Author Archives: Daniela Munoz

Daniela Munoz Discussion #3

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Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok expresses that moving beyond the gender binary for Alok means having to coexist in a world as a person who does not fit in to the conventional gender binary. Alok delves into some issues surrounding his everyday life, as a person who moves beyond the gender binary and is proud to. One problematic statement Alok addresses, that people still cling to is the following, “It’s common sense that everyone is a man or a woman.” The problem with this belief is that it has been interpreted as the status quo for so long that although it is not true, it has been accepted and thus, it has been the norm for years. It is as though we fail to realize however, that discrimination, slavery and genocide were the direct result of an incorrect opinion that was widely held for long enough. 

            We truly do express and experience our gender in different ways and that is because gender is fluid and complex, even for those who identify as cisgender.  The aspect of my gender identity that goes against the binary norm is the part of me that does not and could not ever fathom telling someone that their identity is false, a costume or a spectacle. I have never understood the means behind criticizing someone who is simply living their life, as they have every right to. Ways in which I fit in to the binary norm is that I identify as a female and always have. I have always known deep down that my gender is female, therefor I believe that aspect of my gender identity fits in with the binary norm. 

Daniela Munoz Reflection 2

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It was extremely humbling to read the excerpts from Alok Vaid Manon’s book Beyond the Gender Binary. One line in particular that was truly an eye opener to the ignorance surrounding non-binary and gender non-conforming people is the following: “The assumption is that being a masculine man or feminine woman is normal and that being us is an accessory.” Honestly, this excerpt was an eye opener because I cannot imagine what it is like to deal with this sort of judgment. To be regarded as though not a real person with a real identity must be traumatizing. It is disheartening to come to terms with all of the kind of bigotry and intolerance faced by gender non-conforming people (those that diligently resist what society understands a man or woman to be) and non-binary people (individuals who are not man or woman entirely). As I was reading the excerpts, I also came to realize just how unaware I was regarding laws for trans and gender non-conforming people. I, for one did not know that the Department of Justice had expressed that trans and gender non-conforming workers are not guarded by civil rights law. Additionally, I was shocked by how cruel all of the negative and hurtful comments in Alok’s book were. It seems as though there is more concern surrounding what people are doing rather than accepting others the way we would want to be accepted. It’s overwhelming to know that these problems are occurring in these times and it makes me want to support because there is no need to be so concerned with how others choose to live their lives.

Daniela Munoz Discussion 2

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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 feminism is a movement that quickly surpasses a gain such as equality to men, and does not end there. Feminism is a movement that seeks that restructure a nation composed of liberty, freedom and anti-sexism. Sexism can stem from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, ages and biological sex. This means that the focus is on an issue that can arise within all kinds of people. All problems arise when the thought is sexist and that is why sexism must be demolished. The exploitation and oppression that comes along with it must also end if we truly seek to partake in the feminist movement. Prior to reading this essay, what I knew of feminism was entirely based on what was portrayed to me. This is because mass media handpicked what would be exposed and they chose to depict a movement that was reformist. I grew up being shown assertive women who were adamant to attain the kind of equality that would ensure equal pay rights. I was not entirely aware that feminism does not have to do with women being equal to men, not even when it comes to pay. This is due to the fact that there is a polar difference between reformist and revolutionary thinkers. The truth of the matter is, nothing will truly be solved if we continue to think that reformist thinking is behind the feminist movement. Feminists like Bell Hooks understand the root of the problem and the way for us to solve it is through the end of persecution, sexual manipulation and sexism.

            The reading Sex and Gender 101 thoroughly explained terms for me that I was unfamiliar with as well as clarified certain topics I was not entirely confident about. I was able to understand that although biological sex is how we are born, it is not necessarily our fate. This is due to medications that can alter hormonal chemistry, thus suppressing puberty from taking place. A fact that I was not aware of was that some intersex individuals may go their entire lifetime and not know of their chromosome variation, which I was surprised to learn. Prior to reading this article, I was not aware of how fluid a person’s sexual orientation can be. I am aware that there are various different sexual orientations, but I learned that as a person experiences life and grows, the kind of people they are attracted to may also change. As I was reading about the various types of sexual orientations, I came across Pansexual (pan), which means a person is attracted to the attributes of an individual, such as their personality. Being pansexual means that someone does not view sex or gender as determining factors in whether they are attracted to someone. I find that I identify as such, although I was not aware there was a term for it. I find that I have always been more drawn to how a person is, rather than anything else.

Daniela Munoz Reflection 1

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“Sex & Gender 101” by Kyl Myers starts off by clarifying on principle terms such as what biological sex is, gender and sexual orientation. The biology behind sex refers to the anatomy and physiology, which includes our outer genitalia, sex organs, sex chromosomes and sex hormones. Furthermore, Myers specifies that biological sex is in regard to how a person’s outer genitalia looks, which in turn can me changed via medication. When speaking on biological sex, the labels are female, male and intersex. Females have xx sex chromosomes, males have xy sex chromosomes and intersex persons have variations of sex chromosomes. One of the variations of sex chromosomes for intersex people is 46, xx in which the person has female internal reproductive organs as well as sex chromosomes but externally has genitals that look male. True Gonadal Intersex, another variation, is when a person has testicular and ovarian tissue either in the gonad, or the individual may have one ovary and one testicle. Universally, no matter where you are biological sex is understood. This is due to the expected development that takes place during puberty, so when a female who has xx chromosomes develops breasts, wider hips and body hair, it is no surprise.

            Gender is a term that refers to the roles that are placed for males and females, both social and cultural. There are three ways that break down gender: gender assignment, gender identity and gender expression. Gender assignment refers to when a person is labelled as either a feminine gender or a masculine one, all depending on their outer genitalia. This occurs in utero normally, even for intersex persons. This assigning of genders, children are then taught accordingly. Boys to be aggressive, rough and tough, and girls to be likeable, polite and submissive. These are stereotypical roles that affect people from pursuing their dreams in developing countries, in which a woman pursuing an education is not seen as valuable.

Gender identity is how an individual think about themselves in relation to gender. One important fact that gender identity and gender assignment may not match, and thus may be go by transgender, genderqueer, non-binary or non-conforming.If a person feels they do match, they are considered cisgender.Gendered pronouns allow others to know how to refer to someone, such as “they” or “she.” Lastly, gender expression is how a person chooses to present their gender identity. The way a person dresses or walks is how we can give people cues as to how we view ourselves and thus, how we wish to be viewed by the world. For those who are afraid of how people will view them, their gender expression and gender identity may not align. 

            Sexual orientation is alluding to who a person feels attracted to. There is a plethora of sexualities such as heterosexual(attracted to the opposite gender), homosexual(gay/lesbian), bisexual(attracted to both genders), andpansexual (attracted to the attributes of a person). Although there are set definitions for each term, sexuality is not set in stone. It is fluid and can fluctuate as a person grows. Ultimately, I have learned that these fundamental terms are not mutually exclusive, and sexuality as well as gender expression can change over time. They are not rigid because humans are constantly evolving and it is a beautiful thing!

 “Feminist Politics: Where We Stand” by Bell Hooks talks about what Hooks proposes feminism is. In Bell Hooks words, feminism is a movement that seeks to end sexism, sexist manipulation and despotism regardless of who is the perpetuator. One important move that she made was identifying the real root of the issue as sexism. Although the feminist that is shown by the media is portrayed as eager for equal work and pay to men, that is not the true meaning of what feminism is, in fact that is what the reformist feminist wants. Reformist feminists negatively impacted society as a whole because they deterred from the real movement to rebuild a sexist-free place. They also kept women of African American descent who were active at the precipice of the movement, from being featured or from gaining attention from the media. This maintained equality an achievement that was evidently not going to be attained by women who were not white. It is important to understand that feminism is simply the desire to build a nation that is free of sexism, oppression and manipulation, where all people can live their lives in peace.

Daniela Munoz Discussion Board #1

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Good evening Professor and all,

Hello Professor and all!

My name is Daniela Munoz and I am twenty-three years old. I go by pronouns she/her and as for what to call me, Dani or Daniela is fine. I am from Queens, where I was born and raised and am now in my second year at BMCC. I was actually enrolled at BMCC straight out of high school but I was not at all prepared nor did I know what I wanted to do, so I ended up leaving. Now that I am back, I feel very certain about what my plan is and so far, I have enjoyed every single class I have taken. I learned that uncertainty is not always a bad thing. I have two siblings, an older sister named Stephanie and a younger sister named Karina and both are hardworking and inspiring women. 

I am a Liberal Arts major but I plan on entering the nursing program and pursuing a career in psychiatry as a nurse practitioner. I think mental health is extremely important and I hope to someday be able to help others by any means necessary. I work at a health and wellness store and find it extremely satisfying speaking to people and helping them find what they are looking for. I also have learned website building skills that I did not know prior and it made me realize that I enjoy working hands on. I am utterly thankful for the people I have met, such as my boss because she is an understanding, supportive and generous soul. A pastime that I truly enjoy is reading books and spending time with those closest to me. For me, reading is like a mental vacation that I truly benefit from. Another hobby of mine is staying physically active i.e going for a run in the park, but this past year has been more sedentary than not. 

I look forwarding to broadening my knowledge with this course because there is so much that I know I will learn!