In The Combahee River collective, there is a 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.” First, black women facing more issues in their lives and social classes. For white women, when they facing a sexism issue, it is a sexism issue; but if a black woman facing a sexism issue, it is not only a sexism issue, but also a racism issue. For black women group, sexism and racism these two elements effect them and it could not separate them when discuss one topic; Second, black women group are placing at the bottom of system racism and classism; if you want to set black women free, you have to remove the root of the whole system, not just save one or two black women free from these group.

The Combahee River also bought up the concept “identity politics”, she wrote “I believe that the most profound and potentially most radical politics come directly out of our own identity, as opposed to working to end somebody else’s oppression. In the case of Black women this is a particularly repugnant, dangerous, threatening, and therefore revolutionary concept because it is obvious from looking at all the political movements that have preceded us that anyone is more worthy of liberation than ourselves. We reject pedestals, queenhood, and walking ten paces behind. To be recognized as human, levelly human, is enough.

We should address and tell our own identities stories and experience, use these as a way to connect with our own groups, and by sharing it can empower us, also by telling our own stories, you won’t wait for other people to tell your stories, or even worse, they may rewrite your stories. In Paris is Burning, it shows us that how queer community was and how the queer culture was during that time. When the society doesn’t accept them, how they unite together and build their own culture and their own way to live.

Capitalism does effect a lot for race and gender. One of the examples is pink tax. Why pockets of women’s pants are so much smaller than the ones of men’s? And why women’s haircut is much expensive than men’s? Another example is equal pay-most countries in the earth still pay differently for women and men even they are doing the same jobs and position. Also same for race, most time for the same job, black people get paid less than white people. There are the impact I see when capitalism impacts race and gender.

A liberated woman is a woman that has her own opinion and her own philosphy system. She can stand for herself and she won’t be persuaded easily by what the society said or other people/men said. She knows the points of the topic and she can see things clearly and get the point well. There are some opinions look nice as a poison wrapped with fancy candy paper so that they are accepted by most people but a liberated woman can tell they are still poision easily and she would tear the candy paper and proof that how toxic it is.

Liberated woman belongs to women so that she is one of them and she can understand what women suffering or what the society put on them or try to brainwash them like assume keeping the home clean and tidy is women’s duty. Like raising and educate kids well is the great honor for being a mother. In fact there are nice saying or “honor” to make women work for the patriarchy system. A liberated woman know what is the trick and what is the real respect, so that she knows what kind of deal would be best for women and what is the liberation for them.

These two pieces are very personal and they show the most daily scenarios and also happen frequency. Battles can be everywhere every time, but what the most important battles would be what related to our lives the most. Housework is a burden and especially if the wives are also responsible for their husbands’ housework. If she can’t even set herself free from her daily duty so how could she can set herself free from these traditional toxic thoughts and opinions? Housework occupies her time also her body, so that how could she still have energy to fight? From another aspect, fighting by women are not enough because people who around you and people who care about you should stand with women and should fight with you too. If the husbands/partners are not trying to help you about housework then he is accomplice of patriarchy. He knows what benefits him by this system and his caring or support is fake if he can not really help with the daily housework he is also responsible for. That is why personal is political because the personal ones are happening daily or every second. Movements don’t have to be big, it can be small and consistent like what happening around daily life chores. If we can win these personal tiny movements, we can make a big movement.

In these week we watched 2 videos about how labor rights getting more and more protection. On March 25th 1911, a fire happened at Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Due to the factory manager locked the exit of the building as usual while workers were working; the building had four elevators but only one was working at that moment also it only can carry 12 people at a time. For workers in the factory there was no any chance for them to escape from this hell at all. Even without the fire, it is hell for them. These young immigrant women or even teenagers worked 11-12 hours a day, and didn’t have enough rest a week or daily. There were 146 of them passed away in this fire. On April 5th, 1911, a funeral protest took place at 5th avenue, more than 350,000 people were joing this protest and demanding for labor rights. The owner of the factory were not guilty through the lawsuit result. But the protest did make some change about labor right: it refined that factories in the states should have water spinkle system so that can ensure american workers can have safer working place.

Unfortunely, in the second video, we can see the same tragedy happened after 100 years. On Dec 14th 2010, workers jumped from 11 floors high floor to the ground since the factory they were working at had a fire. The manager locked the exit so it was diffcult for the workers to escape from it. People started to jump so that at least their family can find their dead bodies. At least 27 died and more than 100 people injured. How come after 100 years the same tragedy still happening? The video made me very sad and through the video I know that the way that capitalism running the world is unhealthy. It led to this result because they put their profit, revenue priority of people’s lives. They probably know that even anything happens, they would end up paying money for the families but even though it is just $80 for a life. Their jeans made for kids with price tag $26, after selling multiple jeans they can earn that back. Workers in the states have safer workplace now, but capitalists always chasing lower cost-labor cost and less labor rights stricted coutries. Wherever there is profit, wherever you can see capitalists. Even in the end, there are laws passed to protect these workers’ rights. But I know they would find other ways.

After finished reading materiels of this week, it reminds me of the discussions among people that what is the real feminism and feminism develops more and more genres today. “White feminist “”Black feminist” “Feminist from first world” and so on. That’s why I like Bell Hook’s definition about feminism that is about ending sexism. More genres developing means that there are different problems and issues exist. According to multiple reasons as countries’ developing status, classes which make these problems and issues more comlicated.

For conservative groups, their demands are almost the same since traditional value apply similar in different places in the world which make them eaiser to united. Being liberal could face more standards and I feel like if a liberal misses either one standard they would be facing judges or they would be categorized to the convervative groups.

My personal opinion is we should unite more and less divide. We are all human and we all have something in common. Let humanitiy goes first and what we demand is ending sexism, we want to have more team mates instead of creating more enermies.

Activism is the collection of voices that all come together for a common goal. It starts off as individuals working towards their own unique goals and eventually combines into a much larger movement that is capable of accomplishing part or all of what was originally set out on.

Activism is also a combination of loud voices to organize the masses who will bring a lot of general awareness to the cause but the additional quiet deal making that brings lasting legislative or structural changes resulting in longer term systematic changes.

I watched Knock Down The House since it is a documentary about how American individuals go to politics and represent their classes, their communities and their people. In the documentary, AOC ran in New York City against Senator Joe Manchin who earned millions dollar from coal industry. Her brother nominated her and it was her first time to participate in politics. AOC had experience that worked 18 hours a day which would be a common experience that many working class people could feel related to it. As AOC said in the documentary, working class means there are working non stop. People work so much and the politician represents them is not even from the same class or even not living in the same district. It is doubtful that how a person like that can understand them and represent their benefit. AOC decided to stand for working class and send the voice out. That’s what motivated her to run and many people didn’t think she would make it. But in April, 12th, 2018, she got on the ballot. Activism is like this that from small step by step, from individual’s action, and every action gather together can make a big influence for other people. It would become movement in the end.

There are multiple ways to engage with in activism about gender justice in my life:

• Start at home: a. When there are news or cases about gender injustice happen, I would discuss with people around me especially my boyfriend. It is difficult for other people to put themselves in your shoes, but it is easier for them to consider the situation if they care about you. I like to chat with him to see his opinion, and I would explain to him why my opinion is different from his also let him know how I feel and how I view it. b. I live with 2 roommates and we hang out sometimes. I love to share informations I read or movies/TV shows I like about gender justice.
• Suggest the book about gender justice: I have a neighborhood book club and members can suggest books then we would vote for the book of the month. I would suggest books about gender justice so that people from the book club can read it and share opinions. In this way, I can get more people involved with the topic I care about.