I really enjoyed reading the Combahee River Collective Statement. The organization was created because the needs and overall best interests of black and lesbian women were not being considered by other feminist movements or even by the civil rights movement. The name itself was created based on efforts by Harriet Tubman on the Combahee River that resulted in the freeing of 750 slaves. I think this was a wonderful way to build the foundation for an organization aimed at freeing people from multiple forms of oppression. That said, it’s really sad to know that these divisions in feminism still exist.
The reading states “Black feminists and many more Black women who do not define themselves as feminists have all experienced sexual oppression as a constant factor in our day-to-day existence.” I had a conversation with my best friend and she mentioned how terrified she was at the prospect of having children. Specifically, she was afraid of having to empower her daughter to forge her own identity while also explaining how the world would judge her for her nonverbal communicative choices. I can honestly say as a man that I don’t have that same fear when I consider empowering my future son to express himself. And this was one of the reasons The Combahee River Collective was created.
Paris is Burning has always been one of my favorite documentaries. I’ve always wanted to be a part of the ballroom scene and know several people who are. The film offers a glimpse into a much different time in NY when homophobia, transphobia, and the AIDS epidemic were all a struggle for life. I love the house families and the manner in which they supported through the battle against societal oppression. The film was actually made over the course of seven years and I’ve always found it really interesting to see the development of some of the cast members. That said, it’s also really sad to see that not everyone survived the duration in which film took to be made.
When Venus Xtravaganza was found murdered, it hit really hard. But this makes me think about the duality of the trans-community in that non-white transgendered individuals have a different experience to that of their white counterparts. Ironically enough, this is essentially the message Dave Chappelle attempted to communicate in his recent stand-up. A system of oppression that exists within another system of oppression hard at work. I think this is why it was touching to see how the house families really came together to take care of their own. My classmate posted a snapshot of the ballroom scene as it is now and you can still see how close the house members were as they support their housemate’s walk. You can also see this evidenced in Isabella’s post from the fictional depiction of the ballroom scene from Pose. When the world was against them, the ballroom family was essentially all they had left. This is still the case today and why ballroom is so important to our culture.
