The Abortion Divide was an eye-opening documentary since it depicted the mental and physical process of having an abortion. As a guy, I was well aware of how delicate this issue would be for me, given that I know people who had to have abortions… Thankfully, it improved their lives, but it was stressful at the time…so I’m pleased I learned about it during this program. It did an excellent job of showcasing different women’s lives and what they/we had to go through in order to have control over our bodies, in my opinion. Abortion has become the standard in several areas of the world, including the United States. Some regions are STILL battling for abortion rights. People prefer to have many viewpoints, but if forced to choose, they support abortion.

It’s quite disheartening how women’s reproductive rights have been abused while yet being heavily policed to the point that many women don’t appear to have authority over their own bodies. The movies we had to view for class this week were really informative on the problem that many people with female reproductive organs endure.

I saw a video where a female questioned a boy whether he would still feel abortion is terrible under any circumstances… “he responded nothing would change his view,” but when asked if he got another woman pregnant while married, his attitude changed. It all boils down to what is best for the individual.

I truly appreciated this week’s class readings. This week’s piece, Aleichia Williams’ “Too Latina To Be Black, Too Black To Be Latina,” is a terrific illustration of being at odds with what you identify with. This judgment of what a Latina should look like or how a black person should act stems from the white man’s categorizing and stereotyping of society. I’ll never understand the struggle, but it’s similar to when people claim you can’t be gay and black. It’s such a pity that some feel the need to place others in boxes. The problem with society is that we use race to divide us rather than bring us closer together. “I am Black, I am Latina, and I am also human,” Alechia says. This quote not only affects me but also others, and it goes to illustrate that we are not prizes, items, or fetishes. We are individuals…. And many individuals have forgotten that everyone has feelings.

The film “Paris is Burning” discusses poverty, being homosexual as an African American, and racism. The show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” frequently mentions this film. It was inaugurated by the famed drag performer Pepper Labeija. Men compete against one another in a game called The Ball. You demonstrate who you are and how you get where you are. For many gays, the Ball is the center of the universe. Also known as ballroom, which some people are familiar with to to blockbuster series like “pose.” It showed both the dazzling enjoyable side of sex industry and the tragic underbelly of sex work.

By shedding light on the experiences of New York City drag queens, Livingston is able to elicit an emotional response from her audience. The documentary made it appear as if drag originated out of a desire to feel attractive and strong, which is the polar opposite of how mainstream culture makes homosexual and trans people feel. The presence of homosexual and trans persons was undesirable to the majority of society, which preferred that the gay and trans communities remain hidden. By copying these famous actresses and supermodels, the drag queens received a taste of the beauty and power that homosexual men were never permitted to enjoy. Drag queens live their fantasies on stage at balls, but those are aspirations they want to achieve in the real world. Thus, to become famous, affluent, and to live freely and joyfully. To be everything and nothing all at once.

This era was always something i loved because it was all about drag queens (which i am one) and club kid icons. It’s just a shame how much hate and ignorance we have to endure…..figured change would’ve happened.

Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique was well written; it is properly crafted for the audience to understand why women are forced to be flawless because women are perceived as puppets. The Feminine Mystique expressed the concerns of millions of American women with their constrained gender roles and helped fuel broad public agitation for gender equality.

Friedan considers “the feminine mystique” to be a step backwards for women. She considers first-wave feminists to have hung up their coats after gaining the right to vote. Men still consider women as possessions and as things that can’t/shouldn’t fend for themselves. When, in actuality, women are in charge, they bring life into the world, and they are cognitively and emotionally stronger than males. Betty Friedan defined these women’s dissatisfaction as “the issue with no name.” Women felt this way because they were obliged to be intellectually, financially, and physically submissive to males. Women have been grappling with their roles as housewives and mothers, which at first appeared to be a dream for many women but has turned out to be a nightmare.

We learn about an inspiring black lady, Ida B Wells, in the video Untold Stories of Black Women. She was an NAACP pioneer who advocated for the equality of black women. She was strong despite the fact that she had lost both of her parents at the age of sixteen. She assisted in caring for her siblings after being born into slavery but subsequently emancipated following the Emancipation Proclamation. I was able to obtain a lot deeper and more in-depth grasp of the history of these movements that led to today’s societal developments. They also explain how African American women battled for their independence and social rights. The timeline explains and provides us a feel of what female activists achieved to ensure that everyone in society had the same equal rights.

This week’s video recounted the experiences of women throughout history and how their contributions to this cause have resulted in much of the freedom we have today. The movie demonstrates how black women are devalued in households where men are considered the leader of the home. Women battled tooth and nail for the right to vote. The documentary also portrays and reflects the fight between radicals and conservatives, as well as male dominance and women’s rights. They strove to abolish slavery and the partial ownership of women. “I will chop off this right arm of mine before I ever work or demand the ballot for the Negro and not the women,” Susan B. Anthony remarked. Women’s suffrage talks help us comprehend the motivations behind the movement, and understanding our history helps us recognize what we can do for our future.

An activist is someone who pushes for change in their neighborhood, politics, or society. A vigorous activity or resistance to one side is also supported by an activist. An activist delivers compelling talks about the need of environmental stewardship. Whether we realize it or not, activism plays a significant part in our daily lives. Without some type of activity, most individuals would not have the rights and opportunities they enjoy today. Activism is commonly defined as the use of strong advocacy to effect political and/or social change. Wendy Syfret describes activism as “a tremendous phenomenon, capable of changing communities and lives and reordering the way we think about our role in the world” (Syfret 38). This week’s reading, like previous weeks’, is both intelligent and intriguing. “How to Think Like an Activist,” by Wendy Syfret, broadens our understanding of activism.

In this week’s reading, Syfret discusses the activist women’s movements that have occurred throughout history and have had an influence on our society today. They discuss the timeline of women’s activist movements in the reading. We can see how far we’ve come in terms of earning rights as women in society over history, but it’s still not morally proper that we have to physically, psychologically, and emotionally struggle for our basic human rights, such as having a voice in our own reproductive system. We currently live in a period when technology plays a major part in our lives, allowing us to complete a wide range of chores quickly and simply. In efforts to effect change, I believe that technology is one of the best methods for individuals to communicate with others and have a better chance of getting their message over to others all over the globe who may share the same dissatisfaction and unfairness.

According to Allan G. Johnson’s book “Patriarchy, the System,” both men and women are oppressed. According to the reading, social life is what influences how people behave in society. Allan discusses how patriarchy affects both men and women. He shows how, since the term patriarchy is used, many people perceive or understand it to mean males, their advantages, and oppression of women. Every time we choose to remain silent and support the current quo by following the “way of least resistance,” we contribute to the perpetuation of patriarchy or other racist or homophobic ideas.

Both readings were highly intriguing to me, and they both helped to explain the issues of oppression. It all comes down to how institutes continue to instill concepts in the brains of future generations. Some patriarchal civilizations are also patrilineal, which means that property and title are passed down through the male bloodline. Some patriarchal civilizations are also patrilineal, which means that property and title are passed down through the male bloodline. A patriarchal social structure is one in which men possess main power and predominate in roles such as political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and property ownership. Society has also been structured in a patriarchal manner, with gender roles strongly split between the two factions known as men and women, with males having the upper hand since they are seen to be more informed than women.

Audre Lorde began the second reading, “There Is No Hierarchy of Oppressions,” by listing the groups/communities she is a part of and discussing how she intends to have a viable future with the organizations she identifies with. Lorde goes on to describe how each group with whom she identifies functions together in her life. She emphasizes that each group with whom she connects faces difficulties. She wishes to inspire people by demonstrating that one oppression is no different from the others since unlawful authority is still being maintained and we must remain united through it all in order to overthrow what is known as the status quo. She refuses to accept the persecution she faces from both sides.

In the book “White Advantage: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh, it is discussed how your skin is a privilege, with white people having greater privileges than those with colored skin. She continues by stating that racism not only disadvantages others but also benefits white people. She emphasizes that it has become so commonplace and ingrained in the system that many people are unaware of these features of privilege. She then goes on to outline a slew of ways in which many people enjoy white privilege. For example, if a white person is interviewed for a job and a brown person applies for the same position with a degree, but the white person is hired. Those who are not as fortunate are restricted and exploited in areas such as the law, education, work, and health care. These social identification groups are less wealthy and undervalued because of their race, such as black people, and also because of their gender, such as females.

The second reading, “Oppression” by Marilyn Frye, discusses the ongoing struggle that women face as a result of society. Being a woman and a person of color in society is difficult. Frye used an amazing comparison of a bird in a cage to express the intricacy of the oppressed who are bound and formed by societal structures and gender inequalities that have been since the beginning of time and continue to exist today.

Definitely interesting things i didnt know i needed to read and touch up on more.

What exactly is gender identity? Gender identification refers to one’s personal perception of one’s own gender. Gender identification can either correspond with or diverge from a person’s designated sex at birth. Gender expression is often associated with a person’s gender identification, however this is not always the case. Alok indirectly provides us with the skills to better comprehend how we feel….beyond the Gender Binary! Alok Vaid Menon pushes the world to view gender in full color rather than black and white. I had the pleasure of attending Alok’s comedy act at the BMCC approximately a month ago, and it was packed with light and humor. They not only made fun of everything, including the audience, but they also raised awareness about gender expression because not many people are familiar with non-binary, gender fluid (QIA+) persons.Throughout the book, we learn how non-binary people feel, what they go through, how society impacts them, and how the four categories of rejection, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope effect them. 

Alok Vaid-Menon writes on how the gender binary is enforced before birth and impacts people at all stages of life. Gender assignments provide a narrative for how a person should act, what they should enjoy or wear, and how they can express themselves. Boys are taught to be strong, aggressive, and logical, while ladies are taught to be weak, pleasant, and emotional. This has always been done so consistently and with such power that people are unaware of what they are doing or the harm it will create.

 I consider myself to be non-binary because im gender fluid…i dont care what people give me as pronouns as long as its with respect behind it.

Feminism 

Despite the fact that I am fairly knowledgeable about feminism, it is a subject about which I am always eager to learn more. This week’s reading was fascinating and eye-opening, and it was a great way to begin the first week of class. Feminism is a movement centered on the abolition of sexist exploitation and oppression. Feminism is important not only for women, but for people of all sexes, genders, castes, creeds, and backgrounds. It empowers individuals and society as a whole. A common misconception is that feminists can only be women. Feminism is for Everyone. In my snapshot, I chose a quote from Beyoncé’s music video. Beyoncé, in my opinion, embodies feminism in its purest form. She is the ideal feminist icon. I believe/know that she has helped many people including myself to be more confident and has made people become their true and highest versions of themselves. 

Sex & Gender Expression

Anatomy and physiology are referred to by the phrase “sex Here, we’re talking about sexually-specific chromosomes and endocrine hormones, sexually-specific organs, and even sexually we are either born male or female based on our reproductive system. Within a few years of entering the world, our social environment and culture begin to develop and impact our gender expression. Men and women must conform to certain societal roles depending on their biological gender, according to the text. These categories are further divided into subcategories.” People’s sexuality evolves as their lives grow. It is possible for a person’s biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation to coexist A person’s gender expression and sexual orientation can alter over time, just like their sexual orientation. According to the author, we will only be able to achieve the feminist moment if we can communicate. 

Overall, both readings were fascinating but there’s a lot of work that has to come about with everyone. I personally have mixed feelings when it comes to gender assignment because although we can trust science and raise people to what they currently are gender-wise I think it’s important that we accept people for who they are, even children, and not put stereotypes and labels on anything. As Maddy Perez said in the hit show Euphoria, “Sexuality is a spectrum”.