Talking Point #9 (Sex as Feminist Practice)

After reading the Wikipedia article I had to re-read it , once I re-read it I found it to be more interesting the second time around. I never knew that their was a group of feminist that identified as Sex-positive nor did I know about the sex-positive movement. Sex-positive feminist stand for the unity of sex and women in a positive manor. I like that Sex-positive feminist promote equality to any sexuality which gives a person more sexual freedom instead of being excluded. Sex-positive feminist tackle any issue by looking past the glorification of men, they see sex as a natural pleasure that has been "shameful" due to the views of society.
I agree with Rubin feminist who have a restricted view on sex are not liberated they have conformed to the views of sex that their introduced  to by society." Rubin criticizes anti-pornography feminists who she claims "have condemned virtually every variant of sexual expression as anti-feminist," arguing that their view of sexuality is dangerously close to anti-feminist, conservative sexual morality. " 


I liked the 8 Ways To Be Positive You're Sex Positive Article better than the Wikipedia Article. The second article summed up what it was to be sex-positive while being aware if your sex-positive in your own life which was fun. It covered the same material but this excluded the history, but it promotes a positive idea about sex. Being Sex positive to me is being open to new ideas mentally and physically while accepting and consenting between two or many people.It's about healthy relationships between the mind and body and that although sex is healthy and the least bit negative. 

* Sex as Feminist Practice: Sex Positivity and the third Wave (connection)
 The Rebecca Walker article we read in class that dealt with the choices a women makes with her body. The third wave of feminism deals with issues like reproductive rights, gender violence, transgender rights , trying to incorporate everyone. Promoting a sexual lifestyle among women ...sexual liberation.

Talking Point # 10 ( Election Experience)

As a sophomore in college who is an African- american first time voter i'm beyond proud of myself that I have the opportunity to vote. Although I never get involved in politics just knowing that my vote counts to one of the worlds biggest events is more than words can describe. The voting experience really had me shaking in my boots since it was an unfamiliar process especially since I didn't vote at the same polling place with my mother.It kind of dawned on me that I  was voting along side my  mother, aunts, old preschool teacher ( long-story), and with my friends. This election really has me stressed out, its such a close race that anything at this point could happen.I watched the counting of the votes among the states at my aunts house which really bothered everyone. My Aunt began to speak her opinion on the election,then my mother,cousin, sister, and friend began to all talk at once about the news.My cousin then decided to change the channel when the polls showed Romney in the lead. Everyone is worried about the welfare of the country on election day I noticed that everyone's a politician from Facebook to Twitter. I continued to semi-watch the election behind my computer I began to get anxiety as the number of votes between both candidates began to get close to each other.Barack Obama was re-elected yes thank god i'm so excited he won, i'm very proud of him his hard work payed off now hopefully he could follow through and show america that he is going to step up these next four years. 

Obama 's Re-election Speech 

Talking Point #8 ( Orenstein)

I really found this piece by Orenstein very interesting to say the least her analysis of the "princess era" was very interesting. We all questioned the views of Disney but as a child your blinded by the glitter, puffy dresses, and mini high heels you don't know better but thanks to Orenstein she just ruined my Disney experience. What I took from this piece is that being a princess is about the look versus the feeling. Orenstein reports that because of movies like Cinderella, Snow White, And Sleeping Beauty girls strive to be perfect which is crippling to a young girls while damaging their self esteem. It's hard for a little girl to be herself when as a young girl your choices of role models are a princess or an overly sexual teenager. When I was younger I preferred to be outside even though my favorite movie of all times is little mermaid.I think the princess era is a target because of shows like toddlers and tiaras where they show young girls decked out in glitzy dresses, high heels, nails and big perfect hair. The pageant world is highly competitive teaching girls to stand alone as well as be perfect which is a lot of pressure to be under as a five year old.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUEYJ9gfBzQ
Cinderella preformed by The Cheetah Girls Listen to the lyrics of the song!

Talking Point # 7 (What About the Boys? / Kimmel)

Micheal Kimmel
What Are Little Boys Made of? 

Kimmel argues that the boys of America are depressed, suicidal, frail, and emotionally unavailable due to the lack of attention we are giving them. Kimmel believes that because of feminism we are forgetting about the boys and making them the problem. According to Kimmel the lack of attention is the reason why there is an epidemic amongst young men.  While some argue that it’s the male pattern of behavior versus the theory of nature vs. nurture, or biological make-up while other argue  that it’s simple peer pressure amongst boys. Kimmel‘s solution to the problem among boys is to embrace the testosterone pumping through your veins. Kimmel is arguing that it’s okay to be aggressive as long as you can control and honor it and unleash it in healthy doses.  His main point is that as a boy it’s okay to an aggressive, risk taker, as long as you can control your actions while stating that being able to produce testosterone is a natural part of boyhood that is being taken away from boys causing them to act out.

" Testosterone equal vitality" All we have to do is "honor it and steer it into healthy directions"- A little bit of testosterone is healthy when used correctly

Talking Point #6 (Race as a Feminist Issue)

 Audre Lorde
The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House 


    Audre Lorde is an African American feminist lesbian that was asked to speak at a conference of women about the different roles of age,sexuality, race, and class. Lorde the only lesbian of color on the panel noticed the absence of personal and political. Not were women of color excluded from the discussion but so were lesbian, poor black women, and third world women. The conference to Lorde was a sad reflection of racism,sexism,homophobia,while ignoring the opinions of black women and completely excluding lesbians ( who are still women).  *This goes back to compulsory heterosexuality in society, promotion/ acceptance in society to be heterosexual as a women* Audre is using the title of her article as a metaphor for the cycle of abuse that women ( lesbian ,women of color, and women ) use as reinforcement. Oppressed women ( masters) are going to oppress other (tools) since that's what they were taught. To Audre The master's tools will never dismantle the master house until women who are excluded are taught to stand alone, be unpopular because of the beliefs, learning to take your differences and turn them into strengths. By learning how to use these tools you will temporarily dismantle the master's house but you will still be trapped in a house built by the master's tools.

Oppression = Tool

• " .....the role of difference within the lives of american women :difference of race, sexuality, class and age.  (pg 1 paragraph 1)

      * The absence of these considerations weakens any feminist discussion of the personal and political.You have to separate your own beliefs from the beliefs of society. 

Talking Point #2 (Frye)

Frye " Oppression"

Word List (Words I didn't know): 
Docility
Acquiescence 

According to Frye the word oppression is a dangerous word that is often used in the wrong context by the oppressed and the oppressors. According to Frye once a person or group of people claim to be oppressed we simply write them off as well as dismissing their feelings.  This is acceptable among men since their taught to dismiss their emotions but for women it's a challenging situation to remove ourselves from since we were built to be emotional.As a women you face the challenge of either being oppressed or being the oppressor which is a double standard. Women that lack emotion are "less than women" since they are cold and insensitive. Frye claims that situations like this erase the meaning of oppression making it a useless word especially to women. Frye wants to reinvent the word Oppressed by explaining it's meaning to everyone, she wants people to embrace the word, she wants people to be comfortable with the word.

The word oppressed is being used and abused making it's meaning useless. It's being used in terms where as humans we have no control over the consequences. For example some deny that the holocaust did not happen by making such a statement you are implying that many Jews did not suffer by making such a statement you are being insensitive. For a women you are you have no choice but to show emotion because if you show no emotion your called insensitive and if your show to much emotion your emotional. That's where according to Frye is where oppression looses all meaning and you have no choice but to be guilty.

Social Justice Event #1

Pink Saris
October 3 , 2012
GEND Film Series Event



              I finally made it to one of the events offered by the WMST film showings which took place in the Adams library. I had some trouble finding the room but eventually I asked for directions and I was on my way. Upon walking in the room I noticed two of my class mates which confirmed I was at the right place. The documentary got off to an interesting start by showing an heated argument between Sampat Pal ( the self proclaimed messiah of women) and Rekha's husbands family. Rekha is a pregnant fourteen year old who cannot be married to her child father due to the fact that she is a lower caste then him. Although tradition calls for unwed pregnant teens to be murdered young girls like rekha find refuge with Sampat who takes these girls under her wing.Sampat finds comfort in sticking up for young women she can relate she was also married at a young age , had children , and was brutally beaten by her husband's family. Pal challenges tradition as well as caste ( social classes) in the village where she operates. Pal exposes the abuse that girls face while in the hands of their in -laws and husbands out in the open instead of in court. Sampat Pal along with other women wear pink saris representing unity bringing recognition to the change of tradition in India.

This movie connects with a few themes we have covered in class which was the different classes in society. In India class is divided by caste (class) lower class ( untouchable) usually marry in their class. Higher class men or women are disowned if they marry an untouchable their usually disowned and told never to return to their homes. In a group discussion we spoke briefly about the idea of marriage and religion  which is mentioned in the video. Sempat challenges the old traditions of marriage by exposing the domestic violence teenage girls experience within there marriages.

Clip Of Women Gang "Pink Saris" Stand up For the Equality Of Women