Hearing the word feminism we often think that it is inclusive to all women. Finding out that there is still a segregation is baffling. Feminisim should include all and not then again having the black woman have to have their own category of the black feminist because the white feminist isn’t always considering the trials of black women. The Combahee River Collective statement was very eye opening. As a black woman should fight for the unjust done because they are black and because they are woman, even in a time when women were fight for the freedoms for women. I enjoyed Mario’s snapshot of a black woman saying “I am no longer accepting things I cannot change, I am changing the things I cannot accept.” It holds true and I think the Black Feminist should never disappear, but yell louder until it reaches those who are not willing to fight or understand. 

Paris is Burning was a great documentary showing the “balls” which were held as a safe place for transgenders to be themselves. Having competitions and having fun. They reminded me on modern drag competitions, then realizing this was a place for transgendered only. I found it to be very moving and honest when hearing them speak on the balls. Its unfortunate that the woman who was directing the film didn’t help the community in anyway, although she benefited from their lives. I didn’t know that vouge as we all though Madonna made, was stolen from the balls. Having different houses to be a part of and help guide you through the competitions, I feel was more than guidance of the competitions but more guidance on the everyday struggles the trans faced. Most didn’t have family at that point, or had to find jobs in sexwork because society wouldn’t let them participate in “normal” life.

It is seriously sad to think that there is still millions out there who think that being a housewife is the “dream” job. When your place in the world is to breed and serve. Surely, they are not considering the silence they will have or that their opinions will matter. To have that be the American dream is frightening. Generationally it has been passed down to be the counterpart to a man. If you do this, you won’t find a husband. Be softer, kind, dumb and pretty. Have no say and let the man lead. I could think of a million other things id rather do than act in a way that would find me a husband or make me a mother. For that to be an aspiration to millions of women is pathetic and we need to change that generational gap. When searching for a snapshot for this week, I was shocked at how many right-wing based pages of meme’s I found on how being a housewife is a blessing and should be taken as a prize. This does nothing for the future. I do feel hopeful as the more recent generations are choosing to not procreate, whatever their reasonings. Hopefully this ends that mindset the patriarchy has pressed so deeply on millions. When it comes to house work and the liberations of, in my relationship it is split. I couldn’t imagine being any other way. If I was expected to do the “womanly duties” or have my partner say “show me, youre so much better at it” i would probably have a charge and that’s never good. I wouldn’t be with one that couldn’t provide sexually to my needs. I feel in the myth of the vaginal orgasm, men and women are taught that we need penetration and that provokes the vaginal orgasm. There are many ways to achieve orgasm. Personally, I must be emotionally or really physically stimulated for that to take place. Freud’s theories are theories and have been outdated for years. Those theories once again cater to men. Men are really bad at achieving female orgasm and I feel most women have experienced their first without a man and all by themselves. When looking at Shavoya’s snapshot it makes you think if that man in that picture has ever made a female orgasm? Probably not. His “housewife” probably wants to drop that cake right on his head. We can only hope going forward women will not settle for these social constructs that wear and oppress them. 

This week I chose to watch The Punk Singer, Following Kathleen Hanna from the band Bikini Kill. I knew of the band and what they stood for but seeing the in depth look of what activism was to them and how they used music as a platform to make an impact in the feminist fight was very moving. I was almost 2 years old when they were formed, which shows that many have been fighting for so long and it still continues to be a fight now. I feel we haven’t made much progress after watching because we still fight for men not to treat women as objects. At one point they were having a concert, and there was men doing inappropriate things to women and they would top the show and have the crowd boo and make them leave. Today I feel this goes on more than ever and tolerated more so than not. I found it interesting that Miley Cyrus has even covered Bikini Kill, meaning their activism and lyrics have made an impact and more recent and popular celebrities are trying to spread the fight of feminism. We can all do something and Think Like An Activist as Wendy Syfret, explains in her book. We all are not musicians, writers, performers or ones that have access to spreading to crowds, she explains where we can start and one starting point is at home. I feel I have been doing my part at home since I was a child, before I even knew what I was standing for. I knew what was right and what was wrong. Such as my future, if I had black friends, gay friends and even if I wanted to be with a man or women. It does have a powerful impact and still today I use my social media as a platform to send knowledge on matters that we need to fight for. We can all use that as a means of activism, we can all attend a march, a parade and stand up for what is right. I really like Yamilett’s snapshot “if youre not angry, youre not paying attention” that goes without saying. The things going on systemically, government and locally. These issues should make us mad and if youre turning a blind eye its ignorance. All should be fighting for freedoms and unjusts they effect all, Not just the oppressed.

Patriarchy today is gaining a lot more popularity and what it means. We see celebrities using the term, publications, and social media. We live in a world basically dictated by the patriarchy. In Allen Johnson’s  article, he call’s patriarchy an “individualistic model of guilt” which is a pretty accurate description. Patriarchy make an individual that happens to be the oppressed feel as if it’s their fault for NOT being a white cis financially free able-bodied man. The more upsetting tone this takes, is the women who perpetuate patriarchal practices and allow or actually participate. It still is a manipulating tactic and a certain demography of those who participate. Groomed to be a mother, caregiver and have no opinions. Oppressions, in any form cause systemic issues that turn into more. It ultimately effects all. We can take that white cis financially free man, who sexually harasses his black female receptionist, who takes charge in her comfort and is given a settlement to keep quiet. Which happens a lot more than publicized. It’s great to see those standing up to the system and trying to shed light on the harassment. How much can we fight for, though? In Audre Lorde’s article she says “I cannot afford to fight one form of oppression” most of us cant. The oppressed have more than one check against them in fighting oppression. In shavoya’s snapshot “we cant dismantle without looking at our own privilege” which is true. I am white, I have to make the changes in what I can do and acknowledge the fortune I had from being white alone. To make these changes you have to look, I can say I have seven other checks against, but my first is I’m white. I have that advantage over all the other checks. That’s what looking at your own privilege is. If we all thought of that we could in fact dismantle the patriarchy.

When reading the article “sex and gender 101” it’s obvious that sex, the anatomic that we are born with, and gender are completely two different overlapping developments. We take sex, and to some if not most a penis indicates the gender of man and vagina the gender of woman. If we are completely honest, we are groomed into the roles of which a penis and vagina imply. When I was born, seeing pictures of my nursery pastel pink, and “girly” and my brother who is a year younger than me, blue and “masculine”. As toddlers, we took ice skating lessons. Mine figure skating and my brother’s hockey. I wanted to play hockey but because I was a girl my father wouldn’t let me. We grow up with that being the role we take on. Then that turns into the way society treats us as individuals. It’s actually sad if you think of the opportunities, one has missed due to society forcing gender by sex. Perhaps if I played hockey, life could have taken a different direction. I guess we cannot get caught up in the what if’s. 

Bell Hooks delivers the message that feminism is for everybody and does bring up the division of sex and gender and the issues it causes. Feminism is the fight for sexism, oppression, humanity, and equality. This is where the gender teachings bring no help in the fight against these matters. I liked the snapshot carmen chose, showing a Budweiser ad from the 1960’s. On the left is portrays a man was out hard at work and the women was home keeping the house clean, having dinner ready and pouring her man a Budweiser to unwind after a hard day. On the right we have a woman alone, with take out food and pouring herself a Budweiser to unwind. It’s crazy to believe there was such a time that woman on the right would be looked down upon and women on the left is what was supposed to be. I feel even though we’ve come a very long way, women are still plagued with the questions of not having a husband, a child, why they are career driven. That’s why we need feminism and education on the limits of gender roles and the difference of anatomy at such a young age. Hopefully our world will begin to change if we could fight for the education from the beginning to make a difference in the end.

Watching the videos regarding abortion made me feel uneased. Uneased due to the women begging for them. Women writing into the Vessel for solitude of a righteous decision. No person should have to live in fear of not being able to obtain a choice, a choice that is traumatizing to begin with. I Have a life story! Growing up in a catholic environment, my reproductive rights were influenced by religious beliefs. My family was against me being put on birth control. I suffered from very painful and mentally anguishing periods. I was finally able to receive birth control when I was sixteen because I have PMDD. Which I should not have had to have a medical reason as to why I needed it. I was put on the Depo-Provera shot (which if you know anything about is the WORST birth control and I do not condone or advise) Needless to say, it was not for me or my body. I was off Depo-Provera nine months after receiving my first shot. From seventeen to twenty I tried multiple forms of birth control on and off. At twenty, I decided birth control was not conducive for my mental or body and have been natural ever since. That became MY CHOICE.  I had never been pregnant when I was younger, nor was in fear of. I went through life thinking I could never get pregnant. Me? No! Well friends, it happened. I GOT PREGNANT. I only bring this up because when watching these videos, I was reminded of my experiences. My experiences of why and, why it is totally okay for us to make the most absolute right decisions for us. My abortion was very much like the video The Abortion Divide. I had no idea what to do, I made an appointment at planned parenthood and was advised to have confirmation? My six tests weren’t enough? No! I called this place in the suburbs of Chicago (where I was living at the time) so welcoming and friendly! Set up it was! The practice was very intrusive and pro-life, I had the sonogram, they had a picture of a kidney bean with a little white speck in my uterus. I’m being serious when I say a speck, and the prolife nurse said to my ex, “hi daddy” which was very awkward with us both knowing that heartbeat was flatlined. This practice continued to text me for a year with hopes of me “making the right decision” and “I hope your snuggle bug is happy and healthy” LOL. This is all traumatizing. Was I offered healthcare? Childcare? Food? No, no I was not. I did not have health insurance at the time. How could I have a child without healthcare? Was never offered. The only thing I was offered was an unwarranted opinion. So that happened. After sonogram went to planned parenthood, I wasn’t far enough along to have the abortion pill. I had to wait until I was SIX weeks along to take pill.  My point in this ramble is the importance of reproduction rights. If this was a universal “law” and I feel so ignorant calling it a “law” it’s so much more personal than a “law” It’s a personal decision. Very personal. Personally, a fetus has the same feelings of a dead body, which is nothing.  I find it very disturbing that some states implement that six weeks is when a speck makes a decision for your life. You cannot even receive the abortion pill at least six weeks after conceiving. It’s just another notch in the oppressive mindset that we must fight for.