Sexism, Racism, or Both

The readings for today were very fascinating while also being unexpected. The chapter in Colonize This!By Cristina Tzintzun put me through a wave of thoughts and really kept me on my toes. She kept making statements, which at first made me think she could not make up her mind about how she felt about her father, but then I realized her jumping between thoughts is actually how she must feel about her family life and the experiences she had growing up. Accepting that her father was essentially a rapist, sexist, racist, and overall extremely ignorant man, could not have been an easy thing to do, nor something they may ever be possible. But he was her father and she loved him anyway. She also began saying that her mother was pretending her father was doing all of these terrible things but then justifies her mother staying with her father in order to benefit her sister and her. The whole story was not an easy thing to read because you can feel her internal conflicts and the justifications she is trying to make.

 The most interesting part of the chapter is when she thanks her father for the person she has become because it taught her all of the things that she should not be. I think this part of the chapter is extremely enlightening and admirable because she takes the worst part about growing up and the awful things she experiences and gets inspired. She gets angry and uses this anger in the most positive way she can. She studies and learns what it means to be a woman. Not the type of woman her father wants, but the type of woman her father does not want. A strong woman. This chapter takes a very interesting take on sexism and racism. While we have seen them working together previously in the semester, they have a stronger connection in this context. Her father takes advantage of women because of their race, while previously we have seen the neglect of women due to their race.

Primadonna

Identity Politics is Dangerous

    I want to spend the majority of my post talking about the dangers of identity politics as seen in all three of the readings, but I'll also touch on some other points as well later on.
    The theme of there being danger in identity politics has been seen throughout the course, as the world's obsession with strict categories strips men and women alike of unique parts of their humanity. However, the reading by Crenshaw pointed out a really interesting duality that exists, being that identity politics can be empowering in addition to being restrictive. While simultaneously homogenizing populations, there is still no denying the fact that the group mentality it creates is very powerful and influential in the political sphere.
    So, what you end up with is more public power but a smaller sphere of influence. Most activism will only yield rewards for parts of the activist population. For instance, we saw in an earlier reading that marriage equality is entirely more beneficial to gay white males than to lesbian black females. Still, both populations join under the single heading, "gay marriage". This is a perfect example of an increase in public power via more activists, but a decrease in sphere of influence via the loss of those extra activists' voices.
    We saw a similar case in Tzintzún's chapter when she spoke of being a contradiction in terms of her identity. As she was affiliated with both the oppressors and the oppressed, she felt torn between the two, a part of them both and yet relatable to neither. The sheer amount of categories that we consciously choose to impose on ourselves make their intersection painfully common. Many cannot help but simultaneously be privileged and oppressed, leaving them confused as to their own sense of identity. Gay white males live with the privileged history of whiteness and the oppressive history of homosexuality, while straight black males live with the oppressive history of blackness and the privileged history of heterosexuality. This is the kind of confusing intersection that many of us are faced with every day, and it is important to be able to recognize both our privilege and our oppression.

    Lastly, I just want to re-iterate Elly's idea (and the amazing video) about the Brownmiller reading failing to recognize that women also commit acts of rape. Obviously, there is no denying that men are committing the majority of the sexual violence, but it is ignorant to say that men cannot be victims. I know of survivors that are both male and female, and wish people would come to terms with the fact that rape is not entirely controlled by men.        
   

There's More to Rape than Men Dominating Women

     I became really immersed in the readings for class tomorrow. Each author was so powerful and descriptive in their words. There was intelligence, care, rebellion and I learned a lot from each piece. Rape is a strong and often difficult topic for people to talk about. Fortunately through over my life I believe it has become more and more acceptable to discuss (thought perhaps this is because I have grown older and more aware. Regardless it has become more acceptable certainly since the 1950's). There is a lot more that most countries can do for their women and men in terms of rape, and the fact that it is a hot topic for discussion in the world of social improvement makes me feel better.
     I did a project last semester for my FSEM about sexual violence in Peru. I learned that in Peru around 50% of women will be sexually assaulted or raped in their lifetimes, and I compared this statistic with the United States and Canada who sit at 25% of women and Japan who sits at 4%. Except for Japan and a few other countries who have minimal sexual violence (though 0% would be perfect of course it's probably unattainable) there is a lot of work needed to be done to create the world safer for women. All sorts of actions can and are being taken, but that's another story. What I wanted to focus on is men.
     All sorts is being written, discussed and done about women who are being raped by men. That is the typical and most common description. Men dominate women, and this statement is often the only fact we hear about rape. What is often neglected are the men who are raped.  Did you know that at least 10% of rape victims are male? one in ten. It's more than most would think. One in 33 men will be raped in their lifetimes. While it certainly doesn't happen in the frequency that women are raped (1 in 6), it is a fact that many men are raped (all statistics are according to rccms.org) And there is a problem in our culture where many are in disbelief that men could be raped. They think that oh well because he got an erection he must have been enjoying it. They think that because he's a guy of course he enjoyed it. They think that women can't be rapists. But they can. And these poor men who survived being raped often receive no to very little support. Their male friends don't believe or understand them. Authority figures do the same. They are all under the impression that men cannot be raped and that they're just being babies for not being okay with what happened to them.
     Fortunately in many countries male rape is being discussed more too. The stigma is being slowly drained away, and I would hope that as I age rape percentages will decreases everywhere for all. I would like to end my blog post with this YouTube video entitled "Why Rape Is Sincerely Hilarious" which I came across blog reading online. It's a short 2 minute video that is really worth the watch. It deals with a man who had been molested, and the mockery and stigma he has had to deal with, and what he ends up having to do to overcome what happened to him.

Homeless Woman Goes on Job Interview; Arrested for Child Abuse

My friend shared this article on Facebook today. Even though we've already discussed working mothers, I thought I'd share this. It is a prime example of oppression of women, single mothers, women of low socioeconomic status, and women of color ALL IN ONE. It's almost unbelievable. Essentially, the woman went on a job interview, left her kids in the car (off, windows cracked), and was arrested for child abuse. She obviously didn't have the money for childcare and more obviously was not trying to kill her children.

1970's Chicks: Penthouse

August 1972

In my book, the most interesting women's attire to come out of the '70s.

Update: The three Penthouse covers were in violation of the Blogger Content Policy for adult content. Rather than mark this blog as "adult" I have removed the images.

A Woman's Movie: Gun Crazy

It even looks foreign

Annie Laurie Starr is a carnie sharp - shooter who has a love for pulling the trigger when flesh and blood is standing in front of it. Actress Peggy Cummins had the Fay Dunaway beret thing going twenty years before Bonnie and Clyde. John Dall is her boyfriend Barton Tare. He's had a thing for the iron since he was a kid but can't bear the thought of shooting another human. They make a great couple.

Dall didn't have much of a career as an actor but he's great in this and like Orson Welles said, "You only need one." It's the only noir film I've seen that looks bright and clean thanks to plenty of day exteriors. The whole 40's hand painted tie and boxed double breasted suit look is also gone while the picture presents an almost French - Ivy aesthetic. Made in 1949, it could easily pass for 1959. Hell, maybe even 1969. Beautiful photography rounds out the production and convinces me a lot of people in the film business couldn't wait to rip it off.

The picture, except for a slow opening, moves like a semi jacketed 150 grain .357 and there's no rest. Annie moves just as fast and poor Bart seems overwhelmed by it all. Still, he always insists on driving and to that I can relate.

Korean Street Fashion

Korean Street Fashion-March 2020

In streets of SEOUL..🌍

Jos. A. Bank "Quantity Guaranteed"

Jian Ghomeshi's Lawyer, Marie Henein Defeated the Biased Media Smear-Campaign Effortlessly

Jian Ghomeshi's Lawyer, Marie Henein, did an interview with the CBC where she was asked a set of very dishonest, loaded questions. She refuted the illogical, irrational, emotion-based arguments gracefully and defended the presumption of innocence in rape cases like a true champion. Standing up to these feminist lynch-mobs takes some courage and we see that on full display in this video.

1960's Chicks - UNC 1968

Men Could Suffer Death Sentence for Rape During the Colonial Days

     During the days where feminists in the US love to claim men had all the power and controlled women like slaves, rape laws during the 1600's state that men could suffer the death penalty if found guilty of rape. Here's a source from the University of Virginia titled, "Sexual Misconduct in Plymouth Colony":

"Based on these cases, one can assume that the people of Plymouth operated under an unwritten code of moral conduct before 1636. The new laws embodied this code, and distinguished between capital and criminal sexual offences. 'Sodomy, rapes, and buggery"'were declared "capital offences lyable to death" (PCR 11:12)."

Interesting that the almighty patriarchy would kill men for raping the so-called second class citizens.

1950's Chicks: Models

Fashion's Folly was published in 1954 by Leslie Lieber and Toni Miller. The authors of this book, "devoted themselves with modest restraint to the gentle pricking of the pearl encrusted balloon of High Fashion." Hence, their charming captions for these photos shot by Carl Perutz. I'm betting my readers have some of their own captions. Feel free to leave any restraint behind.

"Okay, c'mon -- but I tell you I'm not ticklish.

"I don't care how many degrees you have, doctor. Your couch is too short!"

"I figure if Gussie Moran can do it..."

"Nobody leaves until the dishes are done!"

"Did I object when you brought home those goldfish?"

"I'm terribly sorry about your rug, darling!"

"I can't understand why the Salvation Army band couldn't use me."

"Hey, Joe! Is this where you want me to load it?"

"Jaguars - Jaguars...that's all he ever sends me!"

"Poor George! He fell overboard and can't swim a stroke!"

Tomorrow: 1960's Chicks: UNC 1968