Assignment Takeaway 5
In my Research Methods course, I am studying aspects of mental health in black men with HIV/AIDS. My research thus far has showed me that there is not enough research available on black men; however, the research that is available focuses on four areas including HIV/AIDS, incarceration, fatherhood, and PTSD (caused by experiences in the military). This research is in alignment with the activity I completed in this class concerning the young black male who studied abroad in Rome. He was a homosexual black male, and he stated that he felt alone, judged, and sad. His feelings are identical to what the research finds to be true for homosexual black males living with HIV/AIDS. This research is personal to me because Augusta, GA has a high suicide rate for black gay males and that is quite alarming.
I chose the image above because I am a firm believer in being tested. If you are diagnosed, it is important to recognize that being HIV+ is not a death sentence.
Assignment Takeaway 4
Assignment 4 was eye opening. I examined advertisements featuring men and women in the United States and in China. In sports advertisements, men were muscular and shirtless in the United States; however, in China, the men were fully clothed, but they did have a strong focus on gold medals won at the Olympics. Sports advertisements that featured women in China and the United States focused on beauty, which is not the point of sports, but in both cultures the women are glamourous in sports advertisements. This assignment aligned with most of my coursework completed in my Psychology of Women course. Women are surely treated differently than men, and they have a whole set of requirements that men do not have to adhere to. For example, I saw a men’s advertisement that feature men of all shapes and sizes and it empowered them; however, there was a magazine article that stated “no woman wants to be shaped like this”: the “this” was a pear. Advertisements surely influence how men and women see themselves, but I think the influence is greater for women.
Assignment Takeaway 3
The assignment I’d like to write about comes from Research Methods in Psychology course I’m taking this semester. I am completing my research on the prevalence of black men seeking help for mental health. Upon embarking on this research project, I was initially disappointed at the lack of research available on black men’s mental health. I did learn that most of the research available falls into four main categories including sexuality, HIV/AIDS, fatherhood, and incarceration. I wanted to evaluate the research to see if the education level and socioeconomic status of black males have an effect on their ability to seek psychological help.
As a black woman, I am around black men all the time, and it is disheartening to know that they refuse to seek psychological help because of misconceptions, and they are being mocked for seeing a “head doctor”. Additionally, as a psychology major, I want to be able to apply what I learn from my own research into my daily interactions with my black male counterparts.
I chose this photo because it is a visual representation of how black men must walk around in a Euro-centric America. He must be himself, who his family needs him to be, and who the “white” man wants him to be, which causes a complex mental situation for black men.
Assignment Takeaway 2
Assignment two required me to evaluate American Values, and I had to chose the value that most closely resounds in me. Equality is by far the value that I hold dearest because on a daily basis, individuals think I am not worthy of equality. The way Kohls describes equality actually upsets me. Yes, in a perfect American utopia, his definition would suffice; however, in Trump’s 2019 America, equality is something people of color have to fight for on a daily basis. It saddens me to even have to type that, but the Make America Great Again movement has actually made America less accepting of cultural diversity. This assignment, let me voice my disappointment in America as a whole, including myself.
I chose this image because equality isn’t something we should have to fight for, its something that we should naturally offer…..Like Nike says, “Just Do It”.
Assignment Takeaway 1
Assignment one, made me evaluate the stage in which I most closely resided in. I am surely in the acceptance stage. As a Black female, I have no choice but to accept cultural diversity and its influence on human interactions. The assignment actually charged me with a need to move past this stage to a more influential stage; however, I am certain that will take quite a bit of self-work and willingness to move beyond my comfort zone.
The photograph I chose is entitled “Strength in Diversity”; I chose this image because it forces does shed light on my current level. I know there is strength in diversity; however, I do not know how to use that strength to help society.
Source: http://mcos.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/SK_MC_Week_StrengthinDiversity-1024