The Women Suffrage Movement was instrumental in allowing women certain rights such as voting. Many can thank the women suffrage movement for numerous things except black women. Unfortunately, they were pushed to the side when this organization was formed. Many Black women had to come together and form their own movement in order to receive their own rights. Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton did not look at Black women as their equal. After looking at the post Shavoya Easy presented it brings reality to the cause. Just looking at this group of women standing in this photo shows a strong sense of solidarity, Black women had to stick with each other during this time.

            This photo is very telling, you can even see the pain in their eyes, their eagerness to fight and the determination not to quit for what they believe is truly their basic human rights. You can see that Black women had to struggle to attain the same rights that their white counterparts demanded and achieved. This image can be compared to times today. Black women have been consistently fighting for equal pay. The pay gap is something that effects both black women and white women but more so effects black women. Black women are paid 20% less than white women, that means for every 79 cents a white woman makes a black woman makes 63 cents.            

As a black woman we are still fighting for equality. We have come a long way, but we have a lot further to go. There has been a setback since the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States in 2016. Many people who were living under the radar as a racist and white supremist got the urge to show off themselves after being fueled by Trump’s racist rhetoric. When the President of a country can stand on a national podium and degrade women, because he is white, these hate groups grab the content and interpret it the way they want. Since 2016, racism has gotten a new face and privilege. With that being said, we must not forget our white alleys who fought side by side with Black women in order for us to reach our ultimate goal.

Let Every Voice Be Heard!

            Activism is the main reason why we can do many of the things we do every day. Somethings we take for granted and some we are serious about, from freeing the slaves, women’s rights to vote, black lives matter, and of course a woman’s right to choose and make important decisions about their own bodies when it comes to abortion.

            I think we should say a word of thanks to the French because they were the ones who kept activism moving along. Although the French paid a bloody price with the execution of thousands including their king and queen, they kept the movement going, which eventually saw some sort of change happen for countries like Ireland, Haiti, and Spanish colonies in Latin America. Later India joined the activism movement with the help of Ghandi whose approach was different than the French. His way was done peacefully by gathering a group of people who marched for the most ridiculous causes I have ever heard, collecting and selling salt. Imagine having to protest for the right to sell salt. Gandhi’s nonviolent form of activism and defiance was able to activate real change like being guaranteed a seat in a conference in London. Even though he was arrested together with about 60,000 people, this activism helped lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

            The suffrage movement in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries helped give women the right to vote, but the only drawback to this was, women of color were excluded, they were not given the same rights as white women. Like France and India, the result led to a bit of a change. It is also believed that women are less capable of doing things that men do, such as running as a political candidate. This is all a part of the patriarchy. Imagine running for political office and being worried that you will end up dead or missing in a coal mine in West Virginia. Well, this was the fear of female political candidate Paula Jean Swearengin. In the video “Knock Down the House” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez states, “For every 10 rejections you get one yes, that’s how you win, never give up.” This the strong solid message she was giving female political candidates.

            Activism changes people, things, and places, when we go out in large numbers peacefully, to demand change, politicians listen to us. Sexual abuse of women brought forth the Me Too movement. As we all know, quite a few prominent men had to step down from their high paying jobs due to this kind of activism. Activism is also fighting for diversity, making a change should not have a face and must include people of all walks of life. I can’t forget the activism that the Parkland students demonstrated after their tragic loss, this vitality opened the door for a young Swedish girl named Greta Thunberg who stood up for a cause she firmly was passionate about, climate change. Overall, activism can show itself in many different ways, it can be a young child or a little old lady walking down the street with a cane. As long as we put our minds together and fight until we get what we want and need, we will continue to change the world.

            When taking a deeper look at patriarchy, I must admit that I feel the same way as most women. Men are our oppressors. Feeling offended when they hear the word patriarchy is not new, most men don’t like to be called out. When women call them out for who and what they really are to their dismay, they put up a wall of defense. Often men tend to fake that they are offended by being called oppressive, but women know that they bask in the sun while enjoying the title they have carried gracefully for decades, until women of the 19th and 20th centuries started to stand for what they believe in.

            When speaking of the patriarchy and holding men accountable for their doings, we might hear the phrase “not all men”. Unfortunately, it is all men. The patriarchy benefits them the most. Patriarchy and oppression are real and may be difficult to defend. As quoted in the article by Allan G Johnson “people in the upper classes are greedy, heartless, and cruel.” Although there may be a flipside to this individualistic model as stated in the article it is still difficult to just turn the other cheek, when patriarchy and oppression are so prevalent and is especially present in the behaviors of white males. Although, people of color suffer the wrath of such behaviors, white men continue to prosper to higher heights which plummets them too high paid positions like CEO’s, CFO’s etc. There is no guilt or shame for what they do because their pairs are also in those roles and does the same thing. People sometimes tend to blame the system. Meanwhile, the system is not to be blamed, it is just the fall guy, but one must also look in the mirror. The question was asked. “How is what we think of as normal life related to male privilege, women’s oppression, and the hierarchical

Control-obsessed world in which everyone’s lives are embedded?” Unfortunately, we don’t have a choice but to live with evil, making our lives intertwined with each other. Learning the alphabet of patriarchy is crucial for our well-being. We should all enjoy our dominance, not only men but women also, and should all be able share that space comfortably. Here we go again no matter where you go, what you do, or how you act once you are black, oppression and patriarchy would bite you in the ass. Not just by white men in this case but white people. Living as a woman of color, more specifically black women, we can see the difference in the way we are treated when we address problematic issues with dominance. When a black woman addresses issues with dominance, she is seen as the angry black woman but when white men address issues, they are seen as someone who is a leader. On a personal note, I have always treated people the way I want to be treated. It is shameful that we cannot co-exist as one.

            We are privileged in many ways. Having a roof over our heads, eating a hot meal daily, and having access to a hot shower are some of the ways that we are privileged. However, the spectrum is way broader than just these few things, let’s look at the big picture and how white privilege affects people of color. I like to think, it is that if your appearance, finances, and able ability is not a burden then you are privileged. In more ways than one being privileged may lessen the feeling of oppression. Marilyn Frye asks the question “what is the difference between being miserable and being oppressed?” I think being miserable one may feel unhappy, also, sometimes an individual can create their own misery, whereas oppression can be caused by society which causes someone to be treated differently than others.

            Many of us face oppression while the primary oppressor’s are white man, it is known that the oppressed are black women, black men, and other people of color, this tells the reader that white privilege and oppression are closely related. The lighter your skin color the more privileged you are hence the reason white men seems to run away with that title. Some unintentionally practice white privilege without even realizing that they are doing it. But because they were born into this world of privilege it becomes normal to them and they fail to see any other way of life. White privilege has worked for them for centuries causing them to build empires on the backs of the oppressed. Additionally, because of white men being born with such privilege and not being affected they are blind to their advantage. Peggy McIntosh, states in the article White Privilege Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, “I have met very few men who are truly distressed about systemic, unearned male advantage and conferred dominance.”

            Imagine living and walking while black. “On the other hand, anything but the sunniest countenance exposes us to being perceived as mean, bitter, angry, or dangerous” (Marilyn Fyre). This may result in us being arrested by the police, where often people of color wind up dead.

This question was also posed by Marilyn Frye, “What is the difference between frustration and oppression?” Frustration is when someone loses their patience with a particular person or thing this feeling may also cause them to lose their cool whereas in that case oppression is where you are being held back from achieving your goal because of your gender race sexual orientation disability etc. Being oppressed can feel like being imprisoned within oneself. It is unfortunate that in two thousand and twenty-one we are having this conversation. I wanted to believe that the world was in a better place, and we had moved away from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries where how you looked matter. These articles tell me that my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will all experience white privilege in their lifetime, and unfortunately being people of color, they would suffer more than the average person, especially the black women.

Like Janneriz Lopez, I too did not understand much about nonbinary and trans gendered people, but, after reading the article that elaborated and highlighted some facts about the terms, I have come to realize that there was such a term, and that some people preferred to be recognized as such. What struck me the hardest is that the government supported and did nothing to protect those people. I believe that is wrong to make someone feel less than who they are for how they feel about themselves. Wearing baggy clothes or acting a certain way should not have anything to do with someone’s character. What is even more sad is that people of color are treated even worse than their peers when they publicly identify themselves as nonbinary and trans gendered. Just as everyone else we all need to be treated as human beings and respected for who we are, no matter how you identify and for sexual orientation, color, or race.

            In today’s modern world people are becoming more accommodating and accepting of people who are different, for those of us who are parents we just never know when our children would come to us and tell us that they feel different, we don’t have a choice but to be supportive. We now live in a world where the idea that pink is for girls and blue is for boys no longer exist. However, coming from a small Island in the Caribbean and residing in the community where it is predominantly Caribbean descents, I have seen and heard the ignorant behavior and homophobic statements that are made by some within my community. While I do not pass judgement on anyone, I understand that there needs to be education, those people were raised without anyone educating them on people who are different should be treated, although, it should be universal, because I remember as a small child I was thought to be kind to others . Discrimination is wrong at any level.

            Hopefully, one day we can all live in a world where everyone is accepted and not looked down upon for who or what they are, and our governments local and national will treat all people equal. Special laws should be enacted to be sure the safety and well-being of all people. Something as simple as going to the bathroom should not result in getting arrested or been assaulted by the police or anyone. It is time to stop, educate, think, and accept that the world we live in today has become the melting pot for all types of different preferences, we just must learn to live as one people in a loving world. To combat the negativity and crimes committed against people who are different there should be laws making it punishable with severe penalties such as prison time with lengthy stays and heavy monetary fines, sending a strong message that such behavior is not acceptable and would not be tolerated can make the difference in good and evil.