In this article, Melissa King talks about how people who suffer from PTSD or users who want to make their “online experiences” less irritable have every right to content control features. Critics of content control features believe that people like this are “too sensitive” and they should be able to deal with whatever comes from these online experiences. Despite their opinions, the author states how the content control features are very helpful in eliminating any anxiety attacks. The author then goes on to discuss computer-chair psychology and how exposure therapy can “inure an individual to these triggers and lesson the disruptions they can cause”, but it is more harmful than helpful to the individual in this case of anxiety. In this case of the exposure therapy “trauma is magnified rather than reduced when faced with triggering content”, therefore content exposure should be controlled. She then talks about how blocklists have come to rise and how many people feel they are being “defamed” when added to the blocklist. King states that these arguments fail to acknowledge “how vicious and pervasive online harassment can be” and it is always the right of the victim to take steps to protect themselves. At the end of the article the author talks about how women suffer greatly from these attacks and there is an issue of sexism. She concludes that with issues like sexism and online bullying that hold great evidence of PTSD, people should be able to control their online experience.
In this article, the authors talk about how they came upon an experiment inspired by William Burroughs, an american novelist. William Burroughs labeled the experiment as “color walking” and in this experiment you would simply walk outside and pick a color that is most striking to you. Once you’ve identified your color, you will then see how objects in your surroundings begin to pop. This experiment was done to bring more attention to the environment and pay better attention to details. Bennin and McMullan chose to do the experiment by jumping from color to color instead of focusing on one color. The authors mention that with this perspective they “walked away seeing a world brimming over with colors: the rusty orange of a rooftop water tower in the sun, a bright blue mohawk, and the humble yellowy greens of a new leaf”. At the end of the article the authors suggest some tips for people who may want to give the experiment a try.
An image of the “idea” of unisex bathrooms
“Making Bathrooms More Accommodating” was written by Emily Bazelon, where she raises awareness on to the gender discrimination against bathrooms. The the author suggests that bathrooms are “the clearest visual markers of sex difference” and not many people are open the collision of male and female bathrooms. The author references a law proposed in Houston that ruled out discrimination of any kind at any place. The opposing side of the law on the idea of men and women sharing restroom space and played on the fears of voters by promoting assault against women.
Transgenders are accepted within the school districts, but they still struggle with deciding where to get undressed or use the restroom. The article talks about the experience of a high school transgender girl not being allowed to shower in the girls’ locker room and later receiving a stall with a curtain This event supports the idea of “accommodation” that the author feels presents itself as relevant when talking about accessing bathrooms. The author states that this a confusing concept to the public, because it is not the norm.
Gender based segregated restrooms began in the 19th century once men felt that women were taking over their space. This concept became a social norm that people were afraid to change. The author suggests an “all-gender” restrooms to accommodate this issue and that it has the potential to be what is considered “normal”. The overall purpose for accommodating restrooms is so that a person of any gender can feel like they “belong”.
In the article, “His and Hers: Designing for a Post-Gender Society”, Suzanne Tick observes the gender phenomenon that is happening around us today. She looks at the idea that gender is an evolving thing and “identity is no longer clearly defined as female or male, but by increasingly visible manifestation of sexuality or lack thereof.” She goes to explain that it is the fashion designers who need to zoom in on the issue of gender equality.
According to the author we are led by a predominantly male perspective called “Modernism”. The things created around us such as the male office, are primarily designed for the needs of a male and the women secretaries are only offered supporting areas. The issues about gender in the workplace have calmed down due to women taking control in the workplace. Women like Emma Watson, have conducted a movement to promote feminism and gender equality. The LGBTQ community has also taken notice to this phenomenon, especially with the idea of same-sex marriage being legal.
The author believes it is important for the designer to think about “how they incorporate gender sensitivity in their work.” The author states the the architecture and interior design are “slower processes”. Fashion designers such as Alexander Wang, have created women coats that look more masculine. Annemiek van der Beek’s has makeup that appeals to male customers. The author says that “gender roles” are making “outward appearances” confusing. Genetics your sex at birth, but people “can decide what gender to identify with”. The author mentions there are colleges and children in elementary school, who are standing up to gender identity. Some are not very accepting, which is why the author states that it is important to not fall beyond when “embracing” these trends.
Maritine Rothblatt, CEO of United Therapeutics, states “There are five billion people on the world and there are five billion unique sexual identities.” Many facilities have caught on to this and have change their interior designs. An example from the article would be that bathrooms are now unisex, they have no distinct gender. Google has also made their work environment “gender neutral”. These accommodations have been created to ensure individuals a “comfortable”, “safe” and “included” in their workplace.
The author compares the gender experience to those who are disabled, but she makes it clear that you cannot handle this issue in the same manner. She insists that the first step is to make sure people have a “safe” place “to do what they need to do no matter who they are.” In the end she states that there is a need of design to accommodate “different human beings” for their “different needs” and “creating an environment in which they have their own individuality.”
In this article, “Tapestry of Space: Domestic Architecture and Underground Communities of Margaret Morton’s Photography of a Forgotten New York”, the author Nersessova examines the photography of Margaret Morton’s book “The Tunnel: The Underground Homeless of New York City.” These photographs provided stories that redefine what a home is through random material. The life of these people is criticized through the Situationalist International Theory presented by Karl Marx. She talk about the impact of the urban space and the effect it has on the human behavior. The article looks at the bigger picture of “homeless” people and compares them to those who considered themselves not homeless.
The homelessness that Morton demonstrates in her photos is used to show how connected the space, the people, and social issues are. The social issues that persists in the urban areas results in a response from the people through art or emotions. For example a man in the article built himself a tunnel and living under the underground helps him find who he is. They build without exploiting their things as others do.
In the article the author suggests examining the idea of Morton’s photography through the Situationalist International Theory where it provides further exploration in the urban environment. The goal of the SI is to remove the division of life and art and show the direct relationship between the two and how it is visible through the environmental influence on human behavior. The author suggests a use of techniques in the SI that examines the environmental space. She talk about the dérive being an unplanned journey through the environment and a flâneur who is a stroller through the landscape and later observes.
The author lastly talk about the the interaction of the city through the people and how a lot times the “homeless” are a lot more connected with the space. According to Nersessova, there is a conflict between “society of the spectacle and the homeless” and it will continue as long as there is not a defined connection between to space.
In this article, “Architectural Exclusion: Discrimination and Segregation Through Physical Design of the Built Environment,” the author, Sarah Schindler explains how architectural designs are built to keep poor people and people of color out of certain places. The article claims that certain architectural designs such as bridges, sidewalks, crosswalks, walls, gates, fences, transits, transit stop, and many other designs are built environments that control human behavior and go unnoticed. An architect named Robert Moses once built a low bridge which hindered 12 foot tall busses from reaching the other side of town. These bridges kept people from going to one location to the next. Wealthier people have opposed to expanding transportation, such as the MARTA to intentionally keep poor people out. These people believe that if they did allow it, it would bring more crime to their communities. This then made became an inconvenience for poor people and black people to be transported from place to place due to the limited areas in which they could travel. Sidewalks and crosswalks are created to for safe travel between pedestrians and vehicles, but the absence of them makes it hard to cross the street and enter into other neighborhoods. If someone wanted to cross neighborhoods they would have to walk on the edge of busy roads. Some architectural designs are straightforward such as walls, gates, and fences that intentionally block out poor and colored people. A good example suggested by the article is walled ghettos where Jews and Arabs were made to live in their own areas. This design was said to be nothing out of the ordinary and it still exists today. Gated communities are built to explicitly imply that they don’t want certain people in their communities. Communities are set up to keep black people out. The way transits are designed is another architectural design that is intended to keep people from reaching certain areas of the community. The placement of the transit stops were more convenient for people with higher income than people of lower income who desperately needed transportation to work. The article suggests how transits have put people of color and lower income in dangerous situations, where certain stops were cross from jobs with busy highways intervening and maybe causing pedestrian and vehicle collisions. Transportation and other architectural designs continued to hinder people of color and people of who receive low income. Many have tried to get the idea thrown out by local government officials, but often time they use their powers to build exclusionary environments themselves. More than often architectural exclusion go unseen by courts, legislators, and potential plaintiffs because they fail to take it seriously. They may see it as intentional exclusion, but they would not analyze it as regulation as they would the law. Schindler creates this article to bring awareness to racism that goes unnoticed. The author claims that these architectural designs make it very hard for black people and people to access wealthier communities and better jobs, making it even harder for them to be successful.
Great summary of the thing. Evidence, evidence.
In this article, Melissa King talks about how people who suffer from PTSD or users who want to make their “online experiences” less irritable have every right to content control features. Critics of content control features believe that people like this are “too sensitive” and they should be able to deal with whatever comes from these online experiences. Despite their opinions, the author states how the content control features are very helpful in eliminating any anxiety attacks. The author then goes on to discuss computer-chair psychology and how exposure therapy can “inure an individual to these triggers and lesson the disruptions they can cause”, but it is more harmful than helpful to the individual in this case of anxiety. In this case of the exposure therapy “trauma is magnified rather than reduced when faced with triggering content”, therefore content exposure should be controlled. She then talks about how blocklists have come to rise and how many people feel they are being “defamed” when added to the blocklist. King states that these arguments fail to acknowledge “how vicious and pervasive online harassment can be” and it is always the right of the victim to take steps to protect themselves. At the end of the article the author talks about how women suffer greatly from these attacks and there is an issue of sexism. She concludes that with issues like sexism and online bullying that hold great evidence of PTSD, people should be able to control their online experience.