Violence enforcement of City Urban Management officers Essay Example for Free

Violence enforcement of City Urban Management officers Essay City Urban Management Enforcement Bureau is a local government agency in mainland China that is in charge of maintaining the order of daily business activities of markets and streets in cities. This Bureau was established to deal with the increasing problems when China is in the process of rapid urbanization in these years. However, it’s notorious for abusing power and violent enforcement. Reported by Feng(2008), â€Å"on January 7, a man was beaten to death by a group of city administrators for filming their violent enforcement of an expired contract in Wanba Village in central Chinas Tianmen City, Hubei Province†( ¶ 1). This kind of conflict occasionally happens everywhere in mainland china in these years for more and more rural people come to cities to find more jobs and opportunities. The City Urban Management Enforcement Bureau which is set up to handle cases with vendors and the environment of cities now becomes a violator of human right. As mentioned in â€Å"Killing sparks protests in China†(2008) â€Å"This para-police force, equipped with steel helmets and stab-proof vests, is often used by local officials as trouble-shooters†( ¶ 13). How can law enforcement professionals become lawbreakers? The investigation combining with the living experience in mainland China shows that the three common causes for this problem are are poor communication, profit driven and lack of regulations. These have led to the bad behavior of those officers. The first cause of violence enforcement is the poor communication because of low education level. The officers are responsible for cracking done on no-license vendors and tackle with some low-level criminals so that they mainly deal with the low-income group of people who are mainly formed by the rural migrant workers or villagers in a city. Those people usually don’t have a very high education level. According to the 2009 migrant workers monitoring survey report (2009), over 75% migrant workers only have junior high school education or below(n.p.). While the communication skills and education level of the officers are also low. From the report of Ramzy  (2009), â€Å"officers were often drawn from the ranks of laid-off workers from state-owned enterprises and given little training in law enforcement†( ¶ 10). So the only way they can complete their mission is to treat the vendors violently to warn them not to break the rules again. Both sides in this conflict have difficulties to understand each other and when either of them is irritable and impulsive, violent confrontations may happen. The second cause of abusing of power and violence enforcement is the officers can earn profit from punish those poor guys, which drive them beat defenseless people on the street and take all they have without any mercy or sympathy. Li (2006) observed that â€Å"those peddlers who are a little slow often suffer, as the law enforcers snatch away their merchandise, tools and handcarts. The peddlers are made to pay fines, which the law enforcers have the right to levy for a series of misdemeanors† ( ¶ 8). For the people who are too poor to afford the fines, the officer some time ruin the handcarts and tools of the vendors and divide misdemeanors with their colleagues. It is more or less similar to the triad threatening for protection fees on the street. This profit drives the officer in chasing the vendors and use violence to force them to surrender without any respect to human right. The senior level of the government is also responsible for such violate events because they indulge their staff and do not come up with any strict regulations to restrict their behaviors. Though those two causes mentioned above truly have effect on the behavior of the Urban Management Officers, the third one is the most obvious and serious cause of abusing of power and violence enforcement. Some indirect evidences show that some of the violate enforcement events even happens with the acquiescence of the senior government. A common situation is that the leaders of the Bureau only want their officers to clean out all the vendors on the street no matter what they do to achieve it. Just like Ramzy said (2009), â€Å"Its precisely because the Chinese bureaucracys idea of an ideal city doesnt include peddlers and street vendors that the [urban management officers] developed into such a powerful institution† ( ¶ 8). And when the violence enforcement event is exposed, they are always shifting the responsibility to their staff or some one else and do not consider their responsibility of regulation. The events  of abusing of power and violence enforcement will continue happening unless the local government set up strict regulations and punish the officers who break the law. The abusing of power and violent enforcement of urban management officers is a tough problem with several causes and complex background, but it is not impossible to solve as long as the government takes effective actions such as providing necessary training to the officers and restricting their behavior. Though the vendors or villagers break the law first, it can not be the reason to abuse someone and violate his human right. Every one participating in dealing with such troubles should remember that consideration and respect are the best solutions but not violation and conflict. Reference: Killing sparks protests in China. (2008 January 9). BBC News. Retrieved 29 September 29, 2011 from World Wide Web: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7178382.stm Feng Yiran. (January 12, 2008). Man Beaten to Death for Filming City Administrators Brutality. The Epoch Times. Retrieved 29 September 29, 2011 from World Wide Web: http://en.epochtimes.com/news/8-1-12/63964.html Austin Ramzy. (May 21, 2009). Above the Law? Chinas Bully Law-Enforcement Officers. Time magazine. Retrieved 29 September 29, 2011 from World Wide Web: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1899773,00.html Li Xing. (17 August 2006). Services must be improved for better law enforcement. China Daily. Retrieved 29 September 29, 2011 from World Wide Web: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2006-08/17/content_666765.htm Guo Shipeng and Benjamin Kang Lim. (April 10, 2007). Chinese sausage seller spared execution. Sign on San Diego. Retrieved 29 September 29, 2011 from World Wide Web: http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070410-0229-china-crime-.html

Human Rights vs. Sovereignty :: Human Rights Essays

The massive, protracted bombing of Serbia was "the first offensive action for NATO, and the first time that Allied armed forces were unleashed against a sovereign nation with which the United States was not formally at war or without express authorization by the United Nations Security Council," observes Stephen Presser, professor of law at Northwestern University. "What we were doing in the Balkans is part of the post-Vietnam creation of a new set of doctrines of international law. These doctrines lack clearly defined limits," he warns. "We may be witnessing the opening moves in the forging of a New Global order that fundamentally impairs national sovereignty and allows possessors of superior military force to dictate the basic terms of domestic life to other nations without even the formalities of conquest." In the current issue of Orbis, a quarterly publication of the Foreign Policy Research Institute (fpri.org), Presser argues that the real reason for NATO's bombing of a sovereign nation "appears to have been to compel Belgrade to cede autonomy, if not territory, to a minority ethnic group. What is there, then, in the United Nations charter or in international law that would authorize our action in the Balkans," he asks, "and what, if any, are the reach and the limits of our new doctrine of Humanitarian Intervention? The UN Charter seeks to secure both the protection of 'fundamental human rights' and the 'equal rights' of 'nations large and small,'" Presser notes. "The Charter clearly undertakes to protect the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of individual nations, and seems to preclude interference in a nation's domestic affairs unless the Security Council declares a situation a threat to 'international peace and security' and expressly authorizes int ervention. While the UN and its agencies expressed official concern about what went on in the Balkans," he affirms, "the Security Council did not authorize intervention in Kosovo by UN or NATO forces." Presser points out that "a series of international law doctrines wholly outside the UN Charter authorize interference by one state in another's affairs. These have included military actions to protect one's own citizens who are within another's borders, and there have been several armed interventions by individual or groups of nations purportedly to protect the rights of minorities in particular or human rights in general, whether or not the individuals to be protected were citizens of the intervening nations.

Values vs Ethics in Counselling Homosexual in Africa

VALUES VERSUS ETHICS IN COUNSELLING HOMOSEXUAL DONE BY: SOUD TENGAH BA COUNSELLING MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY DATE: NOVEMBER 2010 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Page Introduction 3 Definitions 3 Origin of Homosexuality 4 Stages of Homosexuality 7 Counselling Homosexual 8 Conclusion 11 Bibliography 13 2 INTRODUCTION Homosexuality is an issue that has often been challenging to counsellors mainly due to lack of in depth information on the issues or personal values that majority of therapist hold dear to themselves. Although counselling services has been rendered to this cluster of people there are number of issues which still emerge as a conflict to some counsellors. Core of this essay is try to find answers for counsellors who struggle in counselling homosexual due to their existing values versus counselling ethics. In addition this essay attempt to unravel some of definitions on sexuality; origin of homosexuality and stages of homosexuality. The essay will also give a personal conclusion on counselling homosexual in relation to individual values. DEFINITIONS Sexual Orientation According to the American Psychological Association, (2008) sexual orientation is enduring and also refers to a person's sense of â€Å"personal and social identity on those attractions, behaviours expressing them, and membership in a community of others who share them. There are three main classification of sexual orientation: homosexual; heterosexual and bisexual. Homosexuality An attraction to and involvement with members of one’s own sex, usually including sexual relations (Feltham & Dryden, 2004) Gay generally refers to male homosexuality, and lesbian refers only to female homosexuality (Sanders & Kroll, 2000). Heterosexual Is an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affection, physical or romantic attractions primarily to persons of the opposite sex (American Psychological Association, 2008). Sexual orientation which one is attracted to involved with members of the opposite sex (Feltham & Dryden, 2004). 3 Bisexuality Bisexuality is sexual attitude and behaviour which is neither exclusively heterosexual nor exclusively homosexual. (Feltham & Dryden, 2004) Asexual People who have a distinct but not exclusive preference for one sex over the other may also identify themselves as bisexual. Bogaert, 2006) Homophobia According to Sanders and Kroll (2000) is an irrational fear, intolerance, or hatred of gay men and lesbians. Heterosexism Is defined as â€Å"a belief in the inherent superiority of one form of loving (male with female) over all others and thereby the right to cultural dominance† (Sanders & Kroll, 2000). ORIGIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY An indisputable and universal fact about humanity is that every-one owes their existence to the union between their father and mother. This forms the basis for the family, the social unit of society. However, homosexual behaviour also has been known to be present in some societies throughout history in varying degrees of prevalence. According to Hubbard, (1993) over the past thirty years or so, such homosexuality behaviour has become increasingly mainstream and open. Varying theories that have been proposed to explain the genesis of homosexuality. However, this essay will focus on brief description of four theories in order to demonstrate the different angles from which the topic has been tackled. Psychoanalysis theory According to Freud (1953) believed that all humans were born bisexual in nature, and from this state, as a result of restriction in one direction or the other, both heterosexuality and homosexuality developed. He also made the distinction between two types of homosexual (or ‘invert') those who are like women, seeking masculine men, and others who seek feminine qualities in their partners. Some individuals may 4 display predominantly one type of inversion or the other, whereas others might display a certain amount of both types of inversion. Different causal factors were therefore suspected for the two. Freud realised that the aetiology of homosexuality was complex, and suspected that â€Å"the choice between ‘innate' and ‘acquired' is not an exclusive one, or . . . it does not cover all the issues involved† (Freud ,1953) In his teaching Freud, (1953) claimed that all homosexual men have unresolved pre-oedipal conflicts, that is, they did not successfully negotiate the separation-individuation phase of early childhood. In this way, early childhood stress leads to obligatory, exclusive homosexuality, whereas stress in the later oedipal phase leads to partial, non-obligatory homosexuality. In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association decided to drop homosexuality (per se) from the diagnostic nomenclature. It should be noted that Freud himself had maintained that â€Å"it is not scientifically feasible to draw a line of demarcation between what is psychically normal or abnormal; so that the distinction, in spite of its practical importance, possesses only a conventional value. † (Frediani, 2000) Many of the case studies described have looked for specific aspects in an individual's environment during development which can lead to adult homosexuality. Such reports have commonly found one or more of the following factors to be unusual in some respect in the childhood of homosexuals: parental hopes before birth for a child of the other sex; difficulties at birth; slight anatomical differences between identical twins leading to a special attachment of one child or the other to their mother; parental attitude toward the role of the individual child, disclosed through the naming of the child; the position of the father in the family; strength of the relationship between father and child; competition for the affections of the mother; and, a ‘twinning reaction' or mutual dependence between twins, especially noticeable in identical pairs (Frediani, 2000) Genetic theory According to Kallmann (1952), reported a one hundred percent concordance in identical twins for homosexuality, and only twelve percent concordance in fraternal twins (identical twins result from a fertilised egg splitting in half and each half continues to grow as an embryo. Thus, the identical twins have an identical genetic code. Fraternal twins do not have identical genetic codes as each twin arises from different fertilised eggs). Subsequent studies have failed to repeat Kallman's findings. Kallman later 5 himself postulated that this impressive concordance was an artefact due to the fact his sample was largely drawn from mentally ill, institutionalized patients (Kallaman, 1952). In summary, it is difficult to reach conclusions from twin studies published to date. Most studies have a small sample size and/or contain technical flaws in study design and methodology. Some studies suggest a genetic basis, while others do not. As Byne and Parsons (1993) what is intriguing in twin studies that have been published is the large proportion of identical twins that are discordant for homosexuality despite sharing not only their genes but also their prenatal and familial environments. Hormonal Studies There is also a popular belief that sexual preference is determined by hormone levels. Ellis and Ames (1987) have proposed gestational neurohormonal theory of human sexual orientation, which deals with the genesis of heterosexuality as well as homosexuality. They propose that sexual orientation is primarily determined by the degree to which the nervous system is exposed to testosterone, estradiol, and to certain other sex hormones while neuro-organization is taking place, predominantly between the middle of the second and the end of the fifth month of gestation. According to this theory, â€Å"complex combinations of genetic, hormonal, neurological, and environmental factors operating prior to birth largely determine what an individual's (adult) sexual orientation will be. † This theory makes many testable predictions, e. g. that homosexuality should primarily be a male phenomenon, that homosexuals should have higher frequencies of other sexual inversions than heterosexuals, that relationships between parents and homosexual offspring may be strained and/or assume some cross-sex characteristics, and that homosexuality should reflect a significant degree of heritability (as hormone production and action is under significant genetic control). Such predictions seem to agree with previous research and general intuitions regarding homosexuality. Support for the gestational neurohormonal theory includes a recent study (LeVay, 1991) which reported a difference in hypothalamic structure between heterosexual and homosexual men, although Ellis and Ames warn that several decades of intense, further research may be required to adequately test the theory. 6 Neuro-anatomic Studies In 1991, a report was published claiming that an area of the hypothalamus known as INAH3 is smaller in homosexual men and heterosexual women (LeVay, 1991). The report received immense media coverage. The study was conducted on brain tissues from cadavers Included were nineteen homosexuals, sixteen presumed heterosexual men, and six presumed heterosexual women. A number of factors make interpretation of the study difficult. Sexual histories were inadequate and a significant proportion of the subjects were presumed to have a certain orientation. All of the homosexuals died of AIDS, while only six of the presumed heterosexual men group died of AIDS. One can propose a hypothesis that the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) could affect brain tissue including the hypothalamus, and since reduced testosterone (a male hormone) has been documented to occur in patients with AIDS, this may be one of the mechanisms. Certain medications like antifungal administered for the treatment of infections can affect the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, but inadequate medical information is supplied in the study. Heterosexuals with AIDS often receive inferior medical care than homosexuals with AIDS as they more often are intra-venous drug users. This may also affect the results of the study, as the heterosexuals with AIDS may have had a different disease course and died at an early stage of infection (Byne and Parsons, 1993). Moreover, the area of the hypothalamus in question was larger in some of the homosexuals than in many of the heterosexuals, and smaller in some of the heterosexuals than many of the homosexuals. Hence, one cannot determine someone's sexual preferences by looking at his/her hypothalamus (Hubbard and Wald 1993). The claim that homosexuality is a biologically predetermined characteristic, and homosexuals are â€Å"born that way† stands on flimsy genetic, hormonal and neuroanatomic evidence. A consistent and reproducible biologic difference has yet to be demonstrated (Demeter et al, 1988) STAGES OF HOMOSEXUALITY Stages of Homosexuality For counsellor who sexuality is an issue, understanding stages of homosexuality is even more important. Cass (1979) lists six stages that many homosexuals go through when dealing with their own sexual orientation. The basic model that Cass has proposed includes: 7 ? Identity Confusion – In this stage, individuals begin to wonder if they may be homosexual. They may consider the possibility, or reject it. If they choose to consider the possibility, they will move to the second stage. ? Identity Comparison – Here, individuals may begin looking at others and comparing themselves to homosexuals and non homosexuals in the surrounding environment. At this point, individuals may make contact with another homosexual person. ? Identity Tolerance – Individuals are becoming increasingly committed to the homosexual identity and may seek out more and more homosexual contacts. The self-image is still one of merely â€Å"tolerating† the homosexuality, rather than embracing it. ? Identity Acceptance – At this point, a more positive view of homosexuality begins to develop. Individuals may feel they fit into the homosexual society. However, they will generally attempt to â€Å"pass† for heterosexual, and self-disclosure will be limited. ? Identity Pride – Individuals in this stage characteristically feel a great deal of pride about their homosexuality. They will identify strongly with other homosexuals and feel anger at the way society treats homosexuals as a whole. They are often very conspicuous in their sexuality. ? Identity Synthesis – Finally, the influence of positive non homosexuals helps individuals become aware that all heterosexuals are not bad. At this point, they may feel â€Å"settled in† to their identity, neither ashamed of it nor needing to â€Å"flaunt† it. (Cass, 1984). COUNSELLING HOMOSEXUAL Ethical and Value Issues It will be a suicidal to this essay, to focus on ethics versus values in counselling a homosexual and not focus on religion. From a historical perspective, religion has been in existence as long as civilization. For many centuries, it was central to the function of society, in day to day, as well as political life. Religion invokes a feeling of respect of something greater than yourself, which is central in guiding your life. Sample the two largest religion globally, Christianity and Islam on the beliefs they hold on homosexual (Harvey, 2000). Christianity believes; †¢ Leviticus. 18:22, â€Å"You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination†. 8 †¢ 1 Leviticus. 20:13, â€Å"If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their blood guiltiness is upon them† †¢ 1 Corinthians. 6:9-10, â€Å"Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. † While the Islamic faith believes; †¢ â€Å"We also sent Lut : He said to his people : â€Å"Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds. † Qur'an 7:80-81 †¢ †¢ â€Å"What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males, and leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are forward folk. † Qur'an 26:165 The Prophet (saws) said:†May Allah curse him who does that Lot's people did. (Ibn Hibban, authentic) Religious and cultural beliefs, for many represent deeply held convictions about choice and approaches to life that go beyond simple preferences. These beliefs reflect value sets that are at the core of one’s being, and the fear that the higher authority is key to determining how a person's life turns out, it is also cause for concern in doing anything against the principles dictated by the set of beliefs that a person is following. Being brought up in a Muslim family background, where Islamic teachings and values are practiced, and modelled in the teachings that carry over weight to secular institutions, I have found it difficult for me to downplay the teaching of Islamic religion on homosexuality. I wonder, am I to be valueless as counsellors at the same time try to empower clients to develop and practice values of their choice as long as there is no harm to self or others? For long I have been struggling to counsel a client who subscribe to homosexual as his sexual orientation. Am also not sure for how long will I be referring clients who are homosexual or is it ethical right to keep on refer homosexual on the basis of conflicting with my values? 9 Working with lesbian and gay men often presents a challenge to counsellors who hold traditional values. Even counsellors who accept same-sex relationships intellectually may reject them emotionally. Counsellors who have negative reactions to homosexual are more likely to impose their own values (Buhrke & Douce 1991). However the ethical codes of American Counselling Association(ACA), American Psychological Association (APA)and National Association of Social Workers(NASW) clearly states that discrimination on the basis of minority status-be it race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation – is unethical and acceptable (Buhrke & Douce 1991) While am still pondering in my role as a counsellor, actively attempt to understand the origin of homosexuality, stages in involves and diverse cultural backgrounds of the clients I serve. Of course, counsellors can, and should, seek to understand all forms of diversity. However, there is a difference between understanding and agreeing with something or someone. If counsellors’ convictions leave them disagreeing with the basic beliefs of their clients to the point where being therapeutic is in question, then should they avoid these relationships? To disregard one’s religious influences would be demonstrating a lack of self respect – the very thing counsellors try to help clients maintain and build upon? Am also wondering whether a given counsellor should counsel any and every client? I tend to believe we all have biases. Sometimes a personal bias, religious or otherwise, would prevent a counsellor from providing the high quality, neutral service that fully respects the client and the client’s right to selfdetermination. In my opinion to demand that counsellors always be neutral regardless of their biases and convictions is to demand superhuman abilities. According to Hermann and Herlihy (2006) justice involves awareness of counsellors own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours and avoid imposing values that are inconsistent with the counselling goals. It is also noted in the ACA codes that another way for counsellors to both avoid imposing values and to respect client diversity is to make appropriate referrals if necessary. The Code addresses this by stating that â€Å"if counsellors determine an inability to be of professional assistance to clients, they avoid entering or continuing professional relationships† (ACA, 2005, A. 11. b). If counsellors discover conflicts in values that are likely to cause harm to clients or hinder their therapeutic effectiveness, then they should â€Å"terminate the counselling relationship when it becomes 10 reasonably apparent that the client no longer needs assistance, is not likely to benefit, or is being harmed by continued counselling† (ACA, 2005, A. 11. c). In reference to ACA (2005) Beneficence is the primary responsibility of counsellors to respect the dignity and to promote the welfare of clients. Nonmaleficence means avoiding doing harm, which includes refraining from actions that risk hurting clients, either intentionally or unintentionally. While Autonomy entails acknowledging the right of another to choose and act in accordance with his or her wishes and the professional behaves in a way that enables this right of another person. Despite the codes emphasis on, counsellor’s awareness of the intimacy responsibilities inherent in the counselling relationship, maintain respect for clients, and avoid actions that seek to meet their personal needs at the expense of clients. However one will only respect the dignity and promote the welfare f clients when we are aware of our own limitations not when we eliminate our own values. What is truly important is that we treat everyone with respect and understanding, even those with whom we may not agree. That is the spirit behind the Code. However, to â€Å"treat with respect† by counselling clients with whom our values conf lict would increase the likelihood of our doing harm. Yet, Hermann and Herlihy cite Remley and Herlihy (2005) when stating that â€Å"if a counsellor’s values were so strong that he or she could not counsel clients with differing beliefs, we would be concerned that the counsellor is not well-suited for the counselling profession†. However such generalization is likely to scare many counsellors including myself from the profession who could otherwise be competent with many populations rather than forcing them to suppress their religious beliefs lest they be accused of being judgmental. Conclusion In writing this essay I studied both schools of thought in-depth, on the origin of homosexuality and religious values that some counsellors subscribed to and I firmly conclude that, there is no clear evidence yet as to origin of homosexuality. While I am not neglecting existing theories, I feel the main concern as a practising counsellor would to focus on self awareness and respect to others without losing his own identity or values. 11 Finally, in my research for this essay I tend to agree with the following recommendations by Feltham & Horton, (2000) for counsellors unable to compromise their religiously based moral values. Training workshops, which include didactic presentation about lesbian, gay and bisexual psychology including the various models of coming out Personal therapy and self awareness work to explore some of the histories in some depth, with therapists who have themselves done the required work: supervision with lesbian, gay and bisexual therapist on client work. Spending time with lesbian, gay and bisexual people at work and in recreation Personal contacts through genuine friendships have been demonstrated to be powerful ways of changing opinions and behaviours. (Although this could certainly be understood as replacing one set of values with another) 12 Reference ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? American Psychological Association. http://www. apa. org/topics/sorientation. html#whatis. Retrieved 2008-08-12 Bogaert, Anthony F. (2006) Toward conceptual understanding of asexuality. Review of General Psychology 10 (3): 241–250. Byne, W. and Parsons, B. (1993) Human Sexual Orientation. The Biologic Theories Reappraised†, Arch Gen Psychiatry, vol 50, March 1993. pp 228-239. C, Feltham. and I, Horton. (2000) Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy. London: Sage C, Feltham. and W, Dryden. (2004) Dictionary of Counselling, (2nd Ed). London: Whurr Publishers Cass, V. (1979) Homosexual identity formation. A theoretical model. Journal of Homosexuality, 4 (3), 219-235. Cass, V. (1984) Homosexual identity formation. Testing a theoretical model. Journal of Homosexuality, 20 (2), 143-167. Demeter 5, Ringo J. and Doty R. (1988) Morohometric Analysis of the Human Corpus Collosum and the Anterior Commissure. Human Neurobiology 1988. 6:219-226 Ellis, L. and Ames, M. A. 1987) Neurohormonal Functioning and Sexual Orientation: A Theory of Homosexuality – Heterosexuality† Psychol Bull. 1987;101:233-258 Frediani, J. A. (2000). Sexuality and our faith: A companion to our whole lives for adults. Boston: Unitarian Universalist Association. Freud, S. (1953). Three ess ays on the theory of sexuality. London: Hogarth Press Freud, S. (1962). Three essays on the theory of sexuality. New York: Basic Books Harvey, Graham. (2000) Indigenous Religions: A Companion. (Ed: Graham Harvey). London and New York: Cassell. Hermann, M. A. , & Herlihy, B. R. (2006) â€Å"Legal and ethical implications of refusing to counsel homosexual clients†. Journal of Counselling & Development, 84, 414-418. Hubbard, R. Wald, E. (1993) Exploding the Gene Myth. Boston. Beacon Press Kallmann, F. (1952) â€Å"Comparative Twin Study on the Genetic Aspects of Male Homosexuality† J Nerv Ment Dis. 1952. 115:283-298. 13 ? ? ? LeVay, S. (1991) â€Å"A Difference in Hypothalamic Structure Between Heterosexual and Homosexual Men† Science 1991;253:1034-1037 Robin, A. Buhrke. and Louise, A. Douce. (1991) Training Issues for Counseling Psychologists in Working with Lesbian Women and Gay Men. London: Sage Sanders, G. L. &Kroll, I. T. (2000) â€Å"Generating stories of resilience: Helping gay and lesbian youth and their families†. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 26, 433-442. 14

The, Blurred Lines, By Robin Thicke - 1256 Words

On March 26, 2013, Robin Thicke released the single â€Å"Blurred Lines†, a song that went on to be the longest running number one single of 2013 (Dredge 1). Thicke anticipated gaining fame from the song’s catchy beat, but the song would also bring him infamy, as many thought the song promoted misogyny and rape culture. Thicke’s hit single eventually reignited a debate over the role of sexism and misogyny in pop culture and music lyrics in particular. A brief analysis of contemporary popular music evidences that sexist and misogynistic themes are prominent within the lyrical content of many songs. Once one recognizes the almost undeniable sexism in a significant amount of popular music, it begs the question how to address this issue, if at all. Many feminists and harsh critics deride such sexist music and seek to ban and censor sexist songs. Others believe that chastising sexist artists can be useful, but banning such music is an inappropriate response. Others c hose to ignore this issue, as they are ultimately indifferent to the prevalence of sexism in modern culture. In my opinion, many popular songs have disturbingly sexist implications and, while it is inappropriate to ban such songs, it is worth analyzing this issue and denouncing artists who are blatantly misogynistic. A brief analysis of the lyrical content of many popular songs substantiates the fact that sexism and misogyny are significant problems within music today. In an article called Music and Misogyny: why we’reShow MoreRelatedBlurred Lines: The Date Rape Song Essay942 Words   |  4 PagesFor twelve weeks Blurred Lines was at the top of the Billboard 100 charts and could be heard thumping from speakers everywhere. Sung by Robin Thicke and featuring prominent rappers T.I. Harris and Pharrell, this track was proclaimed the anthem for summer 2013 . 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Blurred Lines is a popular summer song that is constantly played on the radio. A song like â€Å"Blurred Lines† should not be played on public radio. A big problem with â€Å"Blurred Lines† is that it attempts to normalize disrespectful behavior towards women. Robin Thicke teamed up with rapper T.I. and singer-producer Pharrell to deliver arguably this summer’s most popular song. The song â€Å"Blurred Lines† has placed number one on theRead MoreThe Song Released By R B Singer1747 Words   |  7 Pagessong released by RB singer, Robin Thicke alongside of Pharrell Williams and T.I., called â€Å"Blurred Lines† was one of the top singles of 2013. While it became very popular and received a lot of praise, it was also criticized for its rough sexual implications throughout the song. The song describes Thicke telling a young woman that while she refuses to admit it, she really wants to have sexual relations with him. This creates the concept of blurred lines because Thicke believes the woman secretly wantsRead MoreIntellectual Property Rights ( Ipr )1413 Words   |  6 Pageswhich is where the legal aspect of musical intellectual property creates some ambiguity. These blurred lines make it hard to define when an artist is stealing and when there are just similarities in their music, which is a lesson artist Robin Thicke and Pharrell are learning about from their hit single â€Å"Blurred Lines†. A court case has been brought against the musicians claiming that the song â€Å"Blurred Lines† has infringed the copyrights of singer Marvin Gaye and his song â€Å"Got to Give It Up†. Gaye’sRead MoreCopyright Infringement Of The Happy Birthday Song, Along With The Walt Disney Company s Lobbying Tactics1180 Words   |  5 Pagesmay view this as a much needed law to prevent infringement, which grants the lawful artist the rights to their respective work. However, continuing this practice is redundant as copyright does not accomplish what it has been set out to do. The Blurred Lines Case is used to convey how the Lay Listener Test fails to determine copyright infringement. Adele’s plagiarism allegation is reviewed t o show the copies of other work, suggesting that copyright cannot determine who holds original authorship. TheRead MoreI Advocate For The Alteration Of Copyright Law1700 Words   |  7 Pagesprotected musical scores and lyrics. Even the â€Å"style† of a certain piece may now be protected, as shown in a recent settlement between the estate of Marvin Gaye and Robin Thicke Pharrell Williams. In this case, the Gaye estate sued Thicke and Williams due to similarities between â€Å"Blurred Lines† and Gaye’s â€Å"Got to Give It Up†. â€Å"Blurred Lines† contains no sampled material or even interpolation from â€Å"Got to Give It Up†, but the court ruled in favor of the Gaye estate because of stylistic similarities (FeldmanRead MoreCopyright Law And The Music Industry : Beyond Blurred Lines1268 Words   |  6 PagesCopyright Law and the Music Industry: Beyond Blurred Lines Introduction Copyright law in today’s music industry has become a tangle of litigation, complications, and bitterness. Overly-complex, multi-layered regulations and laws, double to quadruple fees, and arbitrary enforcement have led to a situation where songwriters and artists are hamstrung, the industry is in crisis, and listeners will be the ultimate losers. In the past, there has been a tendency to settle music copyright lawsuits beforeRead MoreHow Womens Sexuality Is Portrayed By Hip Hop Music Videos2020 Words   |  9 Pageswomen alike intend for women to follow these societal rules. Audiences do not realize the messages they are being fed through hip-hop music videos. The popular, male vocalized, music video for the summer hit of 2013 â€Å"Blurred Lines,† which appeared to be a lighthearted video of Robin Thicke and Pharell dancing with women wearing swimsuits. The male performers make faces at the camera and one another, while the women wear clunky shoes and nothing else. T he men attempt to grind on the ladies legs, but theRead MoreThe Effects Of Fast Food On Americans Sitting At A Blue Bus Stop Essay867 Words   |  4 PagesFlorida Georgia Line, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Robin Thicke. Their songs include talking about how they would like to â€Å"domesticate† their women and how they love that they are â€Å"dead inside† and how they should â€Å"learn to mistreat† the women. Chris Brown refers to his â€Å"girl† as â€Å"fine china† CLEARLY objectifying her. Most of theses songs also include part where the artist calls the girl â€Å"mine† implying that you can OWN a person, which absolutely distasteful. Finally, we all know Robin Thicke s song â€Å"Blurred