From this weeks view list I decided to dive into the Netflix Documentary Crip Camp. As soon as I saw the list I knew this is the one I wanted to watch because I have a younger brother who has a disability. My younger brother was diagnosed with Autism at a young age. I have seen first hand not only how cruel other kids can be but adults. Quick to judge and label him as “weird”. I have seen school after school let him down because they were unable to meet his needs. It is because of all the things I have seen him go through that I decided to watch this documentary and it did not disappoint. It inspired. 

I really loved Caitlyn’s post. I felt that it spoke to the documentary a little bit because of the way that these people with disabilities are portrayed in the media and the way they are oppressed. The documentary really showed how this group of people were not only sharing experiences but were sharing this common experience of oppression. In this camp as they came together and realized all they truly shared then they began to find strength in one another and realized that they needed to take this outside of the camp. The documentary explored how all sorts of alums became leaders in not only their communities but at national levels joining other activist in the fight for the disabled. Through an interview given to deadline they made it clear that this film was not meant to be a deep understanding into  people with disabilities and the life that they live but what they wanted was to reframe peoples perceptions on what living with a disability is really like and how it can match our peoples own everyday lives. As someone who has mental illnesses seeing that through the film and then reading what their goal was sealed the film for me. For some reason when people hear about my diagnosis or that I have a younger brother who is Autistic they tend to pity me or him like how do we function. What they don’t realize is that although it may be harder it is not impossible to lead the same life that others are living. People with disabilities can still go on to chase their dreams. The media needs to stop portraying them as these pitiful human beings. Ignore the patriarchal media bull as Catilyn’s post says.

Another post I really loved was Belkis’ post. It made me think of the section of the text where it examines how young people speak the world listens. The text gave the exact example that came to mind when I first read the title, Greta Thunberg. At only 15 she was making global headlines for her activism. People wanted to listen to her despite being so young. Younger people are often thought of as actually not knowing what they are speaking about, as if their age makes their ideas or opinions any less. This made me think of a few Tiktoks I saw. They commented on how Gen Z is not afraid to speak up there is no filter. I believe that we are growing up in households that may not be the most evolved or modern but we are growing up more with the new ideas and mindsets that we can now carry on into our own futures. As the text stated change begins at home  and every conversation matters. Have the tough and uncomfortable conversations. Inspire the next group to take to the streets and demand change like so many did for the Women’s March this past weekend and as the photo from Belkin’s post shows has been going on for longer than one can even begin to imagine. 

deadline interview: https://deadline.com/2020/12/crip-camp-directors-jim-lebrecht-nicole-newnham-netflix-documentary-interview-1234663377/amp/

In Johnsons there is so much to unpack. Johnsons made me look at the model of our lives and really the patriarchy. As people we are stuck intros model of social life that as Johnsons says views everything as beginning and ending with individuals. Emphasis on the individuals. No one is asking the questions that should be asked and without them not only can we not even begin to understand gender but as Johnsons says we are now avoiding taking responsibility not only for ourselves but the patriarchy. This “system” that people are so quick to hate do not even seem to understand that it is more like a dump all ground with a mass amount of problems being lumped together. This system is not a real thing it is just words. They disappear as quickly as you speak them. I felt like Shavoya’s post really spoke to this. One cannot dismantle the patriarchy as so many claim without examining one’s own privilege. We not only need to examine our own privilege from a standpoint of who we are but our gender, religion, identity, etc. As the text gave the example from an  individualistic perspective people will ask why a particular man raped, harassed, or bear a particular woman. The question would not be how does a society promote this behavior through wife beating joke to violence in mainstream movies. For example I recently read an article on men and women in the Star Wars films. Although the newest films were supposed to be surrounding the female protagonist she actually had the least lines in the whole film. The article decided to solely focus on this fact rather than the industry as a whole. I like to think of it as taking a step back at a time. First step was is this a common trend in sci fi movies. Next step is this a common trend in movies. Next step is this a common trend in tv shows and movies. Next step how has Hollywood fostered this male dominated arena. Next step what has society done about it. With every question asked one is now expanding and thinking of 10 more until eventually you are furious at not just Hollywood but the “system”. Johnsons truly said it best in our patriarchal society we ignore and take for granted the privilege that we have which is to look over it, look away instead of asking how social systems produce social problems. Then turning to look at Haylee’s posts with the web I though spoke really to not only Johnson’s but Lorde’s. In Johnson’s we are caught in the web in the sense that we are trapped in this individualistic way that we are almost unable to step back and really make questions geared towards society. Then looking at Lorde’s as she said oppression and the intolerance of difference come in all shapes and sexes and colors and sexualities and to reach this true liberation and a workable future for our children there can be no hierarchies of oppression. We need to break free of the web and can do so by taking Johnson’s approach to steer away from the individualistic mindset. Lorde’s story made me think of other women who I have met who they feel they are either not enough or stick out of a group more than another. Personally I am half Latin half Italian. I am not Latin enough for the Latinx but I am too Latin for the white. I am also queer meaning in the Latinx community where this is not a really embraced idea yet I feel shunned. 

White privilege is prominent in today’s society whether or not people want to acknowledge that it is very prominent. As it was seen in Allena’s snapshot the White man who raped an unconscious woman had his Stanford yearbook picture circulating vs the Black women who was allowing her child to play in the park next to where she worked had a mug shot being circulated. Separating the fact that it was a man vs a woman and just looking at race if one is White one have more privilege than they even realize. As it was unpacked by McIntosh they give a list of things which they do not have to worry or fear in their lives because being of being white. It is in Jenniffer’s post when you look at how many POC are graduating with degrees. The number is so much smaller than their White counterparts. Not because POC are any less intelligent or wanting of receiving that degree. As someone who has a Latin mother with multiple degrees and certifications she has nothing but pride when speaking about them because she worked multiple jobs, raised kids and more and still accomplished what she wanted which was getting that degree but sadly that is not the case for everyone. Not everyone has a stable home, access to food, water, internet, electronics, childcare, child services. Many unlike do not have the ability to get any of the government assistance due to legal status or they feel they will be denied because of the color of their skin or their inability to speak and understand English enough. As McIntosh said in reason 24 of their now list “I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.” Unfortunately for so many POC they cannot say they have this privilege. Now going back to Allena’s snapshot looking at not only the fact that they are two different races which is clearly allowing this great deal of privilege to the White man there should be an emphasis on their gender. One is a MAN and the other a WOMAN. In this society being a White man apparently is your golden ticket. You are afforded so much more privilege. Men in general already are afforded a good deal of privilege but White men have this extra mile as if they could do absolutely no wrong. A White women will be treated better than a woman of color. As I posted in my snapshot you see this White women being racist towards another customer in the store and yet people were trying to coddle and care for the clearly overreacting White woman while she was the one in the wrong. Ultimately yes White women have more privilege over women of color, but women here as a whole are all oppressed. As Frye says look at it as a birdcage. Others did post snapshots of this birdcage in the snapshot. It is not something you can only look at singularly or one at a time. A step needs to be taken back and then from their one can really begin to see the bigger picture as Frye explains. Furthermore as people look at say the oppression of women there needs to be less focus on specific things instead everyone should take a step back looking at the big picture. Now seeing it as a whole what can really be done that will make the most impact and difference here. 

Looking at the first of Maram’s images from her snapshot post got me remembering when I was in school and the bathroom debate had just really started picking up. Parents were saying that they were afraid for their daughters that boys could just say they feel like females and walk into their bathrooms leading to disaster. Parents were arguing that biological girls should be using the girls restrooms and biological boys should be using the boys restrooms. Turning to the text they really did say it in the best way “the word biological actually has nothing to do with gender or even an original state of being. It Just means pertaining to living matter” (Alok 47). These parents were determined to only see the worst case scenario side of the situation. They chose rather to not believe that a child has the ability to determine their own identity and make their own decision on gender. Like many parents this is not uncommon, but more parents should be supportive of their children if they do decide from a young age, and are accepting of the fact that they feel a different way than perhaps the rest of their peers. The parents in the schools should also be thinking of how this could make a difference in a Childs developing mental health. For example say the child was biologically born male but tells their parents they are identifying as female.  Now the parents support their decision and allow them to dress how they like, play with whatever they choose, etc. but at school they are being told that because of their biology they need to use the boys bathroom despite the fact that they identify as female. Imagine being a biologically female and identifying as female and someone in school telling you that you have to use the boys bathroom. You would most likely be feeling embarrassment, and be uncomfortable because you do not identify as male and do not see why that is the restroom you need to use. As the text discussed to be under the belief that the category of sex is solely fixed on biology is a reflection of how not only science but our society has oversimplified a much more complex topic and discussion. As referenced in the text sex is not only biological, but it is also something that is cultural. Sex is something that is constantly ever evolving and shifting over time. Furthermore going back to the topic of the restrooms in the text as of 2016 there were 1.4 million openly transgender people in the U.S. As the texts supports this is just the open number, but there are so many others who fact the fear of losing their home, jobs, and facing significant violence. It is because of this that I believe more and more should feel supported especially from a young age. More and more gender neutral bathrooms should be coming up. It is a small difference that could greatly impact a child as they are finding their identity. I heard someone recently say that children are simply tiny humans which is true they are just tiny humans meaning they can discover and explore their identity all we need to give them is endless love and support never making them feel they need to conform or bend a certain way to appease others. 

Same as Jasmin, I grew up in a Hispanic household. I am the oldest of three, and like Jasmin, I had many responsibilities around the house. In my home, things such as sexuality and gender were never discussed. It was instead a more taboo topic that was never to be brought up and something my parents had no interest in trying to understand. To take it farther almost my whole life, I had gone to Catholic school, which just further led to my misunderstandings and lack of knowledge. It was not until I was in about my senior year did I really begin to learn the difference between sex and gender.

“Gender is a cultural construct that shifts between societies and across time” (Myers, 2018). Growing up in a Catholic school, just like most schools, we had a strict dress code that always seemed more rigid on the girls. All of the usual dress code rules where skirts were measured, no exposed shoulders, etc. While the boy’s soccer team got brand new jerseys for the season, we received the same hand-me-downs from the year’s past teams. The worst class was religion, where it is nothing against the religion itself; instead, it is the way the teachers would paint the woman as Myers described to be “soft, submissive, quiet” while the men were “strong, aggressive, tough, loud.” For a tomboy with a big mouth and never able to shut up as a child, this was always crazy to wrap my head around, especially when I was constantly being told to lower my voice because I was speaking too loud, even when boys are shouting at each other on the other end of the room. As Shavoya mentioned in her response that I thought was so true was parents play a significant role in who their child turns out to be. Growing up with parents who would not talk about sex and gender in a school that only encouraged not discussing self-discovery was difficult. Myers, however, puts it in a way I think is what should be taught at a young age which is that gender expression can change over time and sexual orientation can fluctuate over time. If I had been taught that at a younger age, I do think I would have felt more confident in my clothing choices.

Like Jasmin, I too preferred to dress on the more tomboy side when I was younger and still do most days now, which was the complete opposite of my very girly younger sister. Myers describes gender expression as “how a person shows their gender identity,” but I do not know if they always do align. For example, when I was a child getting into a dress was like pulling teeth. I felt awkward and out of place in dresses. Today I usually do like to wear pants and shorts, but sometimes I also enjoy wearing a dress or skirt depending on my mood. Some days I wear no makeup, and others, I love to wear a new full-faced look I practiced. I dress how I feel most comfortable that day and although I identify as female some days, my clothing may be described as being more masc. I believe that speaks to society’s idea that goes back to the blue for boys and pink for girls. In my snapshot, I mentioned they are marketed one way for girls being a lot of pinks, barbie, tiny kitchens, and one way for boys, a lot of blue, dinosaurs, monster trucks. Society had decided to put a label on clothing making a boy who wants to wear traditionally female clothes or a girl who wants to wear traditionally male clothes question their identity. Even the term “tomboy” when one goes, oh, they are just a tomboy to imply they are more masculine when that is just how they feel most comfortable dressing. I believe that establishing that sex and gender are not the same thing is an essential step in making progress.