Closer to Getting Saved

Today I want to share something from the class that first inspired me to enter into the field of Women's Studies - Marriage and Family. I took this class in the Spring Semester of '06 with Dr. Tanya Koropeckyj-Cox, who is truly an amazing professor. I'm not sure if she's aware of this fact, but Dr. Cox was the first person who truly inspired me to continue with Women's Studies once I transferred schools. I had signed up for her Marriage and Family class after a particularly devastating Fall semester, in which I retreated from not only everyone around me, but from myself as well. I was the witness to some deep betrayal within my family, and as I watched my life I thought I knew collapse all around me, I had no clue how to even begin recollecting myself.

It was at this point that I happened to notice the Marriage and Family class listed in my University's catalogue. Feeling like it might be a course that I could relate to and truly learn from, I enrolled on a whim, and ended up discovering the best course I was enrolled in that semester. Marriage and Family was the first course to open my eyes to the concept of gender roles; societal-prescribed stereotypes of what is "male," and what is "female;" theories on modern day relationships and the cycles of love, etc etc. Needless to say, my mind was blown! I was totally immersed in the work, and began looking for any excuse to visit Dr. Cox and talk with her more about what we were discussing in class. Through these few meetings, we discussed different feminist literature; she pointed me towards current gender studies and journal articles; and, most importantly, when I confided in her that I was seriously considering transferring universities, she provided words of support when all I heard was negativity, and talked with me about the Women's Studies program at my new university.

It was during Dr. Cox's class that I wrote an in-depth paper applying what we had been studying in class to a film of our choosing that provided material relevant enough - and insightful enough - to thoroughly analyze and deconstruct. I knew that I wanted to write about the film Closer, which is an absolute favorite of mine, and after a suggestion from my boyfriend to write about Saved!, I began my work, which I am now presenting to you all.

As I'm sure you've all deciphered by now, I am by no means ever scarce on words. My essay is fairly long, but if you have time and would like to give it a read, I have uploaded it for you right here!


I'm sharing this with you now, because I believe that it is extremely important to look back every so often, and take a moment to appreciate the events, courses, people, moments, and writings that have brought you to the point in your life in which you are now living. Whether positive or negative, it is these experiences which intertwine to form our personal identities, and we need to be aware of these identities and take pride in them once we begin to enter into a society which, at meso and macro levels, often tries to tear us down and conform "you" into someone who is not you at all.

If you decide to give the essay a chance, let me know what you think. Your feedback is so important to me, and it lets me know into what direction I should head with my blog. Thank you all so much for your time, and if you know anyone who you feel would be interested in reading what I have to say, don't be afraid to pass my blog along!

When you're shipwrecked on your mattress,
I'll come in and show you how to hijack the past
and wind up in the right now

-Le Tigre, On the Verge