While reading this week’s reading and seeing the initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito, it is truly a letdown to have all those struggle and oppression women faced go to waste by this one decision. Women came so far just for the Supreme court to go back ten steps back and not even give the rights for women to decide on matters of their bodies if the ruling is in the favor of Samuel Alito. When I first heard of the leaked document about Roe v. Wade I was horrify and felt powerless because I understand the struggle that women face when they are not making good in come and become pregnant but have no means to support the unborn child, it is hard for them. It is women who are jobless, poor and have no medical insurance who struggle if the release rulings of this still-unresolved cases go through. Women must be able to have the choice on what is it they want to do legally without the fear of being convicted for exercising their rights. Not only would the supreme court oppress women more but give a harder time on the mental health of those who have spontaneous abortions who unfortunately had to face miscarriages and stillbirths. 

The readings plus the announcement provided gave me a history on why abortions were illegal in the first place. I did not know that it came from a time of slavery, a way to control and produce more children for the enslavers to have “more property.” As women all I know is that our rights are always threaten and I never really thought of when it began because since I can remember woman always had to fight for fair wages, to have a voice, to be respected and it still not easy in the twenty-first century. Both the readings and video keep me up to date on what is going on and helping organizations. out there that help women who struggle with having the money for an abortion. It is readings and videos like this that show you a new side to something you thought you had knowledge of. Towards the end I thought to myself that just because you do not see it, does not mean it does not exist. It reminded me that it is important to acknowledge my surroundings in a way that it helps not just my generation but future generations, this draft is a way of threatening our freedom to choose over our body and to help organization or find ways to help those women that have no way of making it happen. 

A while back I did a writing assignment for my speech class writing about an artist who has made a change. I chose Frida Kahlo, since researching her and getting to know her life she has become my favorite artist. This painting was by Frida Kahlo (Henry Ford Hospital 1932) and one of my favorites that she has done. She explores intimate experiences females face but are not spoken about such as miscarriage, pregnancy, menstruation, breastfeeding, infertility, sexual organs were private, but she published them in her paintings. She is known to be a feminist icon because she speaks on things that were considered extremely taboo even now. Therefore, I chose this painting because it demonstrates the pain and sorrow she experiences after her miscarriage. This is activism to me because she is painting from experience and knowledge of what other women go through but would not speak on, she stands for women’s freedom of expression. 

This week reading and film had many connections and surprised me while still having them impact my understand of medical oppression. One connection I found in the two readings “12 Reasons It Should Be Illegal for Doctors Not to Treat Trans People “By Diana Tourjée and “A Birth Story” By Dána-Ain Davis, Cheyenne Varner & LeConté J. Dill was they both emphasize the discrimination transgenders and Black women faced in the health care systems. While transgender is either being refused to be seen or disrespected when needing medical help, Black women are faced with being ignored and being intentionally hurt. It is medically unethical to have treated any patients like that but instead of repercussion, doctors and nurses who treat people inhumanly receive support. I am not saying they are not important or should not be appreciated but it is a known fact that some doctors and nurse are racist and do not take accountability for the malpractice they showcased. Surprisingly LeConté J. Dil story and poem was most shocking to me not because of the oppression but because there was no one that ever spoke up or witness this and said something, especially in a hospital. As a medical assistant and having some experience in urgent care I do not see how this would have ever happened, it is very disappointing and shocking to say the least. The film “Period: End of Sentence” build on my understanding of the taboo not only in India but many other countries that have similar issue like being dismissive when a women’s menstrual cycle is brought up. I really enjoy the film because of all the feminism that was shown, such as not being forced to get married but instead striving to exceed on their careers as well as women’s working together to make pads and help women in their communities, taking a stance for women. The formatting in the stories this week impacted my understanding of medical oppression against gender, race and even the color of one’s skin. While this is still an on-going problem with medical workers and facilities, I have come to realize that it comes down to the health care workers and doctors. These people think it Is okay to treat people with disrespect and discrimination because society, organizations and health care departments supporting and justifying them by stating that it is “enforcing all of the civil rights laws as entrusted to us by Congress.” What about the civil rights law for transgender and Black people and many people that have been discriminated but have not spoken out and been acknowledge? The problem is the “support” and reasoning that the HHS given for allowing federally funded healthcare providers and insurers to legally deny care to transgender people. Overall, this week’s activities gave a bigger picture to the issues in the healthcare system and facilities.  

In this week’s reading by Williams and Garza expanded my knowledge on identity politics because it gave me a different view of what it means to some but what it looks like. To Garza it looked like the blonde girl complaining about how everyone should be united instead of divided but does not knowledge that history of oppression not only to Black people but Black women’s most of all cannot be forgotten. Garza begins with his statement by stating that power is what drives “identity politics” and examine how the blonde women is the best example of how power works, when you have it you tend to not acknowledge those that do not. In this week’s read “The power of identity politics” the examination of what “identity politics” continue and even provide the same quote I was having difficulty with last week with the Combahee River collective, “The personal is politics.” That phares was used for the women’s movement and even with Garza explaining that in the case of Black women they had to put away their own wants of free for the sake of unity. Just like the blonde girl wants unity instead of acknowledging, she expects everyone white or black to put aside their thoughts and opinions just because she does not like how blacks divide themselves from others. This Is just a way of how he showed that this problem still occurs to Black people. In Williams “Too Latina to Be Black, Too Black to Be Latina” I learned that many would try to mold you into what they think you should be based of your features, complexion, even language but knowing every aspect of your identity is what should matter to you. Her story expanded my knowledge because I did not think that it was possible for something like that to happen. I guess since I have been living in New York my whole life and everyone here is diverse and does not follow the whole sticking to a kind of group based on your appearance thing I never really was brought to my attention how different other places are.  

I have seen someone on the discussion board mention wanting to learn about capitalism more in depth, and I think that would be something I would like to read about more. This is because I mostly struggle with the subject of capitalism and how it could affect those who have less.  

In The Combahee River Collective Statement, the quote “We might use our position at the bottom to make a clear leap into revolutionary action. If Black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression.” to me the quote means that Black women were discriminated against not only for being Black but being women too. This was part of what people seen as normal because society justified why it would not be right to free Black women as opposed to liberating white women. If they would have been free that would destroy the oppression society had imposed on all men and women, white or black. By keeping them oppressed it was easy to control Black women. I think what Combahee River Collective mean by “identity politics” is that Black women were to make their own rules and plan based on the conditions and treatment they faced because of race, gender, and sexuality. This is highlighted in “Paris is burning” with the elaborate ball runway competitions. Back when it was film in the 1980s African American, Latino, gay, and transgender were not able to express themselves without being judge so they created this ball competitions which display their individualities. African American, Latino, gay, and transgender were able to make their own rules and plan based on the treatment society placed on them. Race and gender have do a lot with capitalism because the same people who have power are the ones exploiting those who struggle. Capitalism is the focus of change in society. It can change the discrimination of different races, genders, and sexuality. In Combahee River Collective Statement it states that their belief is that the destruction of capitalism, imperialism, and patriarchy is necessary for the liberation of oppressed people, and this is right Black women and men faced all this oppression due to the people of power wanting to control and capitalism only made it easier for those in power to take advantage of Black people their often the main victims of the attacks of capitalism, imperialism, and patriarchy. As we view the history of the oppression of African American, Latino, gay, and transgender, you can see that even after all the oppression they find ways to pursue their happiest and make a change not as an individual but as a community a fitting example if the ball held in New York to demonstrate their true colors without discrimination.