My experience with Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My experience with Religion - Essay Example I would have to say no unfortunately. I did attend Sunday School but many of things that the pastor spoke about were not covered. I suppose that I was clueless about my own religion until my mother purchased a Volume of Children’s Biblical stories. These books gave me a better understanding and perspective of the religion I was practicing. At first I really did not enjoy going to church, but when I joined the youth choir and started attending Vacation Bible School, church visits suddenly had a purpose. As an adult, I continued to attend church regularly. However, I decided to change churches because my childhood church was nothing more than a fashion show. The new church that I began attending was not as big as my previous church. Also, the pastor and the congregation were very accepting of me and did not care what I wore so much. I attended this church for about six years, but I became very disgusted with the sinful acts that people in the church were engaged in. At that point, I decided to leave the church and find my way. I was told as a child that people that attended church were Christian and lived strictly by God’s way. However, I realized that many members in the church were committing great sins. These were terrible sinful acts, such as sleeping with other members’ husbands or wives, going to the bar after church, frequently using profanities, etc. Due to witnessing these actions, I lost my faith and decided to leave the church for good. After years of not attending church, I realized that going to church gave me a purpose in life. I now understand that I should have never left God’s Kingdom. I now realize that I have no control over the wrong doings of others. If I continue to live right by God, then that’s all that matters. I was very happy when I learned that Empire State College would offer a course on Religion and Spirituality. I hope that this class will give me better outlook on the various religions practiced in our society.

The Roles of 3 Key Participants in the Property Development Process In Research Paper

The Roles of 3 Key Participants in the Property Development Process In Australia - Research Paper Example Architects, property developers, and town planners here in Australia see the true picture of international partnership developed between these three key players in property development abroad and are now trying to implement them here. Despite differences, these players are working in unison to create world-class infrastructures. "The economic and demographic opportunities arising from demand for better and competitive infrastructures have driven developers and architects to forge an alliance that has shown tremendous success in places like Amsterdam, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Montreal, New York, and Tokyo. As architects and property developers break boundaries together, they are also beginning to transcend an established pattern of notorious and longstanding ill will. Property development has to be market driven and certainly not product driven. The architect can creatively add great value to the developers' commercial objectives by design. By working in tandem, an architect can achieve his architectural agenda at the same time." (Property Development and Progressive Architecture - The New Alliance, www.elx.com.au, referred on 4.27.2006)1 3.0 Property Developer This paper sets out to differentiate and highlight the similarities of the role, objective, priorities, and attitude held by Developers, Architects, and Statutory Environmental/Town Planners with respect to Property Development Process. "Developers convert undeveloped, under-developed land, or existing buildings to satisfy market demands, using their entrepreneurial skills. Like all other entrepreneurs, developers expect, rightfully, to receive an appropriate rate of remuneration for their skill and risk involved in the particular development work. Sadly, a majority of property developers, who possess the genuine skill, expertise, a sound sense of social responsibility, and most of all, pride in their work, do not receive the publicity which they deserve. Peoples' real estate needs are met through the operation of various kinds of differing property markets in Australian society. These different types of markets can be categorized principally by way of location, size and usage criteria.

Banyan Tree Essay Example for Free

Banyan Tree Essay Minimal advertising, still high level of brand awareness through company’s public relations and global marketing programs. Faced the challenge of translating and maintaining the success of a niche Asian hospitality brand into various market segments on a global scale ‘Innovative niche product that could also bridge the price gap in this market’ Building a resort comprising individual villas with locally inspired architectural design and positioned as a romantic and intimate escapade for guests; ‘Sanctuary for the senses’. Banyan Tree Gallery: ‘local culture and heritage and promoting cottage Crafts, retail outlet showcasing indigenous crafts, works closely with village cooperatives and not-for-profit craft marketing agents.   Marketing: high-end travel magazines in key markets – public relations – global marketing programs (increase editorial coverage) – few key wholesalers in each targeted market – agents specializing in exlusive luxury holidays targeted at wealthy customers – membership in the Small Luxury Hotels and Leading Hotels of the World – GDS cose ‘BY’ (own global distribution system used by travel providers to process airline, hotel, car rental and other distribution partners around the world. Actively caring for the natural and human environment, revitalizing local communities, worked actively to preserve, protect, and promote the natural and human environments in which BYT resorts where located. Minimizing the impact on the environment Green Communities = planted trees, engage local communities, associates, guests to share the causes of climate change and actions that can reduce our collected carbon footprint. Green Imperative Fund to further support community-based and environmental initiatives in the regions where it has a presence. The company believed in building profitable resorts that would benefit the surrounding environment and contribute to local economies through the creation of employment and community development projects. Businesses with local farmers and traders by making it a point to purchase fresh produce from them. Community Relations Department was set up to develop and manage community outreach programs. Seedling: BTHR’s formalized program which aimed to help oung adults from local communities and motivate them and provide the means for completing their education to successfully enter the labor force as adults. Future: openening city hotels and angsana hotels in Dubai and London (angsana brand in response to the demand for hotel operators in Asia that were keen to introduce spa services in their hotel, it is more contemporary and affordable brand. Musem Shop by banyan tree: joint partnetship with Singapor’s national heritage board to showcase Asi’a rich and diverse cultural heritage through unique museum-inspired merchandise. Banyan Tree Holdings (Banyan Tree) is an investment holding company involved in managing and developing premium resorts, hotels and spas in the Asia Pacific. To date, the Banyan Tree Group manages and/or has ownership interests in close to 36 hotels and resorts, around 73 spas, 91 galleries  and 3 golf courses in 28 countries The company operates in Asia, Mexico and Morocco, New Zealand, Africa, Dubai, and the UK. Banyan Tree operates through three business segments: hotel investment, property sales, and fee-based. The hotel investments segment relates to hotel and restaurant operations. : The property sales segment comprises hotel residences, Laguna property sales and development project/site sales. Hotel residences business relates to the sale of hotel villas or suites which are part of hotel operations, to investors under a compulsory leaseback scheme. Laguna property sales business relates to the development and sale of properties which are standalone vacation homes in Laguna Phuket. Development project/site sales relates to pure development land sales or development land sales which are fully or partially developed with infrastructure. The fee-based segment comprises the management of hotels and resorts, the management of an asset-backed destination club, the management of private-equity funds, the management and operation of spas, the sales of merchandise, the provision of architectural and design services, the management and ownership of golf courses, and rental of retail outlets and offices. The company’s subsidiaries (dochterbedrijf) include Banyan Tree Spa Bangkok, Banyan Tree Spa Bintan, Banyan Tree Spa Ringha, Banyan Tree Spa Phuket, Banyan Tree Sanya, and Banyan Tree Macau, among others. Banyan Tree Holdings (Banyan Tree) is engaged in the management and development of premium resorts, hotels and spas. The companys key services include the following. Hotel and restaurant operations Sale of hotel villas or suites Development and sale of properties Pure development land sales Management of hotels and resorts Management of an asset-backed destination club Management of private-equity funds -Management and operation of spas Architectural and design services Management and ownership of golf courses Rental of retail outlets and offices. The following companies are the major competitors of Banyan Tree Holdings Limited: Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited Four Seasons Hotels Inc Associated International Hotels Ltd In the past few years, such events risks as the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, bird flu, floods and riots in Thailand have been hard on our industry, causing tourism as a whole to dry up in their wake. By comparison, economic recessions are part and parcel of the business cycle, which we are able to take in our stride and counter with a variety of measures. During the year, the world remained mired in the European sovereign debt crisis and American economic weakness. Although these conditions affected our arrivals primarily from Europe, we were able to capitalise on the flourishing Chinese market. At our four resorts in the Maldives, for example, the number of Chinese guests surpassed those from Europe. In our continuing efforts to rebalance the Group’s assets, we made the bargain purchase of Banyan Tree Seychelles which gave rise to a net gain. We also sold and leased back Angsana Velavaru in January 2013. The hybrid structure of this deal is a first for Banyan Tree, and we are pleased with how it allows us to rebalance our portfolio while still participating in the profits from the operations of Angsana Velavaru. 2012: with overall revenue growing 3% to S$338. 4 million. Due to improved results from our hotel investments and fee-based businesses, as well as a higher contribution from completed sales of property units. Group EBITDA was S$74. 5 million, up 51% on the back of higher revenue and a gain on the bargain purchase of Banyan Tree Seychelles. This in turn resulted in PATMI increasing by 856% (S$14. million), tempered by higher finance costs and income tax expenses. HOTEL INVESTMENTS Our hotel investments delivered a stronger performance in 2012, with Group-owned hotels posting total revenue of S$187. 7 million, up 15% from the previous year. This was due to the higher contribution from our Thai properties and the consolidation of revenue from Banyan Tree Seychelles from 2Q12 onwards. These gains were partially offset by lower revenue from our Maldives properties as Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru and Angsana Ihuru were temporarily closed for refurbishment. As a result of the increase in revenue, EBITDA for this segment grew by a healthy 69% to S$36. 6 million. PROPERTY SALES Revenue from property sales was S$42. 7 million. The 36% decrease was due to the sale of development sites in Lijiang, Yangshuo and Huangshan to our China Fund in 2011. Excluding those transactions, revenue and EBITDA from property sales saw growth of 43% and 74% respectively, thanks to a higher contribution from completed sales of property units. FEE-BASED Total revenue from our fee-based businesses registered growth of 9% to reach S$108. million. This was attributable to an increase in fees from hotel management and architectural and interior design and other services. Accordingly, EBITDA for our fee-based businesses grew by 23%. 2013 appears to be another challenging year for the global economy. We anticipate continued weakness in our European target markets. In Asia, which has been the world’s economic engine these past four years, growth is likely to moderate. Despite the cooling of China’s economy, the tourism market both inbound and outbound is expected to continue to grow. The Chinese government is aggressively promoting domestic tourism as part of its strategy to increase domestic consumption, thereby cushioning the slowdown in export manufacturing. Banyan Tree’s strong branding and rapidly expanding footprint in China will position us to take advantage of this trend. Our seven regional marketing offices in China will be invaluable in enabling us to tap the vast potential of this market and to enhance awareness of our hotels with key accounts in China. Our strategy going forward will include continuing with our asset rebalancing to unlock value and deploy capital to more promising markets. At the same time, we are exploring the possibility of extending the successful Fund model into other areas. In terms of growing particular segments, we will be focusing on increasing income from our fee-based and property sales businesses. We have built the fee-based segment to a point where it now has an impetus of its own. On the property sales front, we plan to move into selling more primary and serviced residences. Primary residences under the Banyan Tree brand, â€Å"We will also be going forward with the establishment of a third brand of residences to be wholly sold and managed by us. † Rather than compete with local property developers, we will leverage our branding and design skills to market to a niche audience in China. We will also be going forward with the establishment of a third brand of residences to be wholly sold and managed by us. Catering to an entirely new market of price-conscious buyers, these properties will be smaller in size yet deliver the quality and innovation that are hallmarks of Banyan Tree. Strongly associated with our brand is the concept of a triple bottom line. In our pursuit of economic, social and environmental success, we made major investments in resource conservation, training and benchmarking, greening and community efforts in 2012. Under the EarthCheck system of sustainability certification, we also planted in six-year a total to over 220,000 trees. Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts offer an intimate retreat experience featuring its signature blend of romance, rejuvenation and exotic sensuality. Our philosophy is based on providing a place for rejuvenation of the body, mind and soul a Sanctuary for the Senses. Placing special emphasis on providing guests with a sense of place, each Banyan Tree property is designed to fit into its natural surroundings, using indigenous materials as far as possible and reflecting the landscape and architecture of the destination. Pioneering he tropical garden spa concept with Asian health and beauty remedies passed down from generations, Banyan Tree Spa was created as the signature experience in all Banyan Tree resorts, to complement the â€Å"Sanctuary for the Senses† wellness concept. With the emphasis on high service standards and consistency, therapists are professionally trained at Banyan Tree Spa Academies in Phuket, Thailand, and Lijiang, China. The Banyan Tree Gallery supports local communities by exhibiting and retailing indigenous handicrafts, which are also found in the resorts. A quintessential highlight of the Banyan Tree experience, Banyan Tree Gallery aspires to recreate the unique Banyan Tree experience with  its extensive selection of  Asian-style furnishings, Banyan Tree Spa collection, eco-friendly products, indigenous village handicrafts, ethnic apparel and accessories, and objects d’art. Banyan Tree Holdings Limited is a leading, international hospitality brand that manages and develops premium resorts, hotels and spas. Its innovative business model is based on seven business segments generating multiple income streams that is unique in itself within the hospitality industry. This formula of developing and managing complementary product offerings with in-house talent makes it difficult for competitors to duplicate with the same level of success. Banyan Tree’s vertically integrated business model comprises: Hotel investment– Banyan Tree owns and manages luxury hotels under its brands, as well as hotels that are managed by other world-class operators. Hotel management– Banyan Tree additionally manages properties under the Banyan Tree and Angsana brands for other owners. Canopy Marketing Group Pte Ltd A company wholly owned by Banyan Tree Services, Canopy Marketing Group Pte Ltd provides high-level strategic insights on various global niche markets to drive top line performance of our diverse range of lifestyle products including hotels, resorts, spas, gallery, destination club and residential ownership. It has a full-suite of marketing capabilities specializing in the branding, marketing and promotion. Spa operations– Banyan Tree Spa pioneered the tropical garden spa concept, and has since grown to over 60 outlets worldwide. Gallery operations– The retail arm is consolidated under Banyan Tree Gallery, which comprises five brand segments located in over 70 stores worldwide. Hotel residences – Hotel inventory are primarily sold under the brand name Banyan Tree Residences. Property sales – Properties that are not part of hotel operations are sold by our subsidiary company, Laguna Resorts and Hotels, and its subsidiaries, in Laguna Phuket. Design and other services – Revenue from design services is earned by Architrave, Banyan Tree’s in-house architectural arm. Other service fees include income from operating golf clubs. Real Estate Hospitality Funds – Banyan Tree Capital was set upto tap private equity and other sources of investments in order to provide a cost efficient structure to fund the Group’s future developments. With about 8,000 associates of over 50 nationalities, the diversity of its workforce is a key feature of the Group and helps to inspire its international outlook. To address its talent development needs, Banyan Tree launched Banyan Tree Management Academy (BTMA) in 2008. This centralised training facility located in Phuket, Thailand will train future Banyan Tree leaders needed to sustain organisational effectiveness and to meet the demands of its rapid global growth. Part of Banyan Tree’s vision has always been to grow into a global business, with a portfolio of properties strategically placed around the world. The Group’s mission is inextricably intertwined with its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable growth, as it continues to expand globally. The launch of Banyan Tree Residences, which allows investors to buy their own signature villa, townhouse or apartment in Banyan Tree resorts. Banyan Tree Private Collection was launched to cater to the growing niche for destination club membership 2005: Marking the group’s long awaited foray into China is Banyan Tree Ringha, in Yunnan. 2001: Banyan Tree established the Green Imperative Fund to formalise its corporate social responsibility efforts. The Banyan Tree Spa Academy was set up to provide training for new therapists as well as research new treatment recipes and techniques. Banyan Tree Capital is a real estate fund management company established by the Banyan Tree group, a renowned luxury hospitality company listed in Singapore, to focus on hospitality-based real estate investment. Banyan Tree Capital raises, develops and manages branded hospitality funds in key development markets of the Banyan Tree group. With a combination of fund management and asset development capabilities, Banyan Tree Capital leverages on the group’s expertise in premium hospitality real estate development and anagement to generate attractive investment returns for its investors. Banyan Tree Capital is headquartered in Singapore with offices in China and Vietnam. We have successfully achieved higher room rates than the existing market in locations such as Lijiang, the Maldives and Seychelles. We have also found that our iconic brands also help raise the value of the surrounding land. Our innovative city products combine all the iconic elements of our brand and differentiat e developers within established, high cost city markets. We have the flexibility and capabilities to adapt our model to various locations so as to maximize returns for the developer As part of our strategy of enlarging our footprint in China, we will also be launching two more hotels in Shanghai and one in Tianjin, adding to our ever growing presence in various gateway cities. We are also employing our capabilities all across China, where large tracts of land are being developed into gated residences and luxury hotels offered to the Chinese elite. One of Banyan Trees prime concerns is its associates. We pride ourselves in providing high levels of service excellence and providing tailor made training and career development programmes for our employees. No stone is left unturned in regards to training and proper introduction before a Banyan Tree is put into operation. Trained to the basic standards of 5 star hotels. Employees were empowered to exercise creativity and sensitivity although the strict administrative rules of the management. Employees were taken to and from work in air-conditioned buses, access to various amenities (good-quality canteens, medical services, childcare facilities). Banyan Tree is one of the world’s biggest and well known spa operators. Our levels of quality and service are unparalleled and uncompromised. We are the only vertically integrated hospitality company with strong capabilities to tackle and anticipate the challenges of master planning and developing an integrated resort. We are able to take a property from inception to delivery with efficiencies that is entirely brand specific. Our n-house design team, Architrave, and project services team are extremely involved in all phases of the development – master planning, designing, developing and coordinating, to ensure developers a timely delivery of their asset. Being experienced developers, we are able to ensure that efficiencies and economies of scale are maximized along with guest experiences. Bintan, the Maldives and Phuket where the Angsana resort is positioned next to a Banyan Tree resort with shared back of house facilities. This model has allowed us to lower costs without cannibalizing rates, thereby boosting returns for our developers.

Shedding a Different Spotlight on the Argument from Design :: Essays Papers

Shedding a Different Spotlight on the Argument from Design "Author is to book, as painter is to __________." Anyone who has taken the SAT is familiar with analogies similar to this one. The significance of analogies relies on the fact that analogies not only tell us about the meaning of words, but they tell us about the relationships of the world. In discussing our world, a well-known, much-debated topic has been the existence of God. Many arguments have been presented on both sides of this issue, the teleological argument (the argument from design) is one of the most discussed. This argument is better understood and supported using analogies. The key is to find an analogy that is grounded and plausible enough to stand up to sharp critiques. The teleological argument is a valid and plausible argument, because it allows enough evidence for the relationship of the Creator and the world to be analogous to that of a director and a musical. The basics of the teleological argument include the statement that the apparent design of the world suggests a Designer. William Paley, the populizer of this argument, uses an analogy that states the relationship of the Creator to creation is like that of a watch-maker to a watch (Rowe & Wainwright 155). The core of this argument is the claim that the design of the world suggests an intelligent designer. It further states that "something suggests intelligence if (1) it serves the sorts of ends that human minds typically propose to themselves†¦ and (2) the results are achieved in a reasonably effective manner" (Wainwright 52). This is the ground where this paper will begin to formulate an analogy that increases the plausibility of the design argument. The analogy I prefer is theatrical. The participants in a musical play include the musicians, actors, singers, dancers, stage and crew members. Each of these members is an integral piece in the body of the production. The director is the heart-beat of the production. Without the director, there would not be a musical. The director begins the formation of the musical with an end in mind-- a vision. The director uses a variety of methods to convey this vision to the players involved while guiding them in making that vision a reality. The players must cooperate with each other throughout the process and follow the director's instructions in order for the production to even resemble the director's vision.

Driving Distractions

Dupreme Cannie English III Mrs. Bailey 22 March 2013 Driving Distractions Have you ever been driving down the road and saw someone texting and driving? What about reading and driving? Or even applying make-up and driving? Driving distractions are plentiful, but it is up to the driver to focus on the task at hand. â€Å"Distractions cause many accidents for both new and experienced drivers. Taking your eyes off the road for even a few seconds, could have disastrous results† (â€Å"Teendriving. com†).Whether an individual has been driving for many years, or mere days, they are still at risk for distractions. Regardless of age or experience, if a person takes their eyes off the road, the results could be fatal. As previously mentioned, â€Å"Laws restricting cell phone use by drivers may be fashionable, but it is not the best way for the government to make roads safer. Eating, leaning over to change the radio station, talking and reading while driving are bigger culprits than cell phones when it comes to causing accidents, yet, no one is clamoring for legislation outlawing these distractions.To solve the problem of cell phone users disobeying traffic laws, government officials must insist on personal responsibility, rather than ban cell phone use behind the wheel. Those insisting drivers have the right to talk on their phones should be applauded for recognizing that, while people are annoyed by drivers who are distracted by telephone conversations, prohibition of cell phones is needless† (Wilson). Cell phone use is not the only issue. While texting and talking on the phone while driving are dangerous, eating, drinking, reading, and many other activities are still just as dangerous.Compare and Contrast Driving in the Winter and Driving in the SummerIf laws are going to be passed to prevent cell phone use while driving, then they must prevent the other distracting activities. Even though some people think driving and cell phone use is acceptable , people shouldn’t be texting or talking on the phone while driving because distractions can kill a person without noticing it and turning off your cell phone wouldn’t be a distraction. To keep people from being distracted while driving, the government needs to make the laws stricter. The Pennsylvania cell phone texting ban does not extend to situations where the vehicle is not moving, such as at a stop light or while you are stopped in traffic. It also allows for using a phone hands-free through integration with Bluetooth (such as using Siri on the iPhone to compose and send texts). Interestingly, since the ban overrides any local ordinances already in place, it will actually reduce cell phone restrictions in cities such as Philadelphia, where a local law bans all handheld cell phone use†(Chittom).

Sexuality, Gender, Masculinity, And Sexual Orientation

For most heterosexuals, when they see a person, they see them as heterosexual unless the observed person displays some â€Å"homosexual† characteristic, such as being flamboyant for males. Despite the progressions society has made in accepting the LGBTQ+ community, there is still a long way to go to de-genderize sexuality, or to unlink sexuality, gender identity, and gender roles. As seen in various studies including â€Å"The Complex Negotiations of Gender Roles, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation† by Nagoshi et. al, â€Å"Does Nature Rule? A Sex Reassignment Tragedy† by Lindsey, and â€Å"‘I Always Felt I Had to Prove My Manhood’: Homosexuality, Masculinity, Gender Role Strain, and HIV Risk Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men† by Fields, sexuality is often strongly associated to gender identity, which is in turn influenced by behavioral gender roles due to gender socialization. From the gendering of sexuality comes various other social issues, including the discrimination against people in the LGBTQ+ community and an increased chance of HIV in homosexual men. First, where does gendering come from, in the first place? Published in 1988, the study, â€Å"Parents gender-stereotyped perceptions of Newborns: The Eye of the Beholder revisited† by Hildebrandt et. al, revisited an old study stating that parents were found to have had gender-based expectations of their children as early as twenty-four hours after birth in 1974. Fourteen years later in 1988, such expectations, while lessShow MoreRelatedSexuality Is Defined By Sexual Orientation1538 Words   |  7 PagesSexuality is defined by â€Å"sexual orientation or preference† as well as the ability to understand the capacity of sexual desires. Same sex sexuality refers to sexual orientation also, but one’s preference towards someone of their same gender and the â€Å"erotic thoughts, feelings and behaviours† they assign to those of the same sex. Culturally, same sex sexuality is not always based on sexual ideals, acts that could be defined as being homosexual a nd appealing to those with same sex sexuality, oftenRead MoreBack In The Day, Bruce Lee Had Gained Popularity In The1686 Words   |  7 PagesBig Boss,† all the way to latest movie we’ve watched, â€Å"Way of the Dragon.† By studying his life and the movies he created, this paper will help reveal the ideas of race, specifically racism and the white knight theory, gender and gender roles in society, and how a character’s sexuality can be used to improve or degrade a character’s persona. Race and ethnicity play a pivotal role in our lives, informing how we see ourselves and the world. Many of Bruce Lee’s work involved the ideas of race, at theRead MoreCommon Sense Explanations And The Explanations Of C. Wright Mills Theory Of The Sociological Imagination1534 Words   |  7 Pagesexplain the topic of sexuality. I consider sexuality to be an umbrella term for various features, including sexual orientation, sexual activity, masculinity/femininity and gender roles. Each of which will be looked at in this essay in order to explore the topic of sexuality in relation to common sense and the Sociological Imagination. Sexual orientation is commonly viewed as the term to describe an individual’s attraction for others; who they want to have sex with. This sexual attraction is what’sRead MoreSexual Assault And Its Effects On The Middle Upper Class Essay1636 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction I argue that current research on sexual assault focuses disproportionately on the experiences of White, middle-upper class, heterosexual survivors. Due to this focus on White, college aged, female experiences of sexual assault, survivors who identify with minority groups such as the LGBTQ+ community, racial/ethnic minorities, and with the lower class do not have the support services needed to help them recover from sexual assault. Understanding how minority persons needs differ can helpRead MoreExamining Sub-Cultures: The Goth Culture1665 Words   |  7 Pagesthat have been instilled in humanity, with the consideration that this varies across cultures. The paradigm between collective action and individual desire results in the formation of what is deemed socially acceptable, such as gender roles, sexual orientation, gender performance etc. â€Å"It is social norms that provide the constraints by which the interaction between the basic dyad of self and other is governed†¦so cial norms also provide the source of identity between the individual action, the completeRead MoreIs Sports A Good Thing? Essay1148 Words   |  5 Pagesperceived failures to fulfill gender criteria †¦accomplish the policing of supposedly natural gender boundaries to repair breaches to heteronormativity.†. With this said, it seems as though we as a society need to break away from the norms set in place because they do not offer people the freedom of being themselves, rather, they create rules that are non binary to those of opposing gender and sexual identity. Social agents such as parents and educators who believe in gender typing often influence youngRead MoreThe Topic Of Sexuality1144 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduce the topic of sexuality (para)- Horrocks (1997) points out in his book that sexuality encircles multiple aspects of human existence. Sexuality is then, not a uniform or simple phenomenon and is influenced by the interaction of psychological, biological, social, cultural factors and many more. Horrocks (1997), suggests that to try and understand or explain a definitive conclusion about sexuality seems impossible as sexuality has different meanings to so many groups of people. IntroduceRead MoreAttraction, Gender Roles, and Homosexuality: an Analysis of Brokeback Mountain1306 Words   |  6 PagesAttraction, Gender Roles, and Homosexuality: An Analysis of Brokeback Mountain Professor Frattaroli P118D: Winter 2011 Introduction In this paper, I will identify examples from the film Brokeback Mountain that exemplify concepts of human sexuality – specifically, attraction; gender roles and socialization; and sexual orientation – in attempts to discuss the accurate portrayal of the concept within the scene, in concordanceRead MoreGender Is The Definition Of Gender1345 Words   |  6 PagesOctober 29, 2015 What is Gender? The definition of gender depends on the time period. The basic and historically accepted version of the definition of gender is the state of being either male or female, masculine or feminine, or simply a man or woman. Historically we have lived in a world that only had binary gender, meaning that a person was solely either a man or a woman. While that is the general definition that has been accepted as a baseline representation of what gender is, in today’s societyRead More Gender and Sexuality in Sports Essay973 Words   |  4 PagesGender and Sexuality in Sports When individuals, male or female, decide to enter a non-traditional sport for his/ her gender, there will inevitably be benefits and costs. Because sports themselves are divided along gender and race lines, one would expect that individuals who intend to play a sport deemed by culture and by society as counterintuitive are bound to be criticized and alienated because of their choices. Difference automatically threatens conventions, traditions, and expectations, and

Which States Ratified the ERA and When Did They Ratify

After years of attempts to get it passed, on March 22, 1972, the Senate voted by  84 to eight to send the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the states for  ratification.  When the Senate vote took place in the mid-to-late afternoon in Washington D.C., it was still midday in Hawaii.  The Hawaii state Senate and House of Representatives voted their approval shortly after noon Hawaii Standard Time—making Hawaii the first state to ratify the ERA. Hawaii also approved an Equal Rights Amendment to its state constitution that same year. The Equality of Rights Amendment has similar wording to the proposed federal ERA of the 1970s. â€Å"Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.† Momentum On that first day of ERA ratification in March 1972, many senators, journalists, activists, and other public figures predicted that the amendment would soon be ratified by the necessary three-quarters of the states—38 out of 50.   New Hampshire and Delaware ratified the ERA on March 23.  Iowa and Idaho ratified on March 24. Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas ratified by the end of March. Seven more states ratified in April. Three ratified in May, and two in June.  Then one in September, one in November, one in January, followed by four in February, and two more prior to the anniversary. One year later, 30 states had ratified the ERA, including Washington, which ratified the amendment on March 22, 1973, becoming the 30th Yes on ERA state exactly one year later.  Feminists  were optimistic because the majority of people supported equality and 30 states ratified the ERA in the first year of the  new ERA  ratification struggle. However, the pace slowed. Only five more states ratified between 1973 and the final deadline  in 1982. Falling Short and a Deadline Extension Indianas ERA approval came five years after the proposed amendment was sent to the states for  ratification  in 1972. Indiana became the 35th  state to ratify the amendment on January 18, 1977. Unfortunately, the ERA fell three states short of the necessary 38 states to become adopted as part of the  Constitution. Anti-feminist forces  spread resistance to a Constitutional guarantee of equal rights.  Feminist activists  renewed their efforts and managed to achieve a deadline extension, beyond the initial seven years. In 1978, Congress extended the deadline for ratification from 1979 to 1982. But by that time,  anti-feminist backlash  had begun to take its toll. Some legislators switched from their promised â€Å"yes† votes to voting against ERA. Despite the fervent efforts of equality activists, and even a boycott of unratified states by major U.S. organizations and conventions, no states ratified the ERA during the deadline extension. However, the battle wasnt over yet... Ratification Via Article V vs. Three-State Strategy While ratification of an amendment via Article V is standard, a coalition of strategists and supporters have been working to ratify the ERA using something called a three-state strategy, which would allow the legislation to go the states without the constraints of a time limit—in the tradition of the 19th  Amendment. Proponents argue that if the time limit was in the text of the amendment itself, that restriction would not be subject to alteration by Congress after any state legislature had ratified it. The ERA language ratified by 35 states between 1972 and 1982 did not contain such a time limit, so the ratifications stand. As explained by the ERA website: By transferring time limits from the text of an amendment to the proposing clause, Congress retained for itself the authority to review the time limit and to amend its own previous legislative action regarding it. In 1978, Congress clearly demonstrated its belief that it may alter a time limit in the proposing clause when it passed a bill moving the deadline from March 22, 1979, to June 30, 1982. A challenge to the constitutionality of the extension was dismissed by the Supreme Court as moot after the deadline expired, and no lower-court precedent stands regarding that point. Under the aegis of the three-state strategy, two more states were able to ratify the ERA—Nevada in 2017 and Illinois in 2018—leaving the ERA just one ratification shy of being adopted as part of the Constitution of the United States. Timeline: When States Ratified the ERA 1972: In the first year, 22 states ratified the ERA. (Stares are listed alphabetically, not in sequence of ratification within the year.) AlaskaCaliforniaColoradoDelawareHawaiiIdahoIowaKansasKentuckyMarylandMassachusettsMichiganNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkPennsylvaniaRhode IslandTennesseeTexasWest VirginiaWisconsin 1973—Eight states, running total: 30 ConnecticutMinnesotaNew MexicoOregonSouth DakotaVermontWashingtonWyoming 1974—Three states, running total: 33 MaineMontanaOhio 1975—North Dakota becomes the 34th state to ratify the ERA. 1976:  No states ratified. 1977:  Indiana becomes the 35th and final state to ratify the ERA prior to the initial deadline. 2017: Nevada becomes the first state to ratify the ERA using the three-state model. 2018: Illinois becomes the 37th state to ratify the ERA. States That Have Not Ratified the ERA AlabamaArizonaArkansasFloridaGeorgiaLouisianaMississippiMissouriNorth CarolinaOklahomaSouth CarolinaUtahVirginia States That Rescinded ERA Ratification Thirty-five states ratified the proposed  Equal Rights Amendment  to the  U.S. Constitution. Five of those states later rescinded their ERA  ratifications  for various reasons, however, at present, the prior ratifications are still being counted in the final total. The five states that rescinded their ERA ratifications were: IdahoKentuckyNebraskaSouth DakotaTennessee There is some question regarding the legitimacy of the five rescissions, for several reasons. Among the legal questions: Were the states legally rescinding only incorrectly worded procedural resolutions but still leaving the amendment ratification intact?Are all ERA questions moot because the deadline has passed?Do states have the power to rescind amendment ratifications?  Article V of the Constitution  deals with the process of amending the Constitution, but it deals only with ratification and does not empower states to rescind ratifications. There is legal precedent invalidating the rescission of other amendment ratifications. Written by Contributing Writer Linda Napikoski, edited by Jone Johnson Lewis