The concept of human trafficking has been completely swept under the rug to me until this class started to bring light to it. I had no idea how much of an issue it was within our state (specifically Seattle), not to mention nationally and globally. The only times I have really heard about anything that had to do with human trafficking was when there was a hidden brothel found operating in Downtown Bellevue, and even then it didn’t seem like a very big deal, probably because some of the most wealthy and powerful people in Bellevue are a part of the operation.

The Bellevue Police Department actually recently conducted an 8 month investigation and set up a fake prostitution ad to arrest people trying to buy sex in Bellevue. The officers set up their own brothel “sting” in a condo just north of downtown, which knowing this area pretty well, I can confidently say that it is very secluded and “sketchy” near these apartments (I could totally imagine there being a brothel set up here). By the end of the investigation, the undercover officers had arrested 110 men trying to pay for sex in Bellevue.

Interesting facts:

A man offered one of the officers extra money for sex without a condom

Another man insisted a discounted price because he was lost on the way to the condo (honestly it’s pretty difficult to get lost in Bellevue, its one main road).

A 22 year old from Bellevue was filed as a missing person by his parents, later for them to find out that he was in jail for trying to buy sex (oops, sorry mom)

Reading about this huge bust makes me wonder how safe Bellevue actually is. Growing up I was completely comfortable walking around alone at night, but if someone is willing to pay a significant amount for sex, it makes me wonder what lengths they would go to. Its scary to think that there was a chance of me being a victim of this. I know that most trafficked humans come form developing countries expecting a job and end up being sold into the trafficking industry, and I don’t want to undermine the International problem saying that I could have easily been a victim of this, considering Bellevue has significantly better security and stronger family structure compared to countries that are heavily trafficked. But reading about all of this still makes me wonder if i ever unknowingly walked past a prostitute in my own city? A brothel? An actual trafficker? The answer to all of these questions is most likely yes, which is so scary to me. The trafficking industry is definitely an issue that needs to be more widely addressed and combated.

Full article about uncover investigation: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/110-arrested-in-bellevue-sex-sting-set-up-to-fill-void-after-asian-brothels-shut-down/

Women are overburdened. Since women have become an accepted and important part of the work force and are also held to traditional family roles, women find themselves being bombarded with an overwhelming amount of work between the office and home.

On the other hand, Men have been displaced in society. Traditionally, men had the role of being the support beam for a family, making decisions and being the main source of income. Now that women have taken their rightful place in the workforce, more and more men are finding themselves in a similar position to a “housewife.” With more women now being hired in the place of men, “fewer families can rely solely on a male breadwinner,” (Eitzen, Zinn 189).

 

This is an interesting change in society because it is challenging gender stereotypes. Men, who are (or were) expected to be buff, emotionally unavailable, and working from 9 to 5, are now more commonly found packing lunch for the kids and making dinner. All of this while women, who historically have had little to no societal power, are now earning major employment positions like Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo.

In a short two question interview with Nooyi she explains how women simply cannot have it all. “We pretend we have it all,” but it is impossible (Friedersdorf). She goes on to talk about her relationship with her family and her role with them, versus her role in the work world. She goes home from being a Chairman and CEO of one of the largest beverage companies in America, and instantly becomes the wife, the dutiful daughter, the granddaughter who ultimately is expected to do whatever her husband and elders ask her to do. Nooyi’s main point is about how “the biological clock and the career clock are in total conflict with each other,” (Friedersdorf). While at work, her daughter will call and ask to play Nintendo and while at home, her boss will call and ask her to do something pertaining to her job.

Ultimately, biological and career responsibilities are both full time jobs. As much as we, women, want to convince ourselves that it is possible to calmly and completely fulfill our role as a mother AND employee, it is entirely too much work for a person who is factoring in time for food, sleep, relaxation and other basic needs.

(full transcript to interview: https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/07/why-pepsico-ceo-indra-k-nooyi-cant-have-it-all/373750/).

 

Works Cited:

Eitzen, D. Stanley., et al. Globalization: The Transformation of Social Worlds. Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012.

Friedersdorf, Conor. “Why PepsiCo CEO Indra K. Nooyi Can’t Have It All.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 1 July 2014.

 

Image:

https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/over-burdened-women-squinting-blue-background?excludenudity=true&sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography&phrase=over%20burdened%20women%20squinting%20blue%20background

I grew up in a very materialistic community. To me, a 13 year old girl going to Seattle Sun Tan and laying in a tanning bed is considered “normal”. It has become a societal norm in America that (in most peoples eyes) tanner is prettier, and has led people to risk significantly increasing their chances of skin cancer just to get that “perfect” beach body.This past week, my discussion group had a long talk about the trend of skin lightening, and on an even larger scale, changing skin color in general. Whether it’s a Caucasian woman using bronzer to look slightly tanner, or an Asian woman using toxic hydroquinone to acheiveve a creamy porcelain appearance, this trend highlights an unacknowledged difference in cultural beauty standards.

A study sourced by the  US National Library of Medicine researched the epidemic of harmful skin lightening practices by South African Women of African ans Indian ancestries. The study was done in the form of a cross-sectional survey two university hospitals in Durban, South Africa. Of 600 surveyed women, “32.7% reported using skin lightening products.” (Dermatol, BR J.). Although The government has regulated/prohibited advertising/selling “cosmetics containing mercury, hydroquinone and corticosteroids,” women have put their own health at risk to use these skin lighteners (Dermatol, BR J.). Though, their motivation for this does not prominently come from the simple desire for lighter skin but for the treatment of skin disorders and dark marks. I found this study to be very helpful in connecting skin lightening to globalization because most of what we talked about in class included aspects of Caucasian influence on skin lightening, so it was interesting to consider something new.

Another culture that is very conscious about skin lightening is the Chinese culture (among other Asian cultures). Although, their recent transition to skin lightening could be due to the rich history behind their culture, skin lightening dates back to ancient China. Previously with the goal of looking porcelain-like, I was researching what inspired Chinese women to begin lightening their skin again recently. In doing this I came across an Ad released by Dove, a popular lotion company, that put a derogatory and racist spin on the act of putting on lotion. When I found this ad, I was speechless. I have no clue what has to be going through somebody’s mind to publicly represent their company in this way. The ad was released in early October, 2017 depicting a woman of color appearing to turn white after applying Dove lotion. The ad was promptly removed after receiving heated criticism (with good reason), and the company released a public apology.

(twitter.com/nathimthethwaSA)

 

Finding this ad really opened my eyes to how easily something like a cultural beauty standard can be disrespected and turned into a racial/social injustice. Considering that, I also wonder if that could be a contribution to the globalization of lighter skin? I have never seen this real of public shame directed at people of color, and it would make sense if such a gesture pushed the people affected toward lightening their skin. If that is the case, I think this is less an example of globalization of beauty standards, but white people corrupting, discrediting and disrespecting other cultures.

Citations:

Dermatol, BR J. “Skin Lightening Practices: an Epidemiological Study of South African Women of African and Indian Ancestries.” PubMed.gov, July 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26207658.

Conor ARC Future Fellow, La Trobe University, Liz. “Dove, Real Beauty and the Racist History of Skin Whitening.” The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2018, theconversation.com/dove-real-beauty-and-the-racist-history-of-skin-whitening-85446.