After all the reading I’ve read, my favorite one that opened my mind up was about ” feminist politics where we stand” by bell hooks. This made me think about the knowledge I had already known and think deeper. There was a saying that she said about feminism becoming a definition she hopes will come to a regular definition word people use every day. I can agree with bell hook because there are people who support this idea, but in reality, they don’t actually know what it means. This reading helps me out with the information about feminists, and im pretty sure it will help all the men out there as well. I suggest people read so that they can better understand the meaning of feminism.

I learned a lot about feminism, activism, oppression, and women’s history. The one that I like most was Opression because show that a person should not be isolated simply because of their gender, or skin color because that does not define them and then wanting to overcome their identity, how people classify someone depending on their knowledge and social experience. Also the “White privilegies article” because as we grow up we face situations that can alter our impact on life, since the first point of view we have before others choose us coordinates how others judge us and sum us up in any case. Society has “stereotypes” of People who for them belong to the social circle and are considered by whites, without realizing how society includes people of color, given that many of them perceive them as strangers. The assumption about Black people is made by the society that produces prejudices in the new young people who adapt to these prejudices generations by generations, while they live between two universes and have problems with their identity.

IMANE CHAABA

These past few last weeks have been so informal and very interesting in this class. Personally, I learned a lot about feminism, activism, oppression, and women’s history. The subjects that I used to find very sensitive to read or talk about, now I feel more educated and excited about knowing more and more. This week’s reading was very important as we get to see the behind scenes of the pornography industry and look at all the pain our young girls have been through. In such a male domination society where males are objectifying women’s bodies, these women have nothing but a body to play with. Women have been used as sex objects to build a billion-dollar industry. Not only that but men are also forced to act aggressively towards women which impacts their behavior towards women in public. We don’t see enough women in colleges, workplaces,s or even hospitals because how people think that women don’t belong to such industries and they are too weak and stupid to have nice jobs. I think after all these readings of this week and the past weeks, I am more concerned and worried about my image as a woman, and I will definitely speak up for myself or any other woman If I have to.

Heylee Soto

After studying the assignment for this week I learned a lot. I learned that the Women’s Suffrage Movement gave women the right to vote in elections during the late 19th century. Women organizations nationally and even globally formed efforts to gain voting and equal civil rights for women which relates to feminism. “White feminist “Black feminist”. This is why I found bells meaning of feminism and how there should be an end to discrimination.

 I like this class and subject. It’s interesting learning about gender studies ,Feminism , oppression and etc. Every week we go over something Eye opening. Even if we speak about things that I already know like week 2 about sex and gender I gain a better understanding of these things then I have known before. I enjoy when we talk about things that open my eyes like Discussion 6 Activism that was done in the past paved the way for so much today. Makes me feel like things are not that bad today & also if there is a problem many people can relate to and want to fix they can, have others tag along and spread a powerful Message.

I like how spring is coming. It’s a funny era for me, throughout life sometimes around this time I feel a sense of growth or understanding of how I feel. I’m nobody crazy about zodiacs, time etc.  but being a Virgo born in September and the year changing around January 1 then spring starting late March is like I’m in half time and I gotta ask myself how shit going, what must I do better … who should I avoid… what habits to try and stray away from… how can I be better in my crafts ….. Many things. If you’re reading, thank you, Take Care .  

All of the discussions and material we’ve reviewed so far has really changed my perspective on many things. And opened my eyes to many things as well, like trans rights and activism. Not being part of the lgbtq community made me overlook certain issues. As we discussed in this class, most people don’t think about certain issues unless they experience it themselves. The weekly readings, videos, and discussions made me aware of so many social issues that I’ve never even thought of or considered because they weren’t specifically targeted toward myself. This is so amazing because after being made aware, I can be more considerate and conscious about it in the future. And hearing my classmates perspective and personal experience help to reinforce the materials we’ve gone over. Week six was impactful for me as well. I knew activism was hard work but seeing and reading about the behind the scenes efforts highlighted how hard it really is. Learning about all of these social issues and how intertwined they are in society reflects the hard work that needs to be done to create change.

After finishing this week’s reading, I feel like there’s a lot to think about in terms of why we call feminism what we call it and how that came to be. This particular article also interested me because I’m taking a linguistics class and it felt like a moment of overlapping topics. The two terms ‘feminist’ and ‘feminism’ I think are simultaneously bold broad and specific terms. Even when we go through the decades we see the multiple different types of ‘feminist’ and how their views shift with the time, or how feminism has this flexible definition to it.

“‘Feminism’ has had different meanings to different people in different times and places…feminism can never ddefine sexism as the only oppressive force in women’s lives…feminism must be inclusive, flexible and willing to accept contradiction.” This quote really resonated with me because it opened my eyes to the fact that just like how society has grown to lower the ‘wall’ that stands between men and women and how we live our lives, feminism has also grown. It’s always hard to stomach the concept that before you, things were different because you weren’t around to see it. Feminism has grown and reshaped its definition over the years to accomodate the women who are pushing for the changes to happen in the world.

Another part that was really interesting to me was when Goldber started talking about how some people are feminists but don’t like to associate themselves with the term since it has a bad reputation in media. “They have not disavowed feminist views, only the name that is given to these views…” They are represented as these evil, crazy, and mean people, and never as ordinary women. I’ve noticed this myself on twtter but thought maybe I was just on the ‘wrong side of the internet’ or something. I think it speaks volumes that women who are trying to level the playing field are instead being stereotyped into these boxes and made into laughing stocks.

Untold stories of women in the suffrage movement explores information about the journey of specifically black women during the civil rights movement. We learn of a historic figure who led and motivated a lot of women into fighting for their freedom and what was right. Ida B. Wells, a rarely appraised figure who was born during the time of slavery, lost her parents to an epidemic and still managed to selflessly move above and beyond for her siblings. She was able to receive an adequate amount of education and had a career of her own. Ida B. Wells alongside others founded a movement which was people, mainly women of color. The movement allocated and assembled conventions and campaigns, to analyze and improve strategies to help them fulfilled their goals. Like fighting for women to gain voting rights, to have careers and just do as they wished. During this period of time, there was this standardized form of living. Women were mandated and expected to sit at home and do all house chores, which included doing the laundry, cleaning, looking after kids, cooking, and doing as their husbands pleased. The men would go to work, do what they are supposed to do and come home, to freshly cooked meals and submissive wife. This was the usual norm of living. Many women were against it, they however did not have the courage to speak up or oppose to the anticipated lifestyle. This and many other situations were what caused the creation of such groups/ movements. It was to spread awareness and educate people of the power of their voice, actions and privileges which indirectly being stripped away from them. Numerous acts were put in place with the intention of having the Amendments ratified. As we know, reformation does not just occur with efforts, be it little or extreme. The confrontation for Equal voting right was an intense and dragging one. Groups were merged, meetings were set with abolitionist and an alliance with racist Southerners was formed. 

There were other renowned personalities that assisted many individuals include Harriet Tubman, whose bravery and compassion saved countless form slavery. Emma Hart was considerate woman who foundered a school meant for only females. There was also Abigail Scott, who frequently wrote and published articles on the newspaper which was mostly dedicated to the knowledge of the women’s suffrage movement. Sarah Grimke, who fulfilled her services as an advocate to the benefit of the suffrage movement.

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.

I’ve still been thinking about the activism film I watched last week for Discussion 6 titled, “Girl Connected” and want to recommend y’all watch it! It’s only an hour. It is such a prime example of the new “wave” of feminism led by our younger generations, and the ability to spread the movement and make a bigger impact through the use of the internet.
The girls sharing their stories are all so young, they’ve gotta be between 10-14. I think the young age is part of what makes the story and causes all the more impactful, important and HEARD.
Like the Discussion 6 reading talked about, times are changing and people are starting to pay attention to younger voices. The “controversy” of young activists garners more attention (i.e. much like with Greta Thunberg going viral in part because criticism about her age, and as more people discussed this “controversy”, she was able to carry her message and influence further) It’s super important right now for the younger generation to speak out and use their voices. It is OUR future.