Sometimes I don't get it...

After a wonderful concert last night from the Indigo Girls, I rolled back into BG this morning to start another day of rushing from one deadline to another. I rode my bike to campus and stopped by the Velorution 2009 booths in front of DUC (an event for bicyclists or those interested in biking). Unfortunately, the first thing I heard and saw was the “preacher” who makes his yearly visits yelling that we are all going to hell at the top of his lungs. How can we all have such different notions about what is right and what is wrong? They held signs that contained a laundry list of the sins that will condemn us all to hell. The usual suspects were there; homosexuals, liars, drunks, etc. Of course, my favorite was “immodest women.” I love it that these religious fanatics blame women for everything – actually, religion period blames “sin” on women. I can relate more now to the article “My Name is NOT Maria” by Williams, Alvarez, and Hauck in my women’s studies 200 text and this issue of gendered social control. As matter of fact, the entire chapter deals with adolescence and growing up, or growing “into,” our gender as society prescribes it. It is also very interesting to note that this is a very American concept. So, is it driven by consumerism? Power and control? What is the predominant factor here? Is our influence in other countries affecting the way they look at gender? Is there any way to transform this issue?