Author Archives: Donya-Shae Gordon

Donya-Shae Gordon- Reading Reflection 13

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One of the most contentious issues is abortion. While some people are in favor of the mother’s right to choose an abortion, others are against it. A pregnancy can be ended through abortion. Most people used to view abortion as the murder of a child or as a kind of child abuse. However, in today’s society, abortion is seen as giving the mother more chances for a brighter future and avoiding a kid from ruining a mother’s life. From the beginning of time, abortion has been, and always will be, a contentious issue. Recently Roe V Wade was overturn in several states. Both the media and protesters are addressing it locally. The Journal of Public Health Management and Practice by State and Local Health Department Activities states that there are regional organizations that support women in making informed abortion decisions. There are numerous groups nationwide that promote abortion. The Center for Reproductive Rights, the Feminist Majority Foundation, NARAL Pro-Choice America, the National Abortion Federation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and many others are pro-choice organizations that support women’s access to safe and humane abortions, according to pro-choice organizations. Wwomen should have ownership over their bodies and be able to shape them whatever they see fit. For instance, a woman might have been in a nonconsensual relationship and ended up becoming pregnant as one of the governmentReasons women choose to get abortions. It might be against her culture or religion, she might be too young, or both. This is a feminist problem because it affects women, and feminists can support either side of the debate, despite the fact that most of the time they are perceived as being against abortion laws.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Reading Reflection 12

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In order to convey their ideas, legitimize their identities, and publicize their fights, activists use art. They refer to themselves as ARTivists to highlight the sometimes ignored overlap between the two. However, activists have been making art to progress themselves and their communities long before the name “activist” was invented. These people symbolize community, albeit from a solitary perspective, at an era when art, institutions, and cultural producers are frequently condemned for failing to take a stand. They continuously put themselves out there by using photos, messaging, or a combination of both to communicate with us visually. They combine information and data through editing, aesthetics, and composition in a way that is both easily digestible and communicable and can be produced for mass distribution. The autobiographical elements of many of the pieces in this exhibition support the exhibition’s central thesis that the advocate and the creator are inextricably linked. It can be challenging to distinguish the problems and causes from the artist’s personal identity in many situations.The rebellious act of speaking out can inspire the public or those in authority to enact change, even when art by itself cannot directly alter policy or legislation. The pieces in Articulating Activism show how effective art can be in promoting social equality and fighting against repressive social norms. They do this by giving these battles a voice and bringing them to light on a worldwide scale.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Discussion 14

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Women should have access to abortions. The government should assist with these expenditures because not all women can afford to have an abortion, let alone a child; otherwise, poverty and abandoned children may rise. Abortions and birth control have been more prevalent since the epidemic than most people may realize. Many women must travel for abortions, and the pandemic is making this difficult for them. Roe v. Wade shouldn’t be overturned because each person has the right to decide what to do with their own body. Abortions performed at home are risky for mothers and should not be encouraged. For those who require it, abortion needs to be made more accessible. Having the child outright would be more expensive than getting an abortion. This is why the government should be assisting to pay for the one abortion rather than attempting to assist a family who couldn’t afford to have a kid but had no other alternative because it was difficult to come up with the abortion money on the spot. They are getting ready to do whatever they can before abortions are outlawed in the event that Roe v. Wade is reversed. By constructing this larger facility, they have increased their capacity to provide abortion assistance to women from other states. Some women must travel in order to receive an abortion. Even though it could just be a few hours away, the majority of women have to go to entirely separate states. Due to the pandemic, the majority of women are currently unable to travel, making birth control and abortions difficult to obtain. It should be possible to order abortion drugs by mail. Patients must obtain the two medications from a clinic before being simply sent home with them. There are organizations of women who assist other women in obtaining abortions in countries where doing so is prohibited. Abortions of any kind are prohibited in El Salvidor, whose laws are so harsh that even women who miscarry can receive sentences of up to 30 years in prison.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Discussion 13

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ENOUGH is activism art that was showcased at the “Walls of Demand” exhibit in DC. This art was done by 3 Whitman seniors they wanted to showcase gun violence towards the African American community and the oppression they are going through. I choose this because it is raw and I feel as if it’s truly telling a story. The different shade of brown shows its a problem on a grand scale and not just to a specific skin tone.

As part of the final phase of a 5,000-mile journey across Europe from the Syrian border, a massive puppet of a Syrian refugee child intended to represent the millions of displaced children touched down on Tuesday on the shore of southeast England. Her name is Little Amal and she is running from the war in Syria. I choose this art because it brought so much awareness to what was going on in Syria, she traveled through the world in hopes of refugee. Little Amal was built by the Handspring Puppet Company in Cape Town, South Africa.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Reading Reflection 11

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Relations between racial and ethnic groups have historically been characterized by hostility, inequity, and violence. In the complex and fast-paced society of today, historians, social theorists, and anthropologists have been known to spend a lot of time investigating and challenging not only the internal dynamics of the institutions that mold people’s behavior and personalities, but also the interactions between race and culture. The idea that racism has been defeated in America is tough to accept. Although many claim that America is a “color blind nation,” racism and racial conflict are nonetheless pervasive in American institutions’ social fabric. According to the HHS, White Americans have much better health than minority groups like Hispanics, Asian Americans, African Americans, and African Americans. For instance, hypertension, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and kidney failure, is 16% more common in African American women than in white women (“Health”). Discussions over the causes of this health divide, including whether or not race should be taken into account when prescribing medications, have arisen. When it comes to healthcare access, transgender people frequently encounter the most difficult obstacles. Transgender patients frequently have to go through a lot of hoops or hide their identities in order to acquire the healthcare they need, whether they are looking for access to hormones, therapy, general health services, reproductive healthcare, or specialty healthcare. This is especially true in situations where a person has multiple intersecting identities, such as being both transgender and being a person of color, disabled, LGBT, indigenous, undocumented, impoverished, etc. Inaccessibility based on racism, transphobia, homophobia, stigmatization of mental illness, etc., insurance requirements, and doctors’ general unwillingness to help are just a few of the ways that these intersecting identities interact to create even more barriers for trans people seeking healthcare. The fact that the majority of healthcare professionals are unfamiliar with treating transgender patients may be the biggest factor in the subpar treatment provided to transgender patients.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Discussion 12

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What surprised you in the readings and film?

For many years, Black Americans have complained about prejudice and discrimination in the medical profession. Comparing the black community to other racial/ethnic groups in this country, there is a clear disparity in how well it does in terms of key health indices. Black Americans’ health and healthcare outcomes are far worse than those of white Americans or other minorities in the country. My goal is to investigate the origins of this inequality and determine whether there is a deeper reason for the stark disparity between the healthcare received by black Americans and those from other racial and cultural backgrounds. When I read A Birth Story, I was shocked to read the doctor complaining about having to go down to the labor and delivery unit. Why don’t you just perform a C-section, the doctor asked one of the doctors in front of LeConté and everyone else in the room. I’m not sure how she must have felt at that that time. I was shocked to learn that a doctor told Jessica, a non-binary person, that their fears were unfounded and that it was confusing their gender identity when I read 12 Reasons It Should Be Illegal for Doctors Not to Treat Trans People.

What connections could you find across the readings and film?

In both the readings and the movie, I was able to draw a parallel between how the characters dealt with hardship without losing focus or succumbing to other negative thoughts. In Time. The women in the Indian rural community struggle with the widespread stigma connected with menstruation. In both the book and the movie, people were had to endure painful things because of circumstances beyond their control.

How does the format in which the stories are shared impact your understanding of medical oppression and/or other aspects of gender we have discussed this semester?

Due to the stories’ authenticity and realism, the style in which they are delivered influences how I perceive medical tyranny. Each reading’s characters’ suffering was palpable to me. I was moved to tears when Leconte said she felt invisible and could only speculate as to how she may have felt. It was terrifying for Terra Miller to observe a nurse who was supposed to be taking care of you change her behavior when she realized she was on hormone-related medication. I learned that gender is only skin deep and doesn’t define who you are after hearing these people’s honest, genuine, and real stories. I now believe even more in the acceptance of everyone, regardless of circumstances.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Reading Reflection 10

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Identity is about having a sense of place, about what you have in common with other individuals and what makes you unique. It provides you with a sense of personal place at its most fundamental, the reliable foundation of your uniqueness. But it’s also about your complicated interactions with other people, relationships that have grown increasingly complicated and perplexing in the modern world. Every one of us juggles many, potentially incompatible identities that compete for allegiance within us: as men or women, black or white, straight or gay, able-bodied or crippled, “British” or “European”… The possibilities for the list and our possessions are virtually limitless. By and for the new social groups that entered the public consciousness in the late 1960s, such as the black movement, feminism, lesbian and gay liberation, and others, “identity politics” was initially established. The agony of the Left over the past ten years has included the problem of how to incorporate these innovative but ethereal and potentially polarizing forces into the political mainstream. However, the core of contemporary politics is primarily centered on issues of identity. No identity is neutral. Different, and frequently at odds with one another, values underlie the search for identity. By expressing who we are, we also want to communicate who we are, what we think, and what we want. The issue is that these values, wants, and requirements frequently clash not only across different communities but even inside people. Because they involve fundamental, deeply felt questions about who we are and what we want to be and become rather than being merely hypotheses about the world and our role in it, discussions about values are made to be particularly sensitive and tense. Additionally, they raise important political issues, such as how to reconcile our individual and collective human demands.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Discussion 11

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How do this week’s readings by Garza and Williams (and Anzaldua if you did the optional reading) expand your understanding of identity politics?

In order to prioritize freedom for everyone and an extension of inclusion without contrast to biased emancipation that benefits some while enslaving others, identity politics had to be reshaped within feminist groups. A political movement known as “identity politics” is one that was started by a specific group, race, nation, culture, or social class in order to effect change. I believe identity politics is a movement that seeks to freely embrace all oppressed people without excluding anyone or opposing the liberation of the oppressed, according to my understanding of the term. Identity politics helps enforce the power to bring improvement for all, regardless of their race,age, sex, social class, religion, and but not limited to gender. This also everyone to achieve a common goal free from prejudice and discrimination.

What topics would you like to explore as a class in the remaining weeks of the semester? Optional: Why these topics?

A few topics I would like to explore in the remaining weeks of the semester will be the following:

-Abortion rights, Same-sex parenting, Same-sex adoption rights, and Gender stereotypes.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Reading Reflection 9

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A group of Black feminists penned the influential Combahee River Collective Declaration in 1977, and it is a significant text. They talk about their political beliefs and the lack of equality, fairness, and freedom they experience. The relationship between two elements, such as oppression and complexion, is one of the statement’s central ideas. Many oppressions have had an impact on the writer’s experiences. Using sexism and racism as examples. The significance of teamwork and cooperation is also emphasized in the Combahee River Collective Declaration. According to the writers, in order to create a society where everyone is treated equally, all downtrodden must band together in the struggle against oppression. Activists are aware of the value of cooperation among various social movements. The author seeks to debate and discredit other social justice organizations. One of the statement’s most crucial features is the inclusion of the feminist movement. They believe this because the feminist movement concentrated on resolving problems affecting white women. It did not adequately meet the needs of black women at the time. The Combahee River Collective Declaration is a powerful call to action that urges us to deal with and end the various forms of oppression that have harmed our society. It serves as a reminder that the struggle for justice and equality must be a team effort that incorporates the opinions and firsthand accounts of all oppressed people.

Donya-Shae Gordon- Discussion 10

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What is meant by the following quote?: “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.”

According to how I interpret the quote, action is needed to combat the economic marginalization, racial oppression, and gender oppression that black women face, which places them at a low level in all respects. Then, this action would destroy all types of structural racism, systematic oppression, and oppression that aided in the domination of white men at all levels. Regardless of their personality, black women want to be represented at all levels so that male supremacy, stereotypes, and oppression—including prejudice towards black men—can be ended.

What does the Combahee River collective mean by “identity politics”? How do you see this operating in Paris is Burning?

Black feminist battle against racial, sexual, heterosexual, and class oppression was made clear by “identification politics.” “Identity, politics” is a concept that personifies the black feminist drive for social injustice. Black, queer, trans, and gender nonconforming persons share their struggles, prejudice, and rejection in “Paris is Burning.” By establishing a group they call “ball” where they may acquire confidence, flaunt their talents, and express how they want to be viewed in society, they show that they are resilient. It reveals how identities that are crossed strongly affect and mold one another and revolve around the fight for freedom and survival.

What do race and gender have to do with capitalism?

Black people are forced to work while others are temporarily viewed as doubly valuable tokens at the white-collar and corporate level due to institutional racism because capitalism is an economic and political system in which people of different genders and races control a nation’s trade and industry (CRC.). In the capitalist system, uneven rights, power, masculine superiority, and exploitation of the weak are created. The marginalized group strives to escape capitalism as long as men may still advance to positions of power in the workplace and women are more likely to hold low-level employment. The system is repressive and interrelated, and addressing the issues with capitalism, patriarchy, and other systems is the only way to end systematic oppression.