In the reading “Patriarchy, The System ” by Allan G. Johnson, what I understood from it is that we have the power to shape society but we  also have the power to be shaped by  the same society that shapes us. That while we reinforce beliefs that contribute to the upholding of the structure we continue to be weighed down by it. We were not responsible for creating  these systems, we are responsible in one way or another  for contributing to them and it is not the individual that is to blame but the system itself and collectively working to understand its functions so we can work to dismantle and undo its harmful effects.

I am in deep awe and reverence of Audre Lorde. I’m obsessed with her way with words and perception of oppression.  she is a black queer woman who is just a power house in literature and social justice,  in reading  “There Is No Hierarchy of Oppressions” she  points out intersectionality and  the aspects of identity and those identities  can overlap. Parts of our identity can be more powerful  in an environment. All aspects of our identity are always a part of us and we can never cut off any aspects of our identity and what  I took from that was that while we might experience oppression as a woman does not mean that we fully understand the experience of women in different cultures and races. I always admired her for being unapologetically herself and encouraging other people to be the same.