, I guess because it's not seen as "romantic." However, it is better for the relationship to be founded on a solid foundation of mutual communication rather than surprises. As for my family's experiences, my mom told me that when she was proposed to she had a conversation beforehand with her then-boyfriend about getting married. They went to go pick out the ring together, which I thought was a cool idea for both parties to be actively involved in the engagement. I think that the trend for the upcoming years will be moving even more in the direction of mutual communication and decision, as society tends to cling less to its outdated traditions and embrace more fully the equality of the sexes.

Human Sexuality: 'Wonderful Gift' and 'Awesome Responsibility'

The Church's view that sexuality is an "awesome responsibility" is something I am familiar with. The Church has changed its outdated negative views on sexuality, and I was already aware of its emphasis on the responsibility and gift of sexuality. I was also aware that the Church places an emphasis on what it believes to be the primary purposes of sexual intercourse: the unitive and procreative powers. In addition, I was already quite familiar with the Church's view that "marital commitment and stability" is the only grounds for the act of intercourse and that intercourse out of this community is considered "objectively morally wrong." I was surprised about a few things in the article. First, I was surprised by the bishops' statement that just because one is single does not mean they should be called to "perpetual celibacy." I was confused at this because the bishops reminded the readers that engaging in extramarital sex is not living up to the value of chastity, yet they said that single persons are not necessarily confined to lifelong celibacy. Second, I was surprised that the bishops said that people of the LGBT community were entitled to "have a right to respect, friendship and justice" and that they should be active in the Christian community. I was surprised at this because it is mostly represented in the media via fanatics that all homosexual people are sinful. So even though the Church considers "homosexual [genital] activity" morally wrong, they believe that Christians ought to be respectful and accepting of LGBT people. I found it surprising that the bishops said that "Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church's pastors wherever it occurs," because I have very rarely seen such reprimand of discrimination from official Catholic leaders. I think one of the things the article could add, when talking about consequences of sexual acts, is the possibility of STIs, which is all to often avoided in the media today. The article also could have been updated a little, because life as a teen in the 1990s is very different from teenage life today in 2012. Also, the article could have talked more about the importance of communicating with one's parents about sexuality and feeling open and comfortable talking about it. That way, one will have access to more reliable information and will be able to come to their own choices regarding their sexuality.

My Mission Statement

I am committed to being a compassionate and loving person. I will do my best to remain open-minded and respectful of other cultures, faiths, and ways of life. I promise to follow my heart and passions. I will do my best to live my life in the present, not the past or the future. I will use my skills to the best of my abilities to benefit others. I will not let the people who put me down hinder my confidence or stop me from being fully me. I will spread the doctrine of self love and confidence to those most in need of it. Not only will I work hard, but I will respect others and have fun too. I promise to myself that I will live life to the fullest and never look back.

Who am I?

Three specific factors that have affected my identity are my family, my friends, and my volunteer work. My family affects my life profoundly. Of course, since I live with them every day they help to shape my identity and my personality. My immediate family is my mom, my sister, and my dad. My mom is one of my biggest role models, and I admire her faith, fortitude, and compassion. My older sister is also a role model, even though sometimes we have our disagreements and fights. She is a very hard worker and independent. Each member of my family has traits that I look up to and aspire to possess.

Family is important! One family I love is the Weasley family from Harry Potter. My friends also help to shape my identity. I like to surround myself with people of all different backgrounds, which in turn leads to my interest in diverse cultures. I have friends of many different faiths, like Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism, to name a few. I also am friends with people from many diverse cultural backgrounds and different sexual and gender identities. These diverse friends give me new insights into the world, which keeps me open minded and piques my interest in different cultures, which in turn leads to my love for travel.

My volunteer work also affects my identity. I volunteer at a local zoo as an educator. My work at the zoo has taught me many things that affect my identity. One of those things is patience, which I learn from working with children. I also learned the value of volunteer work, which is a rewarding experience that I would never trade for a "normal" paying job. I also gained a love of teaching by assisting with and giving live animal shows for birthday parties and special events. These shows have improved my public speaking skills, creativity, and confidence. Also, my love for animals has deepened even more now that I have worked with exotic animals-- from snakes to vultures to opossums.

One of our educators with our black vulture, Hoover. The site for the zoo is to the right.