Identity politics is not a difficult idea, but because of how “American conservatives” have corrupted it, it has become somewhat of a “hard-to-define” idea. Power is the root of identity politics, which, as Garza points out, is in no way comparable to what it means to feel empowered. I became aware of the gap between power and what it really meant to feel empowered as I read Garza’s reading. When he compared empowerment to the ability to select what to eat for breakfast, Garza provided a straightforward and relevant analogy that really hit the mark. Power, on the other hand, belongs to those who are in charge of making these options available to us (or not). This expands my understanding of power and demonstrates the need of identity politics since, as Garza writes in her piece, “A lack of understanding of power is central to how power operates.” Our power is not as profound as I formerly believed it to be. During Garza’s reading, she made a strong statement that caused me to pause and consider where power actually exists in our daily lives. This is the statement, “Power prefers to operate in obscurity; if how power operates was fully transparent, I suspect many of us would rebel against it.” Is everything we believe to be power, in particular, a created and managed illusion? Do we really have the ability to make decisions that are solely in our best interests? Identity politics are really important because of this. 

Collectively, when I consider where we are in the world now, I automatically include people of color. This is primarily because people of color have been taken advantage of for what they could offer, rather than just because they have been dealt a harsh life. “We might use our position at the bottom to make a clear leap into revolutionary action.  If black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression,” women of color come to the forefront of my mind because of the very real and very corrupt struggle that oppression causes. Our culture is based on people of color, and women of color have been subjected to the worst of it, so this oppression affects us all collectively. Because it originates from a real area of corruption, this problem is far bigger than we realize. Therein, capitalism exists, and race and gender are linked to and have an impact on multiple notions. The pay for women of color and the products that are promoted to us, like the beauty business, which generates billions off of our very fears, are examples of this. The mismatch between our identities and our experiences in the day-to-day is profited from and made worse by capitalism, which very literally feeds off of us. The system was created so that only those that are not of color could succeed and thrive, with the intention of keeping people of color in a position of a a stagnant place. 

As women, we face challenges that we are expected to overcome, despite any problems that may develop. Men criticize and judge our every move, which Mainardi interprets as complaints from men, on top of everything else we have to put up with. Nobody is immune from this, and I, for one, am all too familiar with the situation because I see it even in my family’s older generations. According to my understanding, a liberated woman is someone who can look beyond what is stated, interpret nonverbal cues, and manage herself when these situations arise. The reading this week confirmed my conviction that being a woman means being complex, whether in terms of our biological makeup, thoughts, or emotions. Personally, I think it’s important for women to first have a strong awareness of themselves so that we can easily recognize when guys don’t fully view us for who we are. This goes beyond just having men comprehend our body. I believe that self-awareness is a result of not being understood in intimate relationships, which is evident when men are unable to assist women in experiencing orgasm. A woman who knows herself well enough to refuse an attempt by a man who does not value her enough to get to know her, be around her, or enter her life is a liberated woman. This week’s reading helped me comprehend why self-awareness, independence, and assertiveness are essential qualities for a free woman on a deeper level. The readings from this week show that the “personal is political” by highlighting the necessity of acknowledging all issues in order to bring about significant change in the world. When we decide to ignore or deny our actual emotions, we are collectively holding ourselves back. It is critical to speak up because it was brave people who recognized injustice and inequity and resolved they would not settle for anything less. 

The equal rights amendment, labor rights, and suffrage are connected because, in addition to indicating the height of the women’s suffrage campaign, these rights also helped women get closer to equality. Not only are equal rights, labor rights, and suffrage indicative of the transformation that the movement is working toward; these rights are also essential requirements for any society to advance and succeed. This week, a movie on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire was shown to us. This disaster, which many workers lost their lives as a result of the owner’s incompetence, occurred in the factory. Due to the owners’ decision to shut the fire escape exit doors, 146 of the 500 employees—most of them were women—had to plunge to their deaths during the tragedy. This tragedy served as the turning point that finally brought to light the dangerous circumstances upon which sweatshop industries were founded. This incident serves as a clear illustration of the importance of labor rights in order to ensure the safety of all workers. 

Regardless of gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation, equality for all comes to mind when we think about gender justice. This is significant since the foundation of gender justice is unmatched equality for everyone. Fundamentally, labor rights are also about ensuring equality for everyone in the workforce. Because we acknowledge a gap in the equality of all regardless of gender, ethnicity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, labor rights are equally gender justice problems. I notice multiple ways in which these past issues are still present in modern culture. Even if we are given the same tasks at work and are both similarly qualified, I often find that my male counterpart earns more money than I do. This problem, which occurs frequently in workplaces, serves as a prime example of how important labor rights are. In terms of equality, I’ve heard a man tell my transgender buddy that she’s wrong to use a “woman’s” restroom. It is completely against equal rights, and in this day and age it is depressing to see that there are people who do not understand or seem to want to comprehend, so I was completely taken aback. 

These past few last weeks have been so informal and very interesting in this class. Personally, I learned a lot about feminism, activism, oppression, and women’s history. The subjects that I used to find very sensitive to read or talk about, now I feel more educated and excited about knowing more and more. This week’s reading was very important as we get to see the behind scenes of the pornography industry and look at all the pain our young girls have been through. In such a male domination society where males are objectifying women’s bodies, these women have nothing but a body to play with. Women have been used as sex objects to build a billion-dollar industry. Not only that but men are also forced to act aggressively towards women which impacts their behavior towards women in public. We don’t see enough women in colleges, work places, or even hospitals because how people think that women don’t belong to such industries and they are too weak and stupid to have nice jobs. I think after all these readings of this week and the past weeks, I am more concerned and worried about my image as a woman, and I will definitely speak up for myself or any other woman If I have to. 

I learned what activism is after reading “United in Anger” and seeing the movie. It is when you have a movement for a cause to bring about legal or social change. Making other people listen to you has a lot to do with activism. A group called “Act Up” from the movie “United In Anger” hoped for social change, just like the majority of us want. This group fought for justice on their behalf. People with HIV/AIDS and other serious medical problems are protected under these rights. Some of these patients were unable to pay for their medications or medical care. This organization made a reference in the movie that these individuals deserve help, such as health insurance, as they pass away from this illness. I learned from this movie that activists struggle for what they desire. I’ve also come to see that activism serves everyone in society, regardless of anyone’s personal motivations. This proves to me that there are good people in the world.