I found White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy Mcintosh very interesting however the information within the article was not surprising. I know how white privilege works and have seen it personally countless times. The funny part is that the people that experience it look over the matter because it is benefiting them. There is one fact of the article I found interesting and that was learning that Mcintosh is a white woman. When she began to list the things, she does not experience because she has white privilege, I couldn’t help to laugh because these are thing I experience as a colored person and most of the friends and family I have experienced. “I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods that fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.” I know for a fact that this statement is the complete opposite for most people of color. I used to live in South Richmond Hill in Queens, and it was easy to find the foods of my culture because Caribbeans and Hispanics make up most of the population of that area. But if I were to go to any supermarket that was not in the “hood” I would not be able to find those things. Last year I moved to Niagara Falls NY and just to get my cultural foods I must travel 6 hours back to Queens Jamaica Avenue and Liberty Avenue just to get my cultural foods. When it comes to finding hair stylist that can do my hair it is near to impossible, and again I would have to go to Queen, Brooklyn, or the Bronx. No matter where I go in the I should be able to find products of my culture and that rule should go for everyone. One should not struggle to find cultural representation anywhere this country is literally built on migration of culture and tradition so why is it so hard to find representation in basic accommodation shops.

This brings me to my second point “I can remain oblivious to the language and customs of persons of color who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty of such oblivion.” The number of times I have witnessed a white person yelling or getting frustrated because a group of people are speaking their language in a public setting, like a restaurant, is disgusting and its always the same reply “This is America, speak English.” Or “We speak English is America.” It just really gets under the skin. The worst is when they travel out of the country and don’t think to learn the language of the country nor the customs because they feel everyone should conform to suit their abilities. Recently I was looking into teaching English in Korea, and I told my friend about it and how I will only go once I am as least able to have a full conversation in Korean. My friend asked me why I needed to learn Korean and told me I didn’t need to learn Korean because most of the population would know English. Its very sad that some people are so close minded and feel they don’t have to learn things about other countries they go to because the country is “westernized” I am no long friends with that person.

It’s funny how the same way most white people are oblivious to white privilege is the same way most men are oblivious to the oppression of women. Reading Oppression by Marilyn Frye was a bit emotional because it angered me to read about all the BS situations women go through and the way we are so looked over and undermined. I appreciate the way Frye spoked about how oppression truly is and how it may seem like it happens to both men and women but not in the same contest so much that men don’t experience it. The part when Frye spoke about the agency men have to open the door and all the little, small “chivalrous” gestures for women is something the whole world needs to read. “Men will impose themselves awkwardly and jostle everyone in order to get to the door first.” (Frye page 12) This has always been so funny to me, and I never understood the whole chivalry thing, like I can open the door on my own. However, as I got older, I realized that most men use the “gentlemen” card to manipulate women to do things for them in return. About 3 years ago I went on a date with this guy, and he was super nice throughout the whole date, however I believe he saw being nice and gentlemen like as an open pass to touch me inappropriately. I ended the date, and this man had the audacity to tell me after he was much a gentleman and paying for everything, I didn’t let him kiss me and I was a bitch for that. Women are taught if not at home, then by society to please men and if you do otherwise you’re seen as an uptight bitter woman. We are expected to be jolly and just deal with the things we go through. Frye spoke about women never being able to do anything right in the eyes of society.  You dress modest and reframe from sexual actions with men and deny them when they try, you’re uptight and bitter. You dress the way you want to dress and are proud of your sexual energy and freedom you’re a whore. Raquel Hernandez post about appearance really summed up the way women are treated today, there is no pleasing anyone, EVERYTHING we do people will find a way to criticize and oppress us from expressing our true selves. To be completely honest I believe the only way we as a collective can stop the oppression of women is to do what we want and express how we feel no matter what and stand by one another. There is power in numbers, and you cannot oppress the untouchable.

(P.S. I know it can be hard to express yourself freely and fight against all the manipulative actions and norms of society that oppress us so if anyone would like some empowering Femme Fatal music, I would be honored to create a playlist and share it with the class ?)

After reading Beyond the Gender Binary, it just confirmed that the society we live in is all about control and really does not like anything that challenges the norm. Alok really spoke up about a lot of problem that gender non-conforming people deal with. “At its heart, discrimination against gender non-conforming people happened because of a system that rewards conformity and not creativity.” When Alok said this, it really hit me hard, growing up it was always a problem that I was more masculine then all the other girls. I naturally have very large hands because of my father and when I was small, they were even bigger. I never really fit in with the girls and the boys and it was always “She’s so weird, stop acting like a boy, or Why do you look so girly today.” I never understood why one thing was gatekept by one gender and the other gender was not allowed. Why is it such a problem to be yourself in this world?”

When Alok began to talk about the fact that gender was put in place to control us, I was so happy to hear that because no one I know seems to understand that. Gender is used to say, “she can’t” and “he shouldn’t.” gender just like race was put in place to keep us segregated so we as a community will not be powerful because we all see one another as different.  When Alok mention people don’t see a baby as real until they know the gender was simply mind-blowing. As a kid when my mother was pregnant; the first question people would ask it “Do you know what it is?” Like excuse me did you just call my baby sibling an it? it is true that people first evaluate your value by your gender. So, in this society where a person can’t make those evaluations on a gender non comforting person, they pretend you don’t exist or bully you into being “normal.” I remember when I was around 12, I was watching the Oprah show and she was interviewing a person that was born with both genitalia. They spoke about how they did not want to be just one or the other. They did not feel like a girl or like a boy but in the middle and on other days nothing at all. I felt something register in my head at that moment and a tear came to my eyes. Sadly, most of the time gender non-conforming people are seen as doing “the most” and everything we do is seen as a cry for attention when we are just being us.

The funny thing is that the minute you start explaining to people why you identify the way are they see it as a treat to themselves. Or take out their inability to express then selves on you. Alok also spoke about how people how a problem with gender non-conforming people is most of the time people how are also queer but are too scared and brainwashed by the norms of society that they keep their true selves inside. Then they take the frustration of not being able to be themselves out on others. This is sad but at the same time if we have the guts to be ourselves it should motivate you to do the same instead of bullying us, because be honest what are you getting out of making someone else life a living hell. Another thing Alok mentioned it that people are quick to assume that the term nonbinary will erase women and men identities. The really question it why do you think the identity of one being threatens your own? The fact is that it does not, so that argument that nonbinary people will erase women and manhood is just another way to call nonbinary people in inconvenience or a being that makes you remember you are not so different. The fact of the matter it that when ever you feel like deep in your mind and soul is what you are. Anevay Darlington posted the indigenous being with 2 spirits both feminine and masculine and I remember learning that queer people in indigenous communities are seen as higher beings because they possess both masculine and feminine divine energy. Imagine how the world would be if all humanity viewed it this way. Alok book Beyond the binary should be read by more people, They are God sent.