Pronouns have caused controversy in American society for years now. It is frowned upon to use they/them instead of the traditional she/her or he/him. Accepting genders beyond women and man is moving beyond the gender binary. Alok did a great job at breaking down what it means to move beyond the gender binary. He makes it clear that it doesn’t mean humans can no longer identify as a man or women. It means other genders should be acknowledged and society should consider them a norm. Being non binary supports preserving the human right to be a man or women. I like how Alok mentions how there are an infinite amount of options and we are not limited to the gender binary norm. People mistaken these genders to be something of modern day. Actually, people have been identifying beyond the two genders for centuries. With that being said, why is it still a challenge to be accepted? It takes progression and the understanding that you don’t have to identify with what you were assigned to at birth.  As a cisgender, I have been told countless times to act more like a women. People tend to assign being a woman with being hyper feminine, especially in my culture where infinite options do not exist. As someone who identifies as a women, i believe i fit into the gender binary for the most part. I express myself as compassionate, warm, and kind. Im what a women stereotypically is seen as. What I believe Alok is advocating for is not only the freedom to identify as what you’d like, but to break barriers of how someone should behave. I have gone beyond the gender norms as a women according to society when i came off as masculine or wasn’t gentle enough in the way I spoke. Little things like this are why the stiff interpretation of two genders is toxic. People can not freely express themselves past a women being feminine and a man being masculine. As Alok mentions, putting people in two categories simply doesn’t work. Something I took from his video is the recognition of history. I believe if people would stop blaming the new generations for something that has always existed, people would learn to just accept it. I believe this connects to feminism also, where we are not fighting for dictatorship over men, but equality. Aloks point is we are not fighting to get rid of two genders, but to accept expansion. 

The definition “a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” is a true feminism meaning to me. Connecting to Hooks, I believe it shows that we are not anti men. Hooks mentions how feminism isn’t what it’s made out to be in society. Feminism is usually in a bad light, especially from mens perspectives. They are usually caught off guard when a feminist promotes equal rights and not belittle men. This assumption causes the movement to be overlooked or not taken seriously. I admire Hooks’ take on this, as it is refreshing to see a woman that wants to be equal, not more powerful or dominant. The definition also refers to women and how they play a role in sexism. “As a consequence, females can be just as sexist as men”(pg.4). Taking accountability for the female gender is something not pleasant, but needed. Women become wrapped up in sexism, causing them to believe that men should be less in power. In order for feminism to progress as a movement, we must look at both sides. Compared to what i thought feminism meant before this reading, It was quite similar. I always believed that this movement was deeper than “hating men” or “being dominant”. Hooks makes it clear that equality is the goal. Getting rid of the negative stigma feminism has around it can lead to more support and a healthier society. After reading sex and gender 101, i have a different take on gender. It really dives deep into what gender means in society. I always assumed sex equalled gender, but it is just what we are assigned based on social and cultural roles. This leads to expecting a female to be feminine and a male to be masculine. Society putting pressure on each other since children to act a certain way based on gender is why many aren’t comfortable with themselves. The article made me realize how gender has caused toxic masculinity, lack of women’s rights, oppression, sexism, and much more. It mentions how gender is why some cultures view boys’ education as more valuable, whereas women aren’t valued. If masculinity and femininity wasn’t assigned to sex, many of these problems wouldn’t exist. Should gender be assigned at birth? I can see why many may be against it now. People may be able to grow up without the pressures of acting a certain way because of a social construct.

Hello everyone, my name is Amirah. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I’m currently a sophomore studying criminal justice. I’ve always wanted to study criminal justice, but I do have interest in other majors/subjects. I think business and fashion will always be something that catches my eye. Some of my hobbies are going to the gym, reading, and shopping. I try making the gym a priority even with work and school to stay active and healthy. I’m from New York and I love it here. I appreciate the fast paced environment and the city vibe. I value my family, myself, and my passions. I believe valuing yourself is incredibly important, especially as a woman. Misogyny being so active in this era can make it hard to see your self worth and dim your confidence, but I made it a goal to prioritize valuing myself this year. My hopes and dreams (long term) are to experience pure happiness and success. Specifically, I’d like to eventually graduate law school and live out my dream of being a criminal lawyer. I see a prestigious career, traveling, and a healthy lifestyle in my future. I’m taking this course because although it does not connect to my major, I am very passionate about women’s studies. I feel that as a woman, it is important to study my gender. Femininity and taking pride in your sexuality is significant to me because it has helped me be more confident in who I am and understand that respect is everything as a woman. As I mentioned earlier, misogyny can make many women feel undervalued. I’m looking forward to learning more about what it means to be a woman and learning more about other genders. A show I would recommend is The Handmaid’s tale. Many people may see this as just a show that strips women of their rights, but there’s a bigger message behind that. Although going through extreme oppression, they still choose to work as a team to escape the town, showing how women can conquer against the odds. Legally Blonde is also a movie I’d recommend, even though most have already given it a watch. I remember feeling empowered at a young age seeing Reese Witherspoon work in a man dominant field and maintain her femininity at the same time. Always made me laugh and gave me a confidence booster at the same time! Well, I’m looking forward to this class and good luck to everyone this semester!