This is a critical reflection paper that explores the relationship you have with an item of everyday use. Think about a hygiene, beauty, or wellness product or practice related to women’s/LGBTQ health that is widely used in American society (anything- from particular medications to sanitary napkins/tampons to deodorant sticks to lipsticks and nail polish and make-up products) and your connection with that product.
We tend to use these products without much thought. It becomes a habit. But what does it mean to have a connection with something which we take for granted? In contemporary times, our everyday lives are filled with products without which we cannot imagine taking care of our bodies and wellbeing or beautify ourselves. Does having a habit of using these products say who we are? Or what we believe? Does the choice of an underarm deodorant or using a particular body spray make a statement of your values and choices? Do we as a society overplay the need for a range of products to be able to keep ourselves clean and beautiful?
Preparation:
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You need to research material on the item/procedure/practice that you have selected. Your research should include at least one academic article and internet research. For your Internet searches, make note of the types of advertisements/images/reports/news/blogs and links that you find. As always, Wikipedia is not an acceptable source. It may be a good starting point to find other sources, but Wikipedia can not be used as a source itself.
· Reflect on our course material up to this point and how it relates to the information that you found in your research and to your personal life.
Content:
This paper should be in the format of a critical reflection essay. I have provided some questions for you to consider as you organize your thoughts and your paper. These questions should be used as guiding ideas to frame your essay. Do not just answer the topic questions listed below one by one. You are encouraged to add other issues that you deem important in your essay apart from the questions/issues I have suggested.
Guiding Questions:
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· Why have you chosen this particular product/procedure? Describe it.
· A short history of it including your personal history if there is. When you started using and why?
· Are there any controversies surrounding this item/procedure? Discuss the controversy. For e.g. think about controversies surrounding birth control pills and technologies. For e.g. toxic chemicals in sanitary pads or questionable ingredients in face creams or lotions.
· Do you think it contributes to the monitoring and policing of women/LGBTQ people’s health, wellness, and bodies?
· To what extent do women and LGBTQ people have a voice in these products and practices?
· Would you say any of these products/procedures contribute to medicalization?
· How much choice do you think you have when you use these products?
· What kinds of material have you found on this item/procedure/practice in your research? what kinds of advertisements/images/reports/news do you see?
Paper Requirements:
· Length: 4 – 6 pages, double spaced
· You need to give a title to your essay. The title should not be merely descriptive but it should reflect your position/opinion/view about the product/procedure
· Select 5 results from your search that includes 2 advertisements, 2 news items, and 1 academic publication. Include these at the end of your paper.
· Use APA formatting to cite any sources you use to support your responses.
· Mid-term papers should be free of grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
· Submit your papers via Textbox entry on Canvas.
· If it is easier for you, you can compose your mid-term paper in the word processor of your choice (MS Word, Notes, Pages, etc.) and then copy and paste it into the textbox.