When considering the ways I experience privilege, I think of experiences that not everyone are automatically provided. Things like having a home, access to a good education, being in good health and having access to medical care, and not questioning where my next meal will come from. I think simple things like that are often overlooked a privileges. Many people expect those things to be a given, not realizing how many people don’t have access to those things and are struggling because of it. Speaking of, I think living in America allows me to experience privilege. Yes, America has it’s downfalls but living here provides a better quality of life than some other countries. For example, in some countries, people don’t have access to clean water or an education. I even view having access to jobs and being able to make an income as a great privilege.

Although living in America provides a good quality of life for many, things like racism and gender inequality are big factors that can negatively effect the life you live. Being a woman of color causes me to experience oppression. Not being able to feel comfortable in certain areas or communities largely effect my way of living and the decisions I make. Especially during this time with the BLM movement, society has become scary. Openly being racist and violent toward people of color. Also, not being accepted or taken seriously whether in public or professional settings. This may not be something I’ve faced a lot right now but I’m aware it is a struggle I will have in the future when starting a career. However, I have experienced being followed in stores and being looked at over someone’s shoulder. Taking into consideration my race and gender, I think these experiences are a form of oppression.

Watching this video and doing the readings have definitely helped me gain a better understanding of the definition of oppression. In the reading “Oppression,” Marilyn Frye explains that the word oppression has been used too loosely and that there needs to be a clear definition. Since everyone faces struggles and barriers it’s important to clarify which are considered oppression and in what circumstance. Frye claims “The experience of oppressed people is that the living of one’s life is confined and shaped by forces and barriers which are not accidental or occasional and hence avoidable, but are systematically related to each other in such a way as to catch one between and among them and restrict or penalize motion in any direction. It is the experience of being caged in: All avenues, in every direction, are blocked or booby trapped” (Frye, 12). I completely agree with this definition and think it should be used like a guideline to what is considered opression. Doing so could bring more attention to serious issues and actual forms of opression.

In “Beyond the Gender Binary,” Alok defines the gender binary to be centered around gender norms. Meaning society made us belive there are only two genders “man” and “women” and created strict and specific gender norms for each. With masculinity strictly being for men and femininity strictly being for women. We are taught that these are the only correct beliefs and forms of gender expression. This narrow definition of the gender binary makes it difficult for everyone to comfortably express themselves no matter how they identify. However, this struggle is much more prominent for gender nonconforming people. Them just being themselves and outwardly expressing it provokes people who refuse to accept someone being nonconforming. Gender norms are instilled into people and can make them belive that it is wrong for people to not fit the “guidelines” of their assigned gender.

For Alok, moving beyond the gender binary means to break away from gender norms and be more accepting to how people choose to identify and express their gender. Currently, there is extreme judgment toward gender nonconforming people, going as far as political prosecution and threats of violence. Gender is complex and fluid and that concept being taught instead of gender norms can increase acceptance of nonconformity and help to move beyond gender binary. My point being, people shouldn’t just be allowed to freely express their gender, it should be accepted and embraced. Instead of being nonconforming being looked down upon, being unaccepting or hateful should be looked down upon.

One experience that stands out to me that made me question gender identity/expression was Halloween a few years ago. I was costume shopping with my grandmother and I jokingly picked out a dinosaur costume and my grandma stopped me saying that costume is not for girls and that I should pick something that is pretty. I knew my grandma didn’t mean any harm when saying that to me, but those are the beliefs she was thought. She believed, as Alok mentioned, that girls need to be feminine or pretty but boys are meant to be masculine and are allowed to wear dinosaur costumes. I do love to dress up and be “pretty” but it should not be off-limits for me to  act or wear clothes that were labeled as “masculine” because of my gender. I hope one day everyone (including my grandma lol) become more accepting and understand that gender is complex and fluid. As well as not labeling things like clothes or costumes as masculine or feminine and designating them to one gender.

In the essay, “Feminist Politics Where We Stand” bell hooks defines feminism as: “a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression.” I understand this definition to mean that the feminist movement is fighting against  injustice as a whole. This essay explains that the feminist movement confronts issues of race and class as well as gender injustice. Before reading this essay, I thought feminism meant pro-women, anti-men, and fighting for gender equality. hooks opened my eyes to the idea that anybody can be sexist, not just men. Also to the idea that gender equality could never be achieved in a white supremacist capitalist patriarchy. An anti-men movement would make no progress in any inequality or gender issue. In order to progress, there needs to be societal changes which is the reasoning hooks gives for the feminist movement shifting to a political movement. Before reading this essay I hadn’t thought about the idea that even if women are given “equality”, they will still be exploited and taken advantage of. Society has been built to facilitate oppression so without ending sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression, there would be no chance for any form of equality.

The reading “Sex and Gender 101” by Kyl Myers  goes in-depth in intersex and the role that plays in society’s idea of gender. Myers explains that sex is based on biology, meaning girls have XX sex chromosomes and female genitals while boys have XY chromosomes and male genitals. However, he argues that intersex people disprove this idea of sex and gender by having female sex chromosomes and male genitals, ambiguous genitals, only one sex chromosome, or and extra sex chromosome. This argument disproves society’s gender assignment based on sex. This reading shows that sex and gender are too complicated to plainly declare that you are a boy if you have this and a girl if you have that. Being intersex is a prefect example of this because they do not fit into the “guidelines” of the male or female gender. Before reading “Sex and Gender 101”, I was not very informed about intersex people or their role in the topic of gender assignment. It was intresting to see some of the different things that make a person intersex listed in the reading. It really shows how inaccurate gender assignment is. It made me realize that gender is not based on sex, it is based on perception. What society perceives your gender based on the way you look or present yourself.

Hello Everyone! My name is Aleah Alamo and my pronouns are she/her. The ethnic background of my family is an ongoing debated mystery but I know for certain I am Puerto Rican and Peruvian. I was born and raised in New York City and have been really enjoying going to school in Manhattan. An interesting fact about myself is that I started school early so I am now a 17 year old in college! This is my second semester at BMCC. Being uncertain about what career I want to pursue in the future, I am majoring in liberal arts. However, going to school in the city has given me motivation to explore my different interests. I am interested in pursuing a career in sonography but I aspire to have a career in fashion. While sonography would be a great career, I am not sure if a hospital setting is right for me. I like to be creative and active and have more of a passion for art. I also really enjoy movies and music – especially musicals because they combine the two! I can be shy sometimes but I am always enthusiastic to have a conversation about movies and music. My favorite movie is Moulin Rouge and I like too many music artist to pick a favorite (Rihanna and Kanye might be at the top of my list).

I love working with and helping people and often volunteer at a soup kitchen/pantry (Manna of Life Ministries). I hope to learn more about the role gender plays in oppression and inequality. While volunteering, I’ve realized most of the people who come in need are women, especially women of color. I think this course could help me understand and connect with them more. I want to use what we learn to make a positive impact on the way the pantry can help these women. I believe gender and women studies can give insight into why society has been built in a way that puts women at a disadvantage. This course can build compassion for women’s struggle as well as build motivation to forward thinking that could help break the cycle of inequality and oppression.

I look forward to taking this course and working together with you all 🙂