Author: Leslie Tepoz

• What forms of gendered violence are represented in this film? What do we learn about this violence and its impacts?

In the film “Out in the  night” The gendered violence are presented how the man verbally harrased these women telling them “i will fuck you straight”. Kept harassing these women until these women had to stab him because he did not understand what “no ” meant. They were looking at charges with criminal possession of a weapon in the 4th degree assault in the 3rd degree, assault in the 2nd,1st degree, gang assault in the 2nd & 1st degree.  I feel very astonished on how they have to plead guilty for literally defending themselves.

• What do the victim-survivors say about their experience and how are their stories received– by their family/friends/colleagues, the legal system, the media?

The way the news would headline the indecent is very disgusting example “attack of the killer lesbian” and also in the article theres a sentence that saids “beaten and knifed…- by seven bloodthirsty young lesbians.” As a survivor you would not like to see that on the news or papers for a traumatic incident where you felt the need to defend yourself since you are a woman. Plus the media only showed how they were beaten up by the man only. Not how the women were beaten up for it to get that. I believe the legal system failed them when holding them in trial. Especially failed Renata, she got sentenced 8 years for defending herself but her rapist only got 5 years. 

How do feminist and queer interventions challenge ideas of the “nuclear family?” What do they say are the limits? What other visions do we see for the ways that families can be formed? What are your thoughts about family structure and what these interventions offer us?

In the article ” BEYOND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE:” feminist and queer interventions challenge ideas of a nuclear family by saying “nuclear family” are how families are supposed to be. I would like to say nuclear families do mirror other conflicts that people are facing in this country for example ” Millions of people are without health care, decent housing, or enough to eat….While many in the LGBT community call for legal recognition of same-sex marriage, many others – heterosexual and/or LGBT – are shaping for themselves the relationships, unions, and informal kinship systems that validate and support their daily lives, the lives they are actually living, regardless of what direction the current ideological winds might be blowing.” I believe that not only do the LGBTQ also faces the issues nuclear families do but on top of that also have to face just to be accepted. I believe that there should be no specific ways to structure a “family” i believe each individual should have their own way in which makes them happy and be confident that it will work for them without having to follow these specific structures society has made us believe should be “normal”

1. What do you see as the relationship between women’s movements and abolitionist movements?

The relationship between women’s movement and abolitionist movement is they are both movements fighting to end inequality. Just both are different groups. The abolitionist movement is mistreatment of people of color. Womens abolitionist movement is to end inequality for women.

1. Discuss the two versions of the speech by Sojourner Truth. What do we see when we compare the two versions? What can this show us about the context of that time?

The comparison between the two versions of Sojourner Truth speech in 1851 to Frances Gage version in 1863 is Sojourners version I felt more bad and hurt based on the calmness and choice of words. Yet Frances Gages I read more with anger and rage on the unfairness treatment in women.

1. Pick a quote or two from one of the texts that spoke to you or that confused you. Describe and explain the quote(s) as best as you can and/or identify your questions about them.

In the article “is it a crime to vote” by susan b anthony the quote that spoke to me and really did make me appreciate the women that fought for women’s right is “Her husband sued the corporation and recovered $13,000 damages. And those $13,000 belong to him bona fide” Mind you it was the wife that got injured not the husband yet she couldn’t even keep a single dollar.

Coming into this class, what are some of your initial impressions of the terms “feminism,” “sexism” and “gender and women’s studies?” How do this week’s readings define or explain these terms? Use specific quotes or examples in your response.

When coming into this class, I had an idea that feminism is when women want equality. Sexism, is when discriminated based off gender and gender women studies is  examining social and cultural constructs of gender.

This weeks reading really got me thinking on the word feminism. How it was viewed before and the ideas people thought feminism is. Yet some people in this day still have the same beliefs of feminism as back then. A lot of women still don’t believe in feminism and believe as women we should still cater to men.

A quote that stood out to me in the reading Feminists politics: Where we stand by bell Hooks. would have to be “As all advocates of feminist politics know most people do not understand sexism or if they do they think it is not a problem. Masses of people think that feminism is always and only about women seeking to be equal to men. And a huge majority of these folks think feminism is anti- male. Their misunderstanding of feminist politics reflects the reality that most folks learn about feminism from patriarchal mass media” This stood out to me because I do believe patriarchal mass media does play a role on the misunderstanding on feminism. Usually paints the picture on society that women are anti-male. Which does a play a role on why a lot of women still haven’t considered on joining the movement based on the things they only have seen on mass media.