Catalog Description

Also known as WMST 5
Advisory: Completion of ENGL A with grade of "C" or better
Hours: 54 lecture
Description: Provides a sociological analysis of health issues that concern women throughout their life course. The impact of physiology, psychology, culture, society, and politics upon women's well-being are addressed using the feminist perspective. (CSU, UC)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Apply feminist theory to the understanding of the socio-political impacts on women's bodies and health.
  • CSLO #2: Evaluate the role of feminist movements and groups in the influence of practice, research, and policy of women's health.
  • CSLO #3: Evaluate the impact of social stratification on the status of women's health.

Effective Term

Fall 2024

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

54

Outside of Class Hours

108

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. define the feminist (woman-centered) perspective and methods of studying women as they relate to the sociological discipline;
2. critique the history of women's health and the effect of feminist movements upon health status, health research, and the health care of women;
3. evaluate ways in which women's groups have brought about social change, particularly in the area of health related public policy (e.g., access and preconceptions by professionals);
4. analyze the impact of intersectional identities upon women's physical, mental and emotional lives and their places in society;
5. discuss critical findings and implications of selected research studies exploring various health and health care issues of women;
6. analyze the types of research utilized in the study of women's health using major research studies as examples;
7. distinguish the scientific method from hearsay in interpreting material written about women's health in popular news;
8. discuss the status and trends in the health of women and their care, with special attention to the differences among ethnic and racial subgroups and the impact of poverty;
9. analyze the impact of socializing agents on body image, self esteem, and the occurrence of eating disorders;
10. evaluate the cycle of violence in intimate partner relationships and analyze the contributing social, political, cultural, and generational factors to the prevalence of violence against women;
11. differentiate selected physiological changes a woman's body undergoes (e.g., menarche, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, aging) and their psychosocial impact;
12. analyze the politics of women's reproductive rights and its impact on attitudes, policy, and access;

13. analyze the difference between efforts toward reproductive rights and the broader goals of the reproductive justice movement;
14. evaluate alternative health care methods;
15. discuss the common diseases and disorders of women (e.g., STIs, cancers, PCOS, PID, Heart Disease, etc.) such as: description, causes, prevalence, risk factors, symptoms, treatment, and prevention measures;
16. analyze the impact of addiction on women's health, including socio-political issues, stigma, and access to services;
17. evaluate the social, cultural, and political challenges facing women with disabilities; and
18. generate a plan to make informed decisions to enhance personal health status.

19. evaluate the role of individual and collective action on social policy, access, and/or education of women's health issues.

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • AA/AS - Behavioral Sciences
    • AA/AS - Health Ed/Physical Ed
  • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
    • CSUGE - D4 Gender Studies
    • CSUGE - E1 Lifelong Learning and Self-Development
  • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
    • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)
      • IGETC - 4D Gender Studies

    Articulation Information

    • CSU Transferable
    • UC Transferable

    Methods of Evaluation

    • Classroom Discussions
      • Example: The instructor will present a film on body image, eating disorders and the media and lead a discussion on how advertising and media play a significant role in generating an unattainable image of perfection. Discussion will serve as a premise to students' collage project where students will work to deconstruct media images and the impact of this 'ideal' female image.
    • Essay Examinations
      • Example: Essay Question: Referencing our guest speaker, your textbook readings and our class discussion, identify and explain 3 key reasons abused individuals stay in abusive relationships.
    • Objective Examinations
      • Example: Evaluation based on short essay, matching, fill-in and true/false exams. Fill Question: The first onset of a girl's menstruation is called _____________________.
    • Projects
      • Example: Collage Project: using examples given in class, student will create a collage out of magazine images. The goal is to look critically at the imagery of women in the media as presented by advertisers in magazines. Included with the physical collage is a paper explaining the collage and analyzing the impact of media and advertising. (this assignment is accompanied by the work of Jean Killbourne, the film Miss Representation, readings and lecture about body image, media, and self-empowerment).
    • Reports
      • Example: Interview a woman who is at least one generation older than you. Compare your ideas of being their age with the interviewee's reality. Discuss the positives and negatives of growing older-- include both your perspective and the perspective of your interviewee. Integrate research, readings, and lecture content from our course.

    Repeatable

    No

    Methods of Instruction

    • Lecture/Discussion
    • Distance Learning

    Lecture:

    1. The instructor will present a lecture on the history of the witch trials and its connection to midwives and the creation of the field of gynecology. Instructor will put students into small groups for initial discussion, followed by full-class discussion, and the lasting impact of the witch trials on today's socio-cultural-political attitudes of women's health, including pregnancy and birth.

    Distance Learning

    1. The instructor will assign an article about mandatory HIV testing for pregnant women, along with a lecture on research, education, and public policy related to pregnancy and HIV. The students will be required to argue for or against mandatory testing in a discussion board/VoiceThread assignment.

    Typical Out of Class Assignments

    Reading Assignments

    Students will have weekly reading assignments. Sample readings include, Boston Women's Health Collective's Our Bodies, Ourselves and the Federation of Feminist Women's Health Centers' A New View of a Woman's Body. Additionally, articles may be given from scholarly journals. Examples of assignments include: 1. Read Chapter 1 in "Our Bodies, Ourselves" and be prepared to discuss the role of the feminist health movement in increasing representation of women in health research. 2. Read Chapter 7 in A "New View of a Woman's Body" and Chapter 13 in "Our Bodies, Ourselves" on birth control methods and be prepared to discuss one hormone and one non-hormone method of birth control in small groups with your classmates.

    Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

    Students will regularly write formal, college level, essays related to course material. Examples of assignments include: 1. Watch a popular television drama series or a movie and critique the prevalence of violence against women. Summarize the events of violence shown against women; referencing course lecture and readings, analyze the events: what type of violence is depicted?; who is the perpetrator? what is the relationship between the perpetrator and the woman (i.e., intimate, acquaintance, stranger?); what role do you think media plays in "real world" violence against women? Is media a contributor? Why or Why not? How might the media play a role in ending violence against women? 2. Create an ideal menarche experience. What would you do to create a positive experience for a young girl approaching menarche? How does this relate to your own "real life" experience? What is the significance of menarche experiences on women's lives?

    Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

    Activity Paper: Students will be required to participate in one activity to interact on a personal level with a health topic that concerns and/or interests them. A list of possible options, including going to a women's health appointment, having a breast health or heart health screening, writing to an elected official about a women's health related issue, and participating in community event related to women's health, will be provided for students although individual ideas/suggestions will also be considered. After participating in the decided upon activity, students will be required to write a paper or create a digital story about their experience and the relevance to the course. Additional research on the topic may be required to support their paper/digital story.

    Required Materials

    • Our Bodies, Ourselves: A New Edition for a New Era
      • Author: Boston Women's Health Collective
      • Publisher: Touchstone
      • Publication Date: 2011
      • Text Edition:
      • Classic Textbook?: Yes
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Fight Like a Girl: How to be a Fearless Feminist
      • Author: Megan Seely
      • Publisher: NYU Press
      • Publication Date: 2019
      • Text Edition: 2
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • A New View of a Woman's Body
      • Author: Federation of Feminist Women's Health Centers
      • Publisher: Feminist Health Press
      • Publication Date: 1991
      • Text Edition:
      • Classic Textbook?: Yes
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproductions, and the Meaning of Liberty
      • Author: Dorothy Roberts
      • Publisher: Random House
      • Publication Date: 2014
      • Text Edition: 1
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Doing Harm: The truth about how bad medicine and lazy science leave women dismissed, misdiagnosed and sick
      • Author: Maya Dusenbery
      • Publisher: Harper One
      • Publication Date: 2018
      • Text Edition: 1
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Pain and Prejudice: How the medical system ignores women and what we can do about it
      • Author: Gabrielle Jackson
      • Publisher: Greystone
      • Publication Date: 2021
      • Text Edition: 1
      • Classic Textbook?: No
      • OER Link:
      • OER:

    Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.