This week’s article and documentaries were informative and an eye-opener to all the sacrifices and labor women had to go through to gain their freedom and have equal rights and privileges they deserve. After watching both documentaries “Triangle, shirtwaist factory fire” and “Triangle Return,” it was so shocking how a big factory-like that could have all its fire escape provision damaged at the same time and the doors locked for outside with no access for people inside the factory. From the documentaries, the triangle shirtwaist factory was the deadliest industrial disaster in New York which killed 146 people mostly young immigrant women. These women were treated like their lives were worth nothing, they worked 12 hours every day. This time-built momentum was a key moment in the growth of labor unions such as the ILGWU (International Ladies Garment Workers Union) and other progressive changes. The triangle shirtwaist factory fire served as a cautionary tale that helped to redefine America’s Industrial workplace. However, everything that the American people have won some years back is being destroyed as little has changed in the global sweatshop economy. The same fate and tragedy that occurred on March 25th, 1911, occurred on December 14th, 2010, at a factory in Bangladesh. According to “Triangle Return” about 29 workers were killed, and hundreds injured. These workers live in abject misery and were paid about 28 cents an hour mostly teenage young girls and young men. 

A classmate’s snapshots that really relate well with this issue was Heatherlee’s snapshots, their snapshots show an image of women who worked in a sweatshop factory many years ago, and the other also shows an image of women working in the sweatshop factory but in our present time because they were all putting on a mask on their faces. Looking at both images, we can see the women lined up in the same direction with their sewing machines producing goods for these factories that careless of their well-being. These women are not supposed to be subjected to work in these sweatshop factories where their hard work is not appreciated. We need international laws, minimum wage laws, etc. to protect the rights of young women who make these garments and all workers in the developing world. We have the right to have legislation that bans the import of child labor goods and sweetshop goods in the United States of America. We can do in the global economy what we did in our domestic economy and as we begin the race to the bottom in the global sweatshop economy, we can hold corporations accountable. 

The article “Virginia Just Became the 38th State to Pass the Equal Rights Amendment. Here’s What to Know About the History of the ERA” by Tara Law gives us a timeline process about the fight of feminist women to gain equal rights to vote and be added to the U.S. constitution. These women fought to make sure that the Equal Rights Amendment was passed, “but the amendment failed to gain much widespread support in the 1920’s party because it divided members of the women’s movement along class lines”. The Equal Rights Amendment was first written by Allen Paul who was also the founder of the National women’s party which was formerly the congressional Union party for women suffrage in 1913. The ERA was a step towards achieving equality for all people regardless of sex. They also used better and alternative ways to advocate for women’s rights to vote through parades, petitions, protests, and pickets and they later went on to challenge broader issues facing women in society. One of the Equal Rights Amendment says that “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on the account of Sex.” The Amendment was formed to advocate for women’s right to vote in 1923 by the national women’s Party, which later advocate for Equal Rights Amendment and broader issues facing women in society such as workplace protection. The Equal Rights Amendment in the 1920s could not get enough momentum due to individual differences among the women as some were seeking workplace Protection and some felt it could affect laws that made factories safer for working women. According to Jessica Neuwirth, a women’s rights lawyer, and a founder of ERA Coalition, she said: “suffrage advocates saw their work as remedying the intentional omission of women from the US Constitution because they were basically not full citizens who should have the right to vote.” The deadline for ratification by states was extended by three years from 1978 to 1982, but it did not yield any positive result as the required number of states needed to pass the Equal Rights Amendment was not meet up and most of those states neither had women in their states legislatures and had an ugly record of protecting women’s rights and people of color. The Virginia Equal Rights Amendment was a wonderful opportunity to pass the Amendment for a better and greater American Society that respects and values the rights of American women even though it has a major challenge. The Equal Rights Amendment has made positive gains and considerable progress in our society by addressing some issues faced by women in society even though the amendment has not been passed yet. Women are now aware of their rights both at home and at the workplace and this has a profound effect on the law and American Society. Advocates believe this could strengthen the legal basis to fight violence against women both in-office and at home plus workplace pay inequality. Professor Tracy Thomas of The University of Akron School of Law believes that protecting women’s rights in the Constitution would potentially have a major cultural impact positively. 

This week’s documentary and the article “The Untold Stories of Black Women in the Suffrage Movement” and “One Hundred Years Towards Suffrage: An Overview” by E. Susan Barber were both educating and enlightening to watch and read. The video explains the struggle black women/slaves had to go through in a world where men are seen as the head. The timeline provided us with information about the changes and development that activists/women made starting from 1776-1923. They also explain how African American women fought to gain their freedom and rights in society. The timeline explains and gives us a sense of what women activists did to make sure that everyone had the same equal right in society. Taking Abigail Adams as an example, she wrote to her husband John, who is attending the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, asking that he and the other men–who were at work on the Declaration of Independence–“Remember the Ladies.” John responds with humor. The Declaration’s wording specifies that “all men are created equal.” Abigail Adams knowing, she was married to an influential man used that opportunity to make sure that women were included in the Declaration of Independence.  

The documentary “Untold stories of Black Women in the Suffrage Movement” talks about the suffering & oppression black women went through and how they were treated by people. The documentary centered on the story of Ida B. Wells who was a leader in the civil rights movement, and she was also born into slavery. Ida B. Wells was an African American journalist & educator. She was the co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. She fought for the equality of African Americans, especially women. According to the documentary “The Untold Stories of Black Women in the Suffrage Movement, Women had fewer rights to do what they want, had no right to vote, and were considered less important in society unlike men. My classmate Fawzina Zack posted an image that also talked about these and the image quotes “Equality for women, votes for women, and give us the vote now.” women had to fight for everything to belong. Men were granted the right to vote and were allowed to hold higher positions more than African American women. Due to fear, intimidation, and later Jim crows’ laws, women could not exercise their right to vote. 

According to Ida B. Wells, African American women were intimidated and oppressed by white people, and she explained this through her publications, “Southern Horror: Lynch law in all its phases” which draws attention to the horrors of lynching. “Lynching was a barbaric practice of white in the south used to intimidate and oppress African Americans who created political competition. The documentary conveys and relays the conflict between radicals and conservatives, and male domination & women’s rights. Alongside Ida B. Wells were Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. They fought to end slavery and partly ownership of women. Susan B. Anthony said, “I will cut off this right arm of mine before I will ever work or demand the ballot for the Negro and not the women.” She also said that women deceive to vote more than black men. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton also fought to eliminate discrimination on basis of gender. And according to the article “One Hundred Years Towards Suffrage: An Overview” by E. Susan Barber, they both “Formed the American Equal Rights Association, an organization for white & black women and men dedicated to the goal of universal suffrage. 

Even though the activists have worked to equalize voting, we somehow still struggle about it today. The discussions of women’s suffrage help us understand the reasons behind the movement and understanding our history helps us see what we can do for our future.

The reading “How to think like an Activist” by Wendy Syfret and the video “Knock down the House” both show the concept of activism and activist. In “How to think like an Activist,” Wendy Syfret describes an activist as someone who campaigns to bring about political or social change. The article offers a space for activists to learn from the past and look up to the future. According to Wendy Syfret, “Activism has always relied on the voices, vision, and energy of individuals to inspire and drive social change.  

Being an activist comes with a lot of learning, challenges, and responsibilities like the Wendy Syfret said, “Knowing your values will help you stay focused on the bigger picture and not become overwhelmed by an endless list of things you could be doing.” Activists fight for what they know is right for the people who are been oppressed one way or another. A member of our class Myweleman Ouattara also expresses this in their snapshot, and it quotes “Fight today for a Better Tomorrow.” Activists fight because “They cannot allow one more person to be killed by senseless gun violence. They cannot allow one more person to experience the pain of losing a loved one. They cannot allow one more family to wait for a call or a text that never comes and they cannot allow the normalization of gun violence to continue.” We can relate this to the past movement “Black Lives Matter” movement which went around the United States with the help of activists we all were able to come “together with a shared, clear, and powerful way to disrupt the state-sanctioned violence inflicted on communities of color.” I can also relate this to a classmate snapshot by the name of Sanae Butler their snapshot shows the images of people protesting and holding up signs saying “Black Lives Matters Today, Tomorrow, and Forever we are the change. Silence is violence etc..” When we keep silent everything remains the same but when we fight and take up the role of an activist we get to speak out and change things. The Internet and social media have really made it possible to communicate, organize and create real change, and through hashtags, we engage with the right people and audience that will help the cause better. Alexandria Ocasio succeeded through her campaign videos that went viral, her progressive ideas, and her ability to communicate her message clearly through grassroots movements with the help of like-minded activists. Activism that must succeed beyond social media must have clear ideas, demands, and a community of like-minded activists that share the same interest with clear and powerful Misson. 

The documentary “Knock Down the House” talks about four female candidates for positions in the House of Representatives. All candidates are all democrats whose aim is to fight for justice, give hope to the people, and provide affordable health care for all. Out of the four women, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is an incredibly good example of an activist. She fought extremely hard for the good of the people even though she might be looked down on because she was a woman, she never let that stop her from fighting for what she thinks is right. The biggest goal for the group of activists and women that worked together was to get things done by electing working people/everyday Americans for effective representation. We change the way we see politics and the government when we create a grassroots-powered movement that can be a real opposition to the current institutional powers. As an activist the “easiest way to learn is to talk to people who have been there and done that the same thing you are going for.” These people can help offer “Support, Motivate, Connect, and point you in the direction of other valuable and trusted resources. This was exactly what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did, she was fearless and brought together people who shared the same interest as her and believed in what she was fighting for, and this was her road/way to success. She was able to answer the fundamental question, why you? The reason was that nobody else could challenge the political machines and the establishment. I love the fact that she engaged a lot of people in her movement and was able to succeed in a position meant to be occupied by a Man. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez winning the seat is meant to give us hope for a brighter future. 

Alexandria Cortez understood the needs of everyday Americans and she was able to organize and talk to members of her community which lead to a successful grassroots campaign. She had the courage and understood the power out there was an illusion and does not advocate for everyday Americans but for corporate interest. Activism is a powerful thing. It has the ability to change communities and lives and reorder the way we think about our place in the world.  

This week’s readings “Patriarchy, the system” by Allan G. Johnson and “There is no Hierarchy of Oppression” by Audre Lorde were so educating and interesting to read. “Patriarchy, the system” explains the idea of patriarchy and Gender knot and how it has existed for years. The second reading “There is no Hierarchy of Oppression” discusses the oppression of blacks and the LGBTQ+ community. I found both readings to be so enlightening because they discuss the issues we see today in our society. Patriarchy has been of a significant effect on both men and women in many ways and this has been a great problem in our society. Patriarchy is a life-threatening social disease assaulting the male body and spirit of the nation. It talks about how men and women are being treated in society. Men are taught to be strong, be violent, be in charge, dominate those around them, and feel superior towards women because it will help them protect their homes and nation. 

Patriarchy is a word that many people fail to understand or do not understand. We always believe that patriarchy is the idea that men oppress women and women need to rise and take their power back. However, patriarchy is very much complex than what we think because as Allan Johnson said, “Patriarchy is a kind of society organized around certain kinds of social relationship and idea” and “a set of symbols and ideas that make up culture.” Patriarchy is not just about men and women it is about a system we are all upholding and are part of. Someone from our class by the name Nazir O also explained this through their snapshot and it says, “The Enemy is not Men, the Enemy is the concept of patriarchy, The concept of Patriarchy as the way to run the world or do things.” I totally agree with their snapshot because Patriarchy is not just done by Men it is given to men and women by society and they have no choice but to go on with it and if we are unable to change those who made it, they will continue to give it. According to Allan Johnson, “we uphold the system by defining men and masculinity as the oppressor and women & femininity as the “other” group. Johnson also talked about the idea of least resistance which is the idea that with many paths to take in every situation, people tend to take the one that will get them the least resistance because of the way our society has shaped our perception of what is acceptable. A member from our class by the name of Hannah Nichols also talked about this in their snapshot. Their snapshot quotes, “the path of resistance leads to crooked rivers and crooked men” which to my understanding means they are a lot of dishonest and crime been done by men but sometimes men do get away with it unlike when it is done by women. Patriarchy made it possible for women to be treated like slaves and unimportant. Women are supposed to endure whatever treatment that is given to them and are not supposed to have equal rights as men. 

The reading, “There is no Hierarchy of Oppression” by Audre Lorde explains the way Black and LGBTQ+ communities are being oppressed in society. Lorde begins by claiming of her identities “I was born black, and a woman.” She later expands on self-labeling and describes how these aspects of herself interact and how our society reacts to them. They are being defined as deviant, difficult, inferior, or just called plain “WRONG.” According to Lorde sexism, heterosexism, and racism are all rooted in the same struggle for power. The article also explains that no aspect of one’s identity can benefit from the injustice done to another aspect of it. Like Audre said, “Any attack against black people is a lesbian and gay issue, and any attack against lesbian and gays is a black issue because thousands of lesbians & gay means are black.” Also, according to Lorde, they must struggle to keep their identity to make sure their children come out well and make sure those children learn that they do not have to become each other to work together for the future. 

In this week’s reading “Oppression”, Frye discusses the idea of the double bind in gender. This double bind refers to “Situations in which options are reduced to a very few and all of them expose one to penalty, censure or deprivation”. Frye uses this principle to apply to the gender and dilemma women face today. We all live in a society where it is neither acceptable for women to be sexually active or for them to be sexually inactive and labeled a “man-hater, bitch or upright”. If a woman is heterosexually active, she is so open to different condemnation from people and sometimes can be called different names like a “Whore, loose or unprincipled”. Women are always criticized and oppressed no matter the choice they make and choose whether right or wrong. Just like Frye said, “The punishment comes in the form of criticism, snide, and embarrassing remarks, being treated as an easy lay by men, and scorn from her more restrained female friends”. Also, if a woman abstains from heterosexual activity, she still gets harassed by men and pushed into it. “She is also subject to the presumption that she likes sex”. So even if a woman is heterosexually active or nonactive, she is still seen as someone wanting to be raped and can never win in the world of men. This absence of choice spread thoroughly into women’s day-to-day life that even small things like how they choose to dress, or talk are condemned or looked down on. Frye also addresses the fact that men do face issues but then differentiates the issues by using the words “birdcage”. Someone from our class by the name Heatherlee explains this through their snapshot. In their post, we see a picture of a birdcage with a woman locked inside and pleading for her freedom. It explains how women are caged in our society with less dignity, fundamental rights, and freedom to do what they feel is right for them. It also explains how women are been restricted from doing certain things, making certain choices and decisions. Every woman suffers from oppression and been oppressed sometimes feels like being caged and this can restrict their mobility.  

According to Frye, men are the ones who generally benefit from women’s oppression. Like she said, “The boundary that sets apart women’s sphere is maintained and promoted by men generally for the benefit of men”. She also said that men are seen as superior and have the right to sexual access to any woman. No matter the class or race of any man, they have a wider range of pay and higher status work unlike women because “being a woman is a major factor to not having a better job, being a woman selects one as a likely victim of sexual assault or harassment, and as any women of any race or economic class, being a woman is significantly attached to whatever disadvantages and deprivation she suffers be they great or small”. 

On the other hand, the article White privilege: “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh talks about the power of white privilege and the benefits been given to white people. “As a white person, they are told to see racism as something that puts others at a disadvantage and puts whites at an advantage. Being a white person gives them assets to whatever they want unlike non-whites who have to struggle to get those privileges too. She said, “I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day and white privilege is also like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks”. Been a white set one aside for different opportunities and protection. As a white, you are being “protected from many kinds of hostility, distress, and violence” unlike non-white who has less of those privileges. Also, according to Peggy “white people are taught to think that racism could end if white individuals hanged their attitudes and having a white skin in the United States opens many doors for white people only”.