Author Archives: Sofia Arista-Juarez

Sofia Arista-Juarez Reading Reflection 7

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I remember hearing about The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire when I was in middle school which made me sad. I found this tragedy sad simply because it was something that could have been prevented from the start. The first thing that I didn’t like was that 500 people (who were mainly young immigrant women) worked around 11-12 hours per day and the pay they received per hour wasn’t the best. Another thing that angered me was that the exit door could only open inward but even so, management ended up always locking it so they couldn’t leave through that exit as well. If management wouldn’t have locked that door perhaps fewer lives would’ve been lost. If management has also done a monthly check on the water hose, perhaps that fire could have also have been turned off. There are so many what-ifs and maybes that can be applied here but sadly, they weren’t thought of or considered. The working conditions these women were put through were very poor. And it’s sad to say, but if it wasn’t for this incident, there wouldn’t have been a change done. It was due to this incident that many factories started installing sprinklers in case of fire. Yet although this incident took place, working conditions now around the world are still not the best.

Sofia Arista-Juarez Discussion 8

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Suffrage, labor rights, and the equal rights amendment are all related one way or another. Suffrage refers to the right to vote. Throughout history, we have seen time and time again how people fought to gain their right to vote. Having the right to vote can benefit us because we can use this to help fight for the change we want. We can change and improve many conditions when utilizing this tool that is given to us at birth when we are born in the United States. We can work towards making major changes that can impact one’s life. Through the use of voting, people were able to work towards bettering working conditions. From bettering wages to obtaining good healthy work conditions voting can help in obtaining the ideal change we want and need. As for the equal rights amendment, people have come together in hopes of getting a change that involves both men and women. All three of these things connect because of a change that many people want to happen and to be done. Something that stood out to me in the reading was on page 6 when it states ” Advocates say that the amendment is held back by the sense among some people that it’s not necessary, but proponents argue that it could strengthen the legal basis for combating violence against women, pay inequality and maternity leave.” This is referring to the Equal Rights Amendment since this would be focusing on women and how they can help and benefit them. Labor rights can be seen as an issue of gender because there will almost be a line where both men and women are treated differently.

When I watched both videos, I was pretty shocked at what I saw. When I was in middle school I did hear about The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire which was very sad to hear. I hated how all of that could have been prevented if the doors didn’t open inwards and if the door wasn’t simply locked by the manager. Then, when watching the second video, seeing how on the 100th anniversary of this incident another similar incident took place was even more shocking. These historical issues are still presented to this day. Although we may not hear about these types of incidents or the poor conditions some workers are put in, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they aren’t occurring. Many are still to this fighting for better working conditions. Although a man and woman can work the same job, it is more likely for a man to get paid even more than a woman. In a factory, for example, my father used to tell me how the company (welding factory) he worked in only had guys working there. It wasn’t until the end of last year that the company decided to hire women but even so, my father would tell me how they would give the women a job that wasn’t as ‘hard’ as a man. Of course, my father didn’t believe in this nor liked it and he noticed how one of the female workers is an awesome welder and pushed to have her become one of the welders as well.

Sofia Arista-Juarez Discussion 7

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These past few weeks have been very interesting to me in many ways. The class has allowed me to reconsider everything I knew and helped in opening my eyes towards certain aspects. By reading the material provided it has helped me truly understand what Feminism is. I used to have a certain understanding of it but now I feel like my understanding of it has been better. Especially when it came down to talking about privilege. The material made me realize just how much privilege plays a role in one’s life as well as made me realize how a lot of us intentionally or do not take many things for granted. Having privileges isn’t necessarily bad, I think what makes it made is when we use it as a weapon to bring others down. On the contrary, we can use privilege to help those around us. We can work and fight towards the change that we want.

Sofia Arista-Juarez Discussion 6

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The way I would define is activism is when one takes action towards a problem with an end goal of achieving change. Standing up for something that you strongly believe in. When it comes down to activism you will always face those who are against what you are fighting for and who disagree with you but there will always be those who will back you up. Throughout history, we have seen activism occur. Women fought and stood up to get the right to vote that only men had. On page 11 of the reading it said ” Clearly, activism has always relied on the voices, vision, and energy of individuals to inspire and drive social change. We have seen that many of the movements that shaped the world we live in today were begun by people acting alone.” The reason I decided to add this sentence into my response is that I feel like it really captured activism and how it can feel at times. One can feel like they’re alone standing up for what they believe in BUT it doesn’t mean that they are. On the contrary, you’d be surprised by how many people share the same ideas as you. We all have voices and we can use our voices to express how we feel and express the change we want to be done. The film that I decided to watch was Girl Connected because the title caught my interest. I truly enjoyed how the film delivered the stories of different girls from different parts of the world. I felt that by taking this approach, not only did the film give viewers the chance to see different problems presented around the world but also showed how these girls through activism work towards getting the changes they believe are needed. A quote from one of the girls Ghazal Jordan from the film that I liked was when she said ” When I paint walls and do things that are out of the ordinary I encourage other girls to do the same thing and to change the way they live. They no longer do what they’re used to doing and this could open a lot of new doors for them in other domains”(t/s 23:00-24:16). I feel this quote overall is very impactful because if a younger audience is watching this film, they will get reassurance and an extra push towards taking the sleep and doing what they love to do regardless if it seems as if they are doing anything out of the ordinary. To show girls and remind them that it is ok to stand up for what they believe in and to push and act for a change.

When thinking back onto how I’ve engaged in activism is when I started speaking up about the abortion law that was being pushed in Texas. Being raised in a religious household, a lot of my family members were against abortions. Although Everyone thought abortions were wrong, I made sure to hear their side of opinion regarding this issue as well as made sure to explain my side which I was happy about because I managed to make people see things from a different perspective. Another way I have engaged in activism is when I spoke up on global warming. I believe in global warming and feel strongly about it. As for how I can realistically engage in activism is by starting off and go my research. I can do my research, hear other people’s stories, share their stories, and help educate others.

Sofia Arista-Juarez Discussion 5

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Before reading any of the material for this week I wanted to see what I thought patriarchy was and then see how the way I see patriarchy changed. For a while, I thought patriarchy was the way a person would influence others. I thought patriarchy involved men and the way they would act as well as how they would be on an ‘upper pedistool’ as compared to females. Yet that doesn’t seem to be the case here what so over. I wasn’t aware that the patriarchy doesn’t simply involve only one person but it is built up of multiple people. Something else that was new to me and that stood out to me was the fact that Allan Johnson mentioned how everyone plays a role in a patriarchal society. “We need to see and deal with the social roots that generate and nurture the social problems that are reflected in and manifested through the behavior of individuals. We cannot do this without realizing that we all participate in something larger than ourselves, something we did not create but that we now have the power to affect through the choices we make about how to participate.”(Pg 3) This piece of the text caught my attention because it really makes the reader see how although we see something as a matter of how an individual acts, the bugger pictures show how everyone’s individual actions come together in creating a whole picture. In other words, yes everyone makes their own individual choices and actions BUT everyone’s individuality would be put together which would paint out the bigger picture we would see. Something else that caught my attention was when Johnson began to talk about one’s participation. It leads me to question just how one exactly tends to participate if many have different viewpoints on a patriarchal system. Continuing on page 3 Johnson mentioned ” To participate is to have a part in what goes on, to do something (or
not) and to have that choice affect the consequences, regardless of whether it
is conscious or unconscious, coerced or not. Of course, the terms of women’s
participation differ dramatically from those that shape men’s, but it is participation, nonetheless”. This helps me into understanding that participation in patriarchy isn’t exactly what we are taught to believe. With patriarchy, we are taught that you are either for it and act upon it, or you are against it and do avoid doing anything, Yet Johnson brought up how participation isn’t simply taking part in what happenings and being aware of it, but rather participation can also be done subconsciously. I feel like this is important to know and keep in mind when trying to recognize patriarchy as a system because it allows you to see how one’s individuality isn’t the only thing that can make us feel some sort of oppression. Those who follow and believe in the patriarchy and those who don’t face oppression one way or another (ex: beliefs they are taught to follow). When it comes down to the patriarchy and different levels of oppression, things become rather interesting. Starting at the personal level, people are taught certain things at a young age. We are taught what makes us different from others and the ways we are raised can also play a role here. Whether we are conscious or not, our emotions tend to lead us into what actions we take next and how we respond to certain situations and issues. With interpersonal oppression, we are taught what we can and can not say ( I am right, you are wrong). Institutional oppression can be seen when in Texas abortions were being limited. All the new rules added to how you could get an abortion and what will stop one from getting an abortion impacts a woman rather than a man. Why was this law even passed and approved by males, to begin with? Cultural/structural oppression can be seen all around us from having the “yucky” discussion of periods to beauty standards that have been set by magazines. Oppression is everywhere and goes hand in hand with other issues and topics.

Sofia Arista-Juarez Reflection 3

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After reading and watching the video assigned to us, it made me realize and learn more about privilege and oppression. It made me realize how certain things that I have taken for granted as well as things that I just simply brush over are privileges that have been given to me because I was born here. I have many privileges that other people in different parts of the world would wish to have. It made me open my eyes and see things from a different point of view. While I was watching the video, I knew from the start that somehow the white male would make it the furthest during the video. The reason why I stood by this is because while growing up, we are taught about how white men and women seem to be even more privileged as compared to a person of color. While reading about oppression, there were certain things that I wouldn’t have thought about or considered when it came down to the oppression both men and women would have to face and deal with. For starters, the idea is that with the simple act of feeling emotions (crying) a man could potentially feel oppressed since there is the stereotype that a male shouldn’t cry or feel anything on the contrary they are supposed to be strong. The only time it could be deemed appropriate is when a man is crying to a woman but if a man is crying to another man that is where the line seemed to be drawn. Yet a woman is labeled emotional because they can cry whenever they want ( but at the same time could also be called crazy for the mood changes they can go through, not saying that being emotional is bad).

Sofia Arista-Juarez Discussion 4

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While watching this video I ended up getting very emotional. I knew that this video will simply ask questions and have people walk forward if they can agree with whatever is being asked but once I started the video and even answered the questions myself while watching, it made me very emotional. Privilege is something that one has, a right given to them while oppression is a way in which one is hurt whether it be physically, mentally, spiritually, and/or emotionally. It made me realize just how privileged one can be. I knew I was privileged but yet again, there are certain things I and my family had to work hard for. I’m privileged because I have health care and can go to a clinic whenever I need to without having to worry about paying per my visits. I’m privileged because I have a father who works and brings home money to the house and allows us to have a meal every day and a roof over our heads. Not a lot of people have that. Yet at the same time, although my father would work, growing up I didn’t have the luxury of having expensive items or having new toys that came out. Or having clothes that were trendy. At a very young age, I was taught to be grateful to have the necessity in life. At school, I got bullied for a lot of things but one thing that I got bullied for was not having shoes that were ‘trendy’ or a brand that was well known. Growing up, I always received hand-me-down clothes. I am privileged because of my parents. Because I am Mexican-American. I was born here. Often times we take simple things for granted meanwhile other people wishes to have what we have. A way in which I can think about how I am oppressed is when it comes down to me being a Bisexual female. Although my parents and siblings accept me for being Bisexual and being extremely supportive of me, there will always be a barrier amongst my other family members to which I can’t come out to. Some of my family members still ‘live in the past and are extremely religious and for that reason, I’d rather keep it to myself to avoid hearing any negative comments that will either make me feel uncomfortable or angry.

Sofia Arista-Juarez Reflection 2

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I really enjoyed reading Alok’s work that was assigned to us. I feel like it works as an amazing and interesting eye-opener to everyone. I honestly feel like I have learned about gender binary norms as well as non-binary norms. I don’t follow gender binary norms when it comes down to clothes or the way I express myself. Yes, I enjoy wearing skirts, colorful clothes or as a society sometimes says “dress like a girly girl”. Yet at the same time, I also enjoy dressing comfortably. I like to wear ‘boy’ clothes as well. I feel like when it comes down to clothes, there shouldn’t really be ‘girl’ clothes and ‘boy’ clothes. What simply makes that piece of clothing either a girl or boy clothing is what society makes it to be as well as marketing. Why is a pink shirt meant to be for simply girls? Or the most common thing that I have seen recently, why is it that only girls can wear crop tops and boys can’t because if they do, they will be made fun of. A person should be able to dress any way they want and express themselves however they want to. It shouldn’t bother nor matter to anyone else. Why? Well, it’s their own body. They should decide how they want to express and show themselves to society. Society should not be the one to decide for us. Whether someone wants to look feminine or masculine. It shouldn’t be up to anyone else.

Sofia Arista-Juarez Discussion 3

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Something that stood out to me from the excerpt we had to read was on page 27 when the author wrote ” We are taught from a very young age that this is how things have always been and this is the only way to live. We are taught that masculinity belongs to men, femininity belongs to women, and that these are the only two options for self-expression. Not true”. The reason this stood out to me is that at a young age we are taught what being a girl is supposed to be and look like and what being a boy is supposed to be and look like. There are certain activities that are deemed appropriate for males to do and just the same as activities that females can do. Something else that stood out to me from the reading was on page 29 when it stated ” Before a baby is even born, well-meaning well-wishers will often ask, “Is it a boy or a girl?” The baby only becomes real to most people once they know the gender”. The reason this stood out to me was because it led me to think about how we associate different colors to both genders. If it is a girl, oftentimes we see people buying baby products in the color pink and if it is a boy, they buy products in blue tones. Now we see gender-neutral colors being used but back then it was mainly just pinks and blues. There are so many stereotypes in society that it sometimes feels very overwhelming having to ‘live up to them’ or ‘follow and live by them’ in order to feel some sort of belonging and validation. Yet at the same time, it can also be those same emotions that might drive one to work and fight towards feeling and being true to themselves. I am not one to judge someone based upon how they present themselves and identify themselves as which is a way in which I believe I fit into the binary norm. Yet when thinking about myself on a much more personal level, it is rather tricky for me. Growing up, I always said I hated the color pink simply because everyone kept saying pink was simply a color all girls were supposed to like. On the contrary, I used to say my favorite colors were red and black because of their intensity. At home, I would have family members tell me that I wouldn’t act ‘lady like’ and that there were certain things I needed to change about myself. I never truly understood why since whatever I did made me feel much more comfortable and natural. I do have a feminine side and I also have a masculine side. When it comes down to the way I express myself with my appearance, I enjoy dressing in sweat pants and oversized baggy shirts but I also enjoy glamming myself up, wearing a skirt or dress, and looking ‘pretty’.

Sofia Arista-Juarez Reflection 1

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There is so much to gender aside from whether or not one is born a male or female. I never imagined just how complex this topic can be considering I always thought it was something small and simple. After reading the article ” Sex and Gender 101″, it has made it pretty evident just how complex and in-depth this can become and go. Gender not only has to do with whether or not you were born a male or female, but it also has to do with society as well. Gender can be broken down into different categories. Gender identity refers to how someone sees themselves regarding gender while gender expression refers to the way a person shows their gender identity through the use of clothes, hairstyles, and makeup. When I was reading this section it really took me by surprise because my entire life I just simply thought of a way to express yourself rather than express the gender you identify with/as. It really led me to wonder and think about how society plays a role in our lives when it comes down to clothing and makes me also wonder why there is such a high price value difference between male and female clothing. It is pretty evident to know and see the difference in clothing between males and females but in the end, they share one thing in common. They are simply but a piece of fabric. So why is it that female’s clothing tends to be more amongst glitter and pink meanwhile male’s clothing has much darker color schemes? Why is it that a ‘female’ shirt is a bit more pricey than a ‘male’.