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”.

Over the years people try confusing feminism with the likes of gender and sex. It’s very true indeed that , we can’t simply do away with the terms involved but sexism or sexes , that is the genetic make up of being a male or female and gender which refers to a social construct dealing with the roles played by men or women actually do come together to explain what exactly is meant by feminism. We can’t also dissociate the fact that it’s mainly women in the mainstream among those pushing for feminist actions one way or the other but on the other hand that shouldn’t be the case. We get to realize women normally go all the way to push for gender equality , trying to bridge the gap that have been created in society in terms of males dominating the system one way or the other. It’s very much important that we understand that the main reason women are seen in the scene combating male dominance is relatively because of patriarchy. The main interesting part of these made women feel very uncomfortable that they are being limited and persuaded to disregard any form of retaliation against male dominance. Women were made to succumb and follow suit to men always secondary when it comes to leadership positions especially in politics. Revolution were led and people especially women who felt the need to combat such crisis made it a head way to accomplish a goal to be on an equal forum and level with other men. Another important faction of all this happens to be the black feminism or black feminists who fought for equality after realizing the series of racial abuses they faced when they try to propagate something on their own. It became their mainstream that even pushed further the idea that women literally are the mainstream of feminism but it shouldn’t be the case for feminism, just like gender, should be a conception and shouldn’t be only characterized to sexes, but sometimes about the depiction of the social construct on the issues of roles played. Equity and equality happens to now be the mainstream of the works of feminists over the past few years. It’s rather important that we explain so everyone understands that feminism is for everybody and everyone has their role to play one way or the other. Things or responsibilities like taking care of children, doing some domestic house chores like cooking and cleaning shouldn’t be the explanations that should or must be leveled for feminism deducing their functions in societies to such a lower pace. It’s acceptable also that largely, women do have a more advanced behavior that makes it easy to naturally tally them as feminists yet there’s a slight line that means feminism should be a social construct that would accommodate all persons. Women thus took to politics to cement their spot and take their rightful space as con-equals and shouldn’t be undermined because being a woman by sex doesn’t mandate anyone to be limited and fall short because of the likes of patriarchy.

In the reading “Sex and Gender 101” by Kyl Myers I learned the terminology for people’s sexual orientation. Biological Sex refers to males having a XY chromosome and females having a XX chromosome and how male and females develop when they hit puberty. The article explained the views of a boy and girl in which a girl should be playing and dolls and boys anything that has to do with male toys. For some people it would be wrong to see a boy playing a doll or a girl playing with a car. The article mentioned the difference between Gender assignment and Gender identity. Gender assignment would have to be when you’re already born as a girl or boy so you would identify yourself as boy/man or girl/woman. Gender Identity would have to be someone identifying themselves and transgender, non-binary, etc. I enjoyed leaning about the different terms and learning a bit more about what each meant. 

            In the reading “Feminist Politics: Where We Stand” by bell hooks she talks about feminism not being anti male but coming together as women from different races. Something that catched my attention was when she mentioned mass media. Bell Hooks stated, “The feminism they hear about the most is portrayed by women who are primarily committed to gender equality equal pay for equal work, and sometimes women and men sharing household chores and parenting.” I feel like mass media portrays feminism as women wanting the same rights as men and wanting equality, but it’s more than just that it’s about women empowerment. I liked the image that Jasmine Vargas used because it represented women coming together as one from different races. It doesn’t matter what color a female can be they all need to support each other and it doesn’t matter in what situation they can be. 

In this week’s two readings, I found them to be extremely interesting and it really broadened my views on sexual assignment, gender, sexism, and feminism. In the first article, “Sex and Gender 101” by author Kyl Myers, it breaks down biological sex and social and cultural imposed gender norms to its bare bone basics so it is easy for readers to understand terms that are sometimes more complicated and/or sensitive. In the second piece, “Feminism is for Everybody” by Bell Hooks, it dives deep into the definition of sexism and feminism and many misunderstandings and prejudices created by society and cultures. 

In the first article, “Sex and Gender 101” by Kyl Myers, I was exposed to a lot of new knowledge and terminologies. The article went into deep explanation about terms such as gender identity, gender expression, gender assignment and how they differentiate from sexual assignment. While reading the article, Kyl Myers made sure to emphasize each of the different categories and how they are unique from one another. For example, Kyl Myers says sexual assignment and gender are different as sexual assignment is what an individual’s sexuality is scientifically at birth. This is solely based on the sexual organ of the child. Gender, on the other hand, is something that is given to individuals by society and culture. Gender is meant to be fluid and is a human man construct. I also learned that gender, throughout history, has changed countless times therefore it is flexible and not set in stone. After reading “Sex and Gender 101,” I was extremely overwhelmed. I was happy that I was learning a lot of new terms and it was great exposure to a topic that I wasn’t familiar with, however, it was really quite a handful and I had to go through the reading multiple times. Nevertheless, I gained a lot of new knowledge and ultimately I was glad I was learning. Society assigns us a gender and it is okay for us to break through ‘the norm.’ We should all express ourselves in whichever way we feel is right as there is no right or wrong when it comes to gender. Society has a lot of answers, but it doesn’t hold all the answers. Sometimes, we have to make our own truths. 

In our second article, “Feminism is for Everybody” by Bell Hooks, Bell Hooks dives deep into the meaning of feminism and sexism. As many people, me included, seemed to always get the definition of feminism and sexism intertwined and mixed up. In the article, Bell Hooks said “Most men find it difficult to be patriarchs…But they fear letting go of the benefits.” I, personally, don’t see myself in that light, however, I am sure there are many others that fit into that model. Because of this mentality, women have been passively marginalized and end up not getting what they deserve. My main takeaway from this article is when Bell Hooks writes “We can share the simple yet powerful message that feminism is a movement to end sex- ist oppression.” This line was a very powerful line for me as it basically summed up the whole article for me. We can change this current situation if we all can start out with a common and simple starting point. We can work together and solve the issues of feminism and sexism. 

Sex and Gender 101 by Kyl Myers gave an overview over the difference between gender and biology, as well as the definitions for them. Biological sex explains purely physical attributes that people often confuse as the very things that contribute to a person’s gender and identity. Gender, however is a social construct that doesn’t have anything to do with a person’s biological sex. It is easy to confuse the two because we assign gender to our children based on their biological sex thus raising people to think that there are only two ways to identify. Alongside gender identity is gender expression which can sometimes confuse people because it may challenge your assumptions on what a “woman” or a “man” should look like. Sexual orientation is also something that people align too much within gender stereotypes, there are many sexual orientations and they don’t have anything to do with someone’s individual gender.

In Bell Hook’s chapter in “Feminism is for Everyone”, she writes critically about how society treats people based on their gender as well as how to radically shift your perception to challenge the status quo. She explains what feminism is as well as what it isn’t and talked about some of the earlier movements as well as branches of it. I like that she spoke about how women can be sexist as well, as we are often raised to be so to uphold our patriarchal society. She spoke about how feminism isn’t an “anti-man” movement but an anti-sexist and a equal rights issue. People often miss the point and don’t realize how deeply ingrained these issues are in our society.

In this week’s reading were two informative and insightful topics that came from “Femenist Polticis, Where We Stand” by Bell Hooks and “Sex & Gender” by Kyl Myers. Feminism is a political movement to end discrimination against girls and women. Sex is a biological determination through human anatomy and pyschology aspects assigned at birth. An example of this are the X and Y chromosomes within a person’s DNA. Gender is based on that individual’s role in society that may be influenced by their culture, religion, and tradition. These topics closely relate to one another in regards to social and political views and expectations someone may face due to their differences and upbringing in such a diverse society. 

People seem to have a misconception about feminism in thinking that it is “anti-male” when in reality it’s more about the equality between the two sexes in which they’re able to coexist together economically, politically and socially in a respectful manner. This should also be the case for those who may differ in sexual orientation, gender identity and even race and ethnicity. It’s important for people of a particular group to speak up and have their voices heard in order to fight for what’s right so they can advocate for a greater change and a better future. 

People tend to also have misconceptions about biological sex verses gender. If a person is born with male or female physical characteristics at birth, when they get older they are not obligated to stick with their original sex because everyone thinks and behaves differently and that is where a self or group identity kicks in. The author emphasizes that “Gender expression can change over time, just as sexual orientation can fluctuate over time. Every human’s identity falls along multiple spectrums rather than in dichotomous boxes. Kind of like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure” (Myers). I understand that there is always opportunity for change and at the same time people need that reassurance that their differences are what make them unique. I feel like in today’s society there has been fairer treatment to accepting those from the LGTBQ community who together with feminist groups consist of powerful human beings looking for justice and equality. 

In connection with Emely D’s snapshot, the second image definitely depicted how society views feminism as a movement where males are the enemy and that we should bash them for their wrongdoings and sexist actions towards us women. The main goal is to empower one another’s lifestyle and grow independent and strengthen our mind. I believe whatever discrimination and judgment we may face as women we already go through a lot more on our own such as pregnancy and giving birth which is something that should be valued since it is considered a role of motherhood. These readings helped me realize that at the end of the day we want better for ourselves since life is filled with obstacles that challenge us from expressing who we truly are in a society where there are expectations and stereotypical beliefs we aren’t forced to follow.

This week’s course content has given me more insight on sex, gender and feminism. I am a proud feminist and I love learning more and more about it. The article Sex and Gender 101 by Kyl Myers explains the basics of biological sex, referring to anatomy and external genitalia. While gender refers to the social and cultural roles implied throughout someone’s life. In this article I learned the three main categories; gender assignment, gender identity and gender expression. Myers implies that sex and gender are not the same thing, which is something tons of people mix up. In the reading by Bell Hooks, Feminism is for Everybody pages 1-6, we get an extensive concept of feminism, from a feminist theorist herself. “Mostly they think feminism is a bunch of angry women who want to be like men. They do not even think about feminism as being about rights- about women gaining equal rights.” states Hooks. She goes in depth of the real meaning of feminism, feminism movements, politics and difficulties that have occurred throughout.

Gender norms have been applied into many children’s minds from the moment they step into the world. Young boys feel as if it’s their obligation to become strong, emotionless, hard-working men. Meanwhile girls feel that their responsibilities are to cook, clean, caretake, be weak and emotional. In my Snapshot 1, I mentioned how I had a friend whose father never let him attend dance classes or sing along to songs by female artists. This caused him to feel afraid to show his true self to the world. Many people are frightened of others who behave a way outside the society-traditional gender norms. They are so brainwashed.. a boy can’t wear pink or play with dolls or he’ll be categorized as “too girly”. Young girls can’t wear baggy pants or join the baseball team because it is considered “too manly”. This puts so much pressure since they will not be able to freely find their true identity in expressing themselves.

This behavior can play a role into their future lives, making this cycle of gender norms. (or even toxic-masculinity or gender questioning) I related to my classmate Jasmin H’s snapshot where they mention that in their Hispanic household, their mother would teach Jasmin to cook at a young age for her “future husband.” Jasmin mentions that they disagree with their mother’s beliefs, that they’d only be cooking for themselves. I resonated with this because I also grew up in a Hispanic household where my mother would make me do the cleaning, dishes, and never bothered to ask any of my two older brothers to help around. When I’d question her motives, she’d say “it’s because you’re a girl so you do it better than these two boys!” They’re around their 30’s and were never raised to clean up after themselves or do any domestic work. Sometimes they even “jokingly” tell me to make them a sandwich, which shows how my mother’s enabling created this sexism. I also read Shavoya Easy’s snapshot where they had the opposite situation; growing up, their household had no gender roles, both brother and sister did housework, which I am so jealous of!! I wish my parents raised me this way but they are close-minded and a bit sexist. My mother got pregnant and became a stay at home mom while my father would be at work everyday or out with friends. I guess it’s a double ended sword, because at a young age, this behavior made it clear for me how toxic, harmful and sexist gender norms can be and how I should never feed into them.

Society’s assumptions of feminism are seen as a negative trait. To me, it’s the bare minimum to be a feminist, because everybody should be one! No matter your age, sex or gender! I absolutely loved Bell Hook’s definition of feminism; “Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression.” When Hooks tells people she is a feminist theorist, they misinterpret the concept, thinking every feminist is just a man-hater.” The feminist movement is not about being anti-male. It’s clear that the problem is sexism.” I believe the reason many people interpret feminism as being anti-male is because they feed into the patriarchy and are afraid to rebel against it. “Most men find it difficult to be patriarchs. But they fear letting go of the benefits. So they find it easier to passively support male domination even when they know in their hearts and minds that they are wrong. If men knew more about feminism, they’d no longer fear it, releasement from patriarchy bondage.” says Hooks. I like how she used the word bondage because it symbolizes the inner fear that many people, not just men, have on feminism. They are too scared to learn more about it, so they cage themselves in this white supremacist capitalist patriarchy and enable sexist behavior. This reminds me of Emely D’s snapshot where they say, “We are not asking to be better than anyone else nor are we trying to belittle anyone else, all we are asking for is to get the same opportunities and be able to be free within our society.” And it includes a picture of how society sees feminism; a woman hitting a man towards the ground. It’s 2021 and so many people still believe that feminism is only about trying to be better than men, overpowering them, or being able to hit men. It’s far more than that. Women face an insane amount of discrimination and oppression based on their sex. Us feminists just want full equality for all women, regardless of age, race, sexuality, class, and disability. I just wish feminism wasn’t seen as taboo, it should never be a forbidden discussion.

It is sad to say, but I think until a few days or moments ago, I was one of the people that had a misconception about what “Feminism” and “Gender equality” really entails. More light need to be thrown on this concept. This very much because, the media and many sites’ people rely on and trust, does not tell us what feminism really is. A lot of people out there think feminism and gender equality are the same still. 

As per what I have understood from our week’s reading, Feminism is a movement that sets its center of attention on ending sexist exploitation and oppression. In the beginning, the movement was made only by women to end the sex oppressors (men). However, the movement came to a realization that not just women, but also our fellow women could be sexist. Some women actually supported the activities and the likes of sexist exploitation. “Sexist exploitation” could be any form of abuse by someone with authority and power to a less fortunate person, and “sexism” is a way of discriminating people based on genders, this mostly applies to women. It is believing that some people have a limit and/ or are inferior to another.  Feminists came to change their concept after making this realization, they did not want to overlook this fact and made it accessible for everyone.

“Gender equality” on the other hand is not really misinterpreted but rather hard to achieve. This is a sad reality we are facing, not only in our homes, but sometimes in school, workplace and many more. A lot has changed. Yes! It nevertheless does not change the fact that the belief that men are superior to women is still unimpaired. Women are still struggling to have equal benefits as men in the workplace, still struggling to have dominance in school related activities and in their homes. Even after women liberation was enhanced. 

I do have an idea of what sex and gender is, thanks to a biology class I took. Though they are a bit complicating to comprehend. “Biological sex” is said to be an assumption of the appearance of an individual’s external genitalia. “External genitalia and secondary sex characteristics can certainly be altered and there are medications that change an individual’s hormone chemistry or suppress puberty” (Myers 2). From what I understand of what this sentence is, based on an individual’s preference, he or she can decide to change his/her appearance or hormones or feelings through medications and what not. I have heard of something like this before and yet still fascinated by this fact. I most liked learning of the variations of intersex. The 46 XX intersex, 46 XY intersex, True Gonadal intersex and the complex or undetermined intersex shows how vast the topic “sex” can be.

I really found these topics to be very interesting and profound. I have been able to acquire a lot through the article and book presented. Being intuitive about matters like sex and gender is important.