I enjoyed reading this week’s assigned material for many reasons. It allowed and made me think about how we are often impacted by what we are exposed to and what is being taught to us. We are taught that certain things are what belong to being a boy and certain things belong to being a girl. In other words, pink and femininity is what represent someone who is a female and blue and masculinity is what represent being a male. There seem to have never been a middle line for a while. For me, this week’s material made me reflect on my personal life and how it was for me growing up. As a little girl, some family members would tell me not to play with my older brothers’ toy cars and action figures because those toys are boy toys, and instead, I should play with baby dolls and barbies. However, I never saw them as boy toys or girl’s toys, I just happened to have liked my brother’s toys more than the toys that they wanted me to play with. To add on, there was always constant bickering within my family about how I wouldn’t be ladylike and needed to be more ladylike and dress more like a girl which always brought a certain level of irritation because I simply wear whatever I feel like wearing and what seems comfortable to me. Its those type of things that make me reflect and make me realize that when I have a child, I won’t raise them to think that certain things are only for girls and certain things are only for boys because those are simply labels that we shouldn’t let define who someone is.

When it comes to privilege, I used to deny it and thought that I couldn’t have it because I didn’t have enough money or even the things I wanted. But I’ve experienced firsthand when it came to privilege. When I went to Mexico to see my family, they had something I didn’t have, and I had things they didn’t have. I had clothes, a house, food, and all this technology, and im allowed to do whatever I wanted. in comparison, they aren’t able to afford things they want or stuff that I even have. It made me think about what I have and that I’ve been somewhat privileged since I was a kid. But I felt like I could relate more to Marilyn Frye’s reading. For example, she stated that ” it’s often a requirement upon oppressed people that we smile and be cheerful. if we comply, we signal our docility and our acquiescence in our situation.” I come from a Mexican household, and there are certain things im not allowed to do, but my brother is. since he’s a man, they think he can take care of himself, and I won’t be able to if I hang out with some friends. My parent doesn’t let me go unless I have him around. My parent needs to see that it’s a new generation and women are capable of taking care of themselves. Some should be able to have the right to have fun and go with a man being around.

IMANE CHAABA READING REFLECTION 3

Reading about oppression in Marilyn Frye’s article was something new and different that I didn’t come across before. Oppression is something we were all born and raised with, but we never paid attention to how strong it was influencing our lives. Men were always taught to be physically strong, independent and the ones that must control any type of relationship. Women were also oppressed to be so sensitive and have a small body so they can look more feminine. All these things and more are things we couldn’t control and we couldn’t change either, but meant to be put out there for any newborn. People are oppressed based on their looks, skin color, identity, and ethnicity. It feels like we live in a world full of restrictions and limitations. Society has made these rules and created a world of privilege. In Peggy Mclntosh’s article about white privilege, she mentioned some great examples of her daily life routine that shows how white skin people are so entitled, and there is a clear conclusion that racism or any act related to that is still existing. The older we get the more we are put in situations that show the power given to these people. Society won’t ever admit that there is such a thing as white privilege, but we as individuals, need to make a change.

As each and every single one of us grow older, we encounter experiences that have the potential to influence our impact on life, in either good or positive ways because the initial point of view we have before others choose us coordinates how others judge and sum us up in any scenario. Society has “stereotypes or privileges” of people who, for them, belong to the social circle and are considered by whites, who are unaware of how society includes Latinos, given that many of them perceive them as foreigners. Because privilege is the inverse of oppression, it is difficult to recognize our own. Some people are opposed to discussing privilege because they do not want to be depicted as aggressors or participating in a system that benefits them at the expense of others. Other detractors of the term “privilege” misinterpret it as a catch-all phrase that implies that if you have a privilege, your entire life has been easy.

At a slight glance, if you have more privileges than others, you must know how to understand that we all have the same rights since we are human beings, and it does not depend on your identification, but on your personality. Furthermore, such privilege just imposes power and was constructed by society to divide people based on social rank. I believe that we have many various kinds of privileges, not just the privilege of gender, sex, or ability, which influences how people progress in the world or are discriminated against.

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).

 My opinion is that no matter what, if you have more privileges than others you have to know how to recognize that we all have the same rights, because we are human beings and it does not depend on your identity but on your personality.  Furthermore, such privilege simply confers dominance and has been created by society for the purpose of dividing people by social status. I believe , we have many different types of privileges, not just the privilege of gender, sex or ability that affects the way people can develop in the world or are discriminated against. 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 or Privilege” of People who for them belong to the social circle and are considered by whites, without realizing how society includes Latinos, given that many of them perceive them as strangers. The assumption about Latinos and Americans is made by the society that produces prejudices in the new young people who adapt to these prejudices generations by generations,

Growing up I was always aware of the privilege that others had and I didn’t and vice versa, I couldn’t put a name on it because I didn’t know what it meant but I knew that when my mom would say that I wasn’t allowed to date until a certain age or go out at a certain time but my cousins (male) were allowed to do and say whatever they wanted and go out whenever that it was because I was a girl. Or in school they made jokes about each other and their race/ physical appearance and would use the harmful stigmas surrounding that as “jokes” or too insult them. For example they would say that women are emotional or that we can’t do things that men can, for latinos/hispanics (people who were Mexican in particular) it would be that they would call ICE to send us back to our country or to speak english, for black people they would make jokes about their skin color, etc. And the articles further proves and educates on the privilege and oppression that comes with being a certain skin color/gender/sexual orientation/etc. For example, Marilyn Frye comparing being a woman to being a bird locked in a cage and the oppression that comes with being born a woman or Mcintosh and addressing white privilege and their articles on oppression and privilege.

Privilege is this subjective immunity that has no order. Is white privilege real? Is male privilege real? I would say yes if I was asked, nevertheless whoever would be asking the question would believe what he or she wants to. I trust that we are in a society where majority of individuals know what is at stake, they either don’t have enough support of just do not care at all. Privilege creates or wall between the different groups in the country. Marilyn Frye in her reading oppression, gives so many situations of how women especially black women get oppressed. She compares the life of women to a bird that has been locked up in a cage. She has the wings, but she cannot fly. The bird does not have much liberty to move as it pleases, except for the limited space it has been granted. This is the kind of life many women live under the constructed system that has been designed to favor those in power. In situations like, when the oppressed group is starting to find their voice and retaliate to the cruelties, they are then referred to “angry, bitter or dangerous” as Marilyn puts it. Women are always told what to do, how to dress, how to talk and who to be with. You are expected to be fragile and submissive or you are told something like, “no man would want to marry a hard headed girl like you”, “you need to loose up”, “you are going to look ugly if you do not smile”. Women are told who to be in their own skin.

Reading flection 3

After reading the two articles our professor provided for us I realized the same difference between the two articles. I feel like we humans have it too good sometimes or should I say some of us do. Some of us have it all and we are too comfortable to realize our blessings. Some of us don’t realize that having a roof over our heads and food to eat every day is an automatic blessing. Oppression, on the other hand, is much easier noticed than a privilege, and Fyre looks at it as “double-blind” situations. In this generation, I feel like we are forced to smile even through our tough days. Through rains and storms if we are not smiling we will be called ungrateful or miserable because I’ve personally experienced this myself. I believe that not everyone has sunny days and there are different ways of showing it. Some might shut down and not want to be bothered and others might cry and show their misery. Frye shows us some ways that real oppression against frustrations and short-term suffering, to be able to realize these abstractions in an obvious way. This has a big similarity to the second reading where the author McIntosh speaks about her privileges. She speaks about it in a realistic and confident way. That’s the tone she gave off in the article. She mentions something similar to Frye’s topic. That man will never be able to admit to the truth and how they are over-privileged, they won’t admit it even when they see women go through a lot. McIntosh’s way of speaking about her privileges is a good way to give clarity about race and gender. Directly to White people, they realize their privileges and appreciate the things they have no matter what it is.

Reading “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.”, I think that it’s a great thought-provoking, self-reflection-provoking article. I like that Peggy McIntosh begins with bringing up male privilege and the intersection with white privilege. White (cisgender heterosexual) Males are at the top of the privilege hierarchy.

Some of these questions bring up ideas I’d never actively, consciously thought about as a “privilege.” One in particular is #26: I can choose blemish covers or bandages in “flesh” color and have them more or less match my skintone. As a light-medium skinned person of color, I’ve never had to think about bandages not matching my skin. I’ve only awoken to this inequality within the last few years as companies like Band-aid have begun to release their “nude” bandages in multiple “skin-tone colors.” This “nude” issue extends beyond band-aids, and into clothing, including undergarments and shoes, and makeup. Nude has been synonymous with light, white skin for so long and it is just starting to change. 

An important statement I want to highlight is “6. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of color my color made it what it is.”
It took until I grew older into a younger adult that I started to become aware of how biased and how much erasure is in our public school system regarding American History. It is all very whitewashed, in textbooks and classrooms, and excludes so many important aspects of history that have to do with people of color. We almost only learn about famous/important people in history that are white. It seems the only way to really learn about important people of color who shaped our nation is to take specific ethnic-studies classes.

Reading “Oppression” by Marilyn Frye, I wanted to keep in mind the perspective of the time period as it was written 40 years ago. A bird cage is a good visual metaphor for viewing the situation of oppression as a whole, rather than by individual parts. It is all connected, there are so many layers and you have to start breaking down systemic oppression from the root.  I agree with her argument in Section 1 about the door-opening ritual and think it has roots in power play. What came to mind was that people (men) often expect a “Thank You” in response to holding a door, and get angry or upset when not acknowledged for their “chivalrous act” Another important thing she touches upon is “Can Men Cry?” She points out that it is much more acceptable for a man to cry in front of a woman versus a man to cry in front of another man. This is because women are defaulted to being seen as natural caretakers. Frye addresses that these “societally required behaviors” regarding crying, are upheld by men and impact men, but men are praised for their “emotional restraint” while women are viewed as weak or dramatic for being “emotional”