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When I hear the terms Feminism, sexism, and gender and women studies I think of oppression, and people wanting equality. Feminism defined is a range of social movements, political movements, and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. When some people hear feminism they have this negative beliefs like they are women who hate men. Which is not true. To better put in words “Feminism is a movement to end sexism”-Bell Hooks. I really like this definition because not only does it address the issues of feminism but also sexism because they both tie into one another. The overall goal of feminist is not to be better or more superior to men but to be equal to men. In Audre Lorde: Age, Race, Class, and Sex, she highlights how issues in certain communities and groups goes beyond just gender, race, etc. How we ignore differences within our similar communities. Shew specifically says ” ..not the differences that separates women but our reluctance to recognize differences..” This really resonates with me because of how true it is. or when she says ” the three ways we react to differences: ignore it, copy it if dominate, or destroy it if subordinate.

Post On Discussion Board #2 (Due 2/15)

Instructions/How to post here

For this week’s discussion board, please reply to one of the following sets of questions– you do not need to reply to all of them (but you are welcome to do so!). When writing about specific readings, try to find a quote in the text that helps to back up your point or discussion.

1. What does Frye mean by “oppression” and how is it different than being miserable or frustrated? What does Lorde’s essay tell us about oppression? How do you relate to these pieces, if at all? Can you think of examples or experiences that connect to Frye and/or Lorde’s arguments?
2. What is the system of patriarchy? How do we participate in this system? What does this approach help us to see that an individualistic model does not? Give specific examples.
3. Fausto-Sterling and the IG chat both take up the issue of intersexness. What connections do you see between medical systems and sex/gender? What are the questions that come up for you as you read/watch these pieces?
4. Ijeoma A. and Pascoe write about expectations that are placed on girls and boys, respectively. What are some of the norms that they write about? What are some of the norms that you grew up with, either in your own experience or that you witnessed? How did you relate to these norms?

Please title your post: First Name Last Name: DB 2 and select “DB 2” as the category for your post.

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.

Coming into this class, my initial impressions of the terms “feminism”, “sexism” and “gender and women’s studies” were standard. What comes to mind when sexism and gender are involved is the idea of dominance vs subordinates. There is an under lying connection towards feminism, sexism and gender (of women) when it comes to the concept of dominance and subordinates because of how society has portrayed the relationship between men and women. In the articles, “Feminist’s Politics: Where We Stand” written by Bell Hooks and “Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” by Audre Lorde touches on the subject of sex (women) and how it corresponds to the power structure.

Men, the dominant race, has always found a way to perpetuate their leadership over any other race and/or sex. Therefore throughout history they have showed countless times and situations where they have considered, “women right’s when the granting of those rights could serve the interests of maintaining white supremacy” (Hooks). In our eyes, men will always be seen as the higher upper, the CEO, the boss, the leader. We as a society tend to cater towards the idea that men must have a certain type of masculinity which therefore promotes their leadership and power. Due to this mentality we are in a never ending cycle of promoting male dominance. In a social construct,

“we have learned to deal across those differences with the urgency of all oppressed subordinates. All of us have had to learn to live or work or coexist with men, from our fathers on. We have recognized and negotiated these differences, even when this recognition only continued the old dominant/subordinate mode of human relationship; where the oppressed much recognized the maters’ differences in order to survive” (Lorde).

To conclude, society has fixed a sexist definition of gender and women to allow many and myself to believe that sex will always be affected by power and those that hold power will continue to do so even after many years of countless fighting for civil rights for men and women of different races and sexual orientation. The terms “feminism”, “sexism” and “gender and women’s studies” means to me, what society has made us to believe it as.

“What do this week’s readings have you thinking about? Select a quote from each reading that caught your attention. Discuss the author’s meaning and why these lines stood out to you.”

This weeks readings have me thinking about the word feminism. Modern day I would think many women are with the movement. That is still not the case though, many women still choose or unconsciously follow mens orders, if it is not because of culture it is because people still blindly keep on being a subordinate to men. I really enjoyed reading Feminists politics: Where we stand by bell Hooks. It was so clear and really explained feminism.

A quote that stood out to me in the reading Feminists politics: Where we stand by bell Hooks. would have to be “A woman can insist she would never choose to have an abortion while affirming her support of the right of women to choose and still be an advocate of feminist politics. She cannot be anti-abortion and an advocate of feminism.” The author ties this point to sexism, we live in a world that christian point of views are heavily weighing many individuals down. This lines stood out to me because I am pro choice and believe if a woman does not wan to have a child she should not have to go through and have an unwanted child. Psychologically that affects both the mother and the child in the future. The said child could grow up with an unhealthy view of attachment because the mother didn’t want it. I link mothers with Mary Ainsworth attachment theory, I believe it is true. The way the child is treated will affect the way the child develops themselves and socially. I also think that Hooks mentions abortion because if a women is not willing to have an abortion even if there are circumstances that are not okay such as rape or incest and even illnesses deep down she does not want others to have one as well and that traces back to sexism.

A quote from the reading Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference by Audre Lorde that caught my attention was “Some problems we share as women, some we do not. You fear your children will grow up to join the patriarchy and testify against you, we fear our children will be dragged from a car and shot down in the street, and you will turn your backs upon the reasons they are dying.” There is an inequality gap that is so big white women to white men and the gap is bigger with white women and black women. I think that until people stop saying “I don’t see color” we will see a greater change than what we have right now. There are different struggles women of color endure and people need to be actively listening, which is a problem on its own. We don’t do much of active listening we are always waiting to speak and what is trying to be said is not fully comprehended. Which the quote “Certainly there are very real differences between us of race, age, and sex. But it is not those differences between us that are separating us. It is rather our refusal to recognize those differences.”

  A quote from  A Look Back At Women’s Studies Since The 1970s that stood out would be “I would say the first thing is that academic disciplines departments were remiss in their lack of attention to issues having to do with, not just women, but issues having to do with race and gender and so forth. So women’s studies, is not just about looking at women. It is also about looking at ways in which societies imagine or treat women and gender issues.” I think its also one of the reasons why I decided that I if I want to understand individuals I have to take this course. I know it will be eye opening and I already loved chicano studies. The author/ interview is focused on educating people on what and why people should take GWS it will be the gateway to understanding the struggles of minorities and women.