Women without Class Reading Response

                This reading follows high school girls in many ways. It was based off working-class teenagers, and their views.  It describes their feelings toward males, and also the unequal treatment of genders. It then goes into detail about the relationship between females across different ethnicity, and the correlation of teen pregnancy and social class.  It starts out introducing the “men are dogs” attitude among adolescent girls.  They do not believe that males could be depended on to support them or any children they may have. Their culture was not about boys, but more about participating in rituals of traditional femininity as a way to bond friendship.  I was also stated that teachers treated girls less harshly than they did boys. Girls of all races and social class knew that they could break the same rules as the boys did, but it would result in less punishment. They could get out of gym class by faking cramps, or bring their male teacher cake to prevent getting counted tardy. After getting evidence, it was found that physical fights were more prominent among females than males.  These fights were not, as believed, about boys. The fights revolved around racial groups between the girls.  Derogatory comments were often made from one racial group to another, causing a “girl fight” to happen. Girls in these working class schools often felt that adulthood was their only option after graduating.  Most of the girls studied were already sexually active, leading to the high rates of teen pregnancy. The girls felt that boys could be sexually active with many partners, and no one would think anything of it. However, a girl who engaged in the same activity was considered a slut.  They made it clear that their sexual activities were not always involved around romance. Abortions were fairly common among White teenage girls, and practically nonexistent among Mexican-American girls. They believed that if it happened, God meant for it to happen. Also, it was shown that some girls just wanted to be parents. They felt that an adult status came along with it. The teachers seemed to be concerned because teen pregnancy was being celebrated among the girls in the classroom, and they would even bring the babies to class. This is how the correlation between teen pregnancy with race and class. Most of these young mothers were Mexican-Americans and working class. They do not want to rely on male support in any way. They want and need to be able to support themselves and their children.

                I feel that the author argued his point very well.  He did not just have an opinion and stick with it; he took action to do research.  He found not only one or two examples, but found many that support his argument.  He took considerable time to sit down with the girls and try to understand why they feel the way they do.  The link between class and certain morals became present.  I was left with questions about teenage girls other than the ones who were studied.  I did not grow up in a working class school, so I would not know if it was the same way for every area.  It would show more persistent research is he traveled to other areas with different ethnic groups.

                I do agree with the author, after reading all of the information he found out. I see how differently these girls grew up from the way I did.  I did not have to go through half the stuff they did, and I believe that is why their morals are so different.  I see how their class dictates how they think they should live their lives. For example, some of the girls knew that college was not an option for them, so they had no problem being a teenage mother. In fact, it was celebrated among them. These girls felt like being a teenage mother made them an adult. These girls were a majority Mexican-American working class student.  So this is a prime example of how their class correlates with the choices they make.

                A line in the article that really stuck out to me was “expressions of sexuality, and by extension motherhood, operated as a sign of adult status and served to reject teachers’ and parents’ methods of keeping them childlike”. I chose this line because I think this is a view of many girls, not only at this particular school.  The girls who tend to become teenage mothers, are the ones who are trying to rebel from their parents. I think this mindset is not so good to have, considering that these girls tend to raise the children on their own because they do not depend on the fathers for support. I never really saw this way of thinking when it came to teenage pregnancy. It’s good to inform society that it is not always an accident.