Author Archives: IMANE CHAABA

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READING REFLECTION 13

IMANE CHAABA

First, I want to start with the”Abortion Hotline” This is Lisa video that captures a significant subject in the abortion world: funding. Most women are not capable of affording abortion expenses and their only solution is to call help organizations like Lisa. Still, sometimes it is just too much for the company to handle all unwanted pregnancies just because women are not allowed to use federal money for abortion. Women are suffering in silence from the lack of money, poverty, mental issues, and other physical and psychological problems.

The supreme court’s new suggestion that was pointed out in the article is very interesting. It got me thinking of how after all these years, now is the perfect time to think about switching rules and banning things. Abortion is one of the most contentious problems nowadays. The draft opinion seems to be well studied and organized in hope for a decision to be made. But u, in this case it is very difficult to change a decision made in 1973.

DISCUSSION 14

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IMANE CHAABA

I started off with the short documentary video “Helpline, This is Lisa” about abortion and it seems phone calls from women who need financial help don’t stop at all. There are plenty of women who are seeking medical funds to end their pregnancies. This is a very clear message from the government that only wealthy people have access to abortion and that’s the reason why half of the people in the country are living in a poor conditions with their kids. Now, I understand clearly how bad is the hyde amendment in the U.S and how it made a specific condition on when the federal money can be used for abortion. As I read, federal money must be only used for abortion if the woman is at a risk to die or if she was raped. The question here is, what if the women commit suicide after they find out that can’t afford an abortion, or what if they will die later or sooner with their kids because of hunger. There are many consequences that laws and rules like this can cause and it is not only financial issues but psychological problems that can play with women’s minds.

Learning about the supreme court and how it has voted to overturn abortion rights has opened up my thoughts about how the decision was first made. In my opinion, Samuel Alito is very strong about his opinion and what he is bringing to the court as evidence and consequences of the Roe v. Wade decision by saying that Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. We can’t deny the fact the unborn baby has the same right that must be protected as the alive babies or people in general. It is the same thing that happens in cases in which the parents murder their child and that’s because they were never feeling as if they are ready for parenting. From that point of view, I can see why they want to change decisions in order to prevent accidents like this. The unborn child has no voice and the government and people are his voice. Babies must be protected and at the same have the minimum conditions at least to grow and live better. We don’t want a world where any woman will have sex with no protection outside the marriage life and then blame the government for not funding her abortion. This is my opinion and this is how I see things. I want to end the discussion board with an open thought.

DISCUSSION 13

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IMANE CHAABA

I choose this image specifically because it is related to some of the subjects we learned during the semester. Women are the main character in this piece. This piece was created in 1989 by the artist: Barbara Kruger Untitled ( your body is a battleground). This piece was made for the women’s March on Washington in 1989 to protest against the anti-abortion. This piece describes how women should be feeling and now how the world makes them feel about their own bodies. It gives the confidence to show power and strength.

READING REFLECTION 12

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IMANE CHAABA

Artistic activism is an artistic way that requires creativity, political view and emotional view to be delivered. Art and activism have different roles. Activism targets power but art is just a reflection of feelings and emotions. Being an artistic activist requires observation, analysis, and creativity as well. Nowadays artistic activism is more effective when it is expressed as an image or video or even a performance that includes music. People tend to be more engaged with the arts that they receive easily through social media. Artistic activism has existed for decades and by the year people confirmed that creating artistic things makes activism even more effective.

I really loved this quote”Artistic activism is activism that doesn’t look like activism and art that doesn’t look like art”. I think it is absolutely true because art is not art until it touches politics. Behind every artistic piece, there is a meaning and a message. Activism will always have different shapes since people also differ. Each artist has his/her own way of seeing things, I learned from Karen Chernick that activism was not only for males but also for women. I was very inspired by Carol Schneemann’s piece. It is so incredible to finally see that taking advantage of women by being the only ones who must take pictures of them and paint them while them sitting naked for hours. Her performance is an example of how women can do both. Carolee was known for her works about the body, gender, and sexuality. In this performance, she exposed her naked body to the audience and started talking about her vagina. Her message was very clear as she wants to break barriers that were set in the past for women.

IMANE CHAABA

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DISCUSSION 12

The way the movie “Period: End of Sentence” was filmed is beyond incredible. It shows the bottom of India’s reality. Girls who had to drop from college because they feel embarrassed when they have their period. The crazy thing is that they didn’t have a private place to change their clothes or pads to use during their menstruation cycle. One of the things I realized while watching the movie is that most men and women have no idea what menstruation is, but what is very surprising is that women keep getting pregnant without men’s knowledge. Isn’t that crazy?. Sexual education is a very essential material that needs to be taught in schools and homes. Not only people will be more informed about the subject, but they will be more aware and respectful of women and the pain they go through every month. The good thing I learned from the film is how these girls took their issues in their society and turned them into motivation and an escape from reality. They are with. no doubt, very ambitious souls and energy but I can say that they were just meant to be in the wrong place.

Racism is being delivered everywhere in the world in so many ways and black women are the ones suffering the most. Obstetric racism is one of the serious types of racism because it is delivered in the most human place on earth which is hospitals. Leconte and her experience were very sad to read because she sounds very heartbroken and emotionally down about how bad doctors and nurses were treating her. As the writer mentioned in the article”She wanted to break out of the hospital. She wanted to be a mother in her own home, not in the hospital where they poked and prodded her.”There are many dimensions of obstetric racism such as diagnostic lapses, disrespect, coercion, and ceremonies. I can tell how sad she felt just by reading the poem. I can read and see the disappointment, sadness, and illness in her words.

Many people especially transgender people experience low-quality life. They are human beings and they can go through pain, condition, and illness like every other human being.I don’t understand why doctors will lower their respect and start discriminating and treating them poorly just because of their sexual preferences. All the experiences I have read and all transgender people’s comments are reasonable and thoughtful. They deserve access to all health sources and departments. I loved Helena’s comment when she said:”Transgender people deserve the same rights as everyone else, and further protections when it comes to vulnerable situations for them. This abhorrent proposed rule threatens the lives of my friends, my student, and their families.”

IMANE CHAABA

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REFLECTION 11

A very normal and natural thing about women is considered taboo in other countries. I am very upset knowing that Indian girls had to face all kinds of environmental problems by having their period every month. The movie “Period: End of Sentence” opened an image of how there are families who can’t even afford pads which shows how the country is being poorly treated. Women need not only financial support but education also. The movie shows how women do their best to be financially independent by affording pads and helping other families too.

Obstetric racism is a form of violence that women of color and transgender people are dealing with in hospitals and clinics. The story of LeConte which is written by Dr.Dana-Ain Davis is a very emotional story that describes how racist doctors and nurses can be in the most sensitive situation in life: Giving birth. She didn’t have to go through all this pain by herself just because she is black. No women deserve to be treated less than the other one. Transgender people are also part of this type of racism where they face discrimination and rude service. They are also human beings and deserve to have access to all health sources.

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IMANE CHAABA
DISCUSSION 11

I liked the article written by Aleichia William and I found this subject of identity politics very common but most people don’t understand the true meaning of it. Most people are living in the same situation as William did but won’t ever get the chance to speak. These people are facing race oppression which means that people will identify their race and origins just by the color of their skin. The case of Alicia is a true reason to prove that this kind of impression is wrong and shouldn’t be normalized in America.

The topics that I would to read about in the upcoming weeks are gender and women, problems that women face because of oppression, and these types of sensitive topics that we don’t normally hear or read about in classes.

IMANE CHAABA

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REFLECTION 10

I enjoyed reading the article ” Too Latina To Be Black, Too Black To Be Latina” by Aleichia Williams. She was a young lady who came from a Hispanic family and her skin color tends to be a little darker than what normally Latinas look like. New York is a very big city where people from different countries live and engage so her moving to Northalina was a big step in her life. I live in New York and I agree with the fact that no one will question your skin or race in this city. People in North Carolina automatically started to put her in the “black category” since her skin is dark. That’s exactly what happened to her in the class until her classmates realized that she is fluent in Spanish. This only explains how much capital is taking over our country, but her strong personality is very inspiring in the way she embraces her differences. For William, being black is very normal as if you are white. It had nothing to do with identity and should not be a reason for violence, especially in schools. She was very courageous and she stand for herself for not being in one particular category.

The chapter “The Power Of Identity Politics” talks about how identity politics is being misunderstood and in order to do so, we must reconnect it to power. Alicia Garza defined power in her book as the ability to make strong decisions that can positively affect our lives and others. She also defined identity politics as it is a way of describing what is existing outside of what’s being normal in the united states. It is very common and true that America is very influenced by the politics of the whites and their privilege. African people are always feeling less valued in this country and that’s because whites are getting more rights and attention. I liked when she said”The more people you can get to invest in that story, the more powerful you become”.

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IMANE CHAABA

DISCUSSION 10

The 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 systems of oppression.” this means that its actually a benefit for the black community to be at the bottom in order to gain freedom and make an end to oppression. Black women were never free from stereotypes, and judgments and that’s where the oppression comes from. They have grown with the dominance of the white privileged so if they were free, the political and economic system wouldn’t be where it is right now. But I still think that if things were different and it there were no differences between people of a different races and gender, our world would be in a very high economic place. If there was no dominance, black women wouldn’t face racism, and discrimination in colleges, workplaces, and government. That’s exactly why the group of lesbian women was fighting very hard to change what people think is natural. What is natural is being equal.

In the movie “Paris is burning “, identity politics is very known and clear between LGBT and drag queens community. They are not once afraid of showing their real identities to the world and it is actually how most of them make their living. They have created an environment with rules where everyone can act and be whoever they want without judgment. In the film, it was very obvious that the movie was more invested in their sexuality rather than politics. But the truth is, their sexuality plays a role in the country’s politics. The people wealthiest gay people have more power and advantage than the ones in the middle class. They have the advantage to get surgeries and looking exactly like females which can open more doors for them. Overall, they are honest people and don’t deserve to be discriminated against.

Women of color have always been facing difficulties to build wealth and that’s because America is a capitalist country. They have always been at the bottom in healthcare, education, and employment. Their value has been put down which makes it hard for them to succeed in life. White privilege controlled every domain in life. White are having all the power and control. Therefore, we can say that race and gender impact capitalism. Your gender and race can either open up opportunities in your life or be your own barrier. People need to get over these old ideas and start appreciating and valuing someone’s origins. Men holding the power is an example of oppression that was normalized decades ago but feminism is standing against it.

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IMANE CHAABA

REFLECTION 9

In the 1990 film, “PARIS IS BURNING”, a ball is where LGBT people and drag queens feel a hundred percent themselves. It’s a place where they don’t feel judged. The ball is an entrainment environment but it is their home at the same time. Some people are there for the excitement and some are for the winning. The thing that surprised me while watching the movie is that the LGBT community and drag queens existed way before that I have thought. They have developed their communities very well. They would have military, business, models, and professors parties so they fulfill their life needs. One of the greatest things mentioned in the film by a drag queen is that rejection from the parents could lead to some seriously bad consequences and that’s the reason why all the gay kids are out in the streets looking for people to understand them. LGBT community or drag queens are very ambitious people who have big dreams and will do anything to take a step forward in order to make their life better. I loved the movie and how real and honest was. Nobody was actually acting but everyone was being his own self talking about their sex life, hormones, and surgeries which were very amazing to watch.

The reading ” The Combahee River Collective Statement” article is about a group of black females who are seeking change in politics by trying to make an end to oppression. Their beliefs and decisions were inspired and taught from their own past and personal experience. In a world where the male is dominant, it is very difficult for the black community to stand up for their rights. These women are so brave for being lesbians and have the courage to face racial politics and racism It is very that black people have always been at the bottom when it comes to America’s economy which makes it very clear how badly they were treated. This group of women believed in themselves and how valuable and capable they can be. They believed that nobody will make a change if they don’t make it themselves. Sexual politics is very connected to sex, race, and class. Black women were always getting disrespect from men. Being black and feminist is hard because it has its ups and downs. As was mentioned in the article: “They are, of course, been more threatened than black women by the possibility that black feminists organize around our needs”.