wvuwgstfeministtheories

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

OH YES HE DID. 

#LOVEWINS

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[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

The term I would like to define is #deconstruction. Throughout the semester and in our texts, we talked about and were ask to deconstruct terms. For example, in chapter 11, the authors talk about deconstructing social structure. But what does that mean? What does it mean to deconstruct?

To understand deconstruction practices, I first start with understanding social constructionism. Social constructionists believe that what we know and how we know it is constructed by society rather than pre-determined by some stable, external, detached, neutral universal truth that is out there for discovery. So GaGa’s picture of “just being born this way” is, according to social constructionists, false. 

With this assumption, one can, then, deconstruct what was socially constructed. How did we come to this understanding that A means B? For example, what does it mean to be masculine, who decided what it means, and how does that manifest in society? Who and who does not benefit from constructing masculinity in this way? In my understanding, deconstruction practices would interrogate all of this rather than passively accept that what we know and what things mean have always been that way. An example of deconstruction would be what Calvin and Hobbes are doing. Did I understand this correctly?

Sae-Mi Lee

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

Deconstructing social structures consist of approaching the thoughts and practices that produce inequalities. Throughout this semester, I have been exposed to some construct that definitely needs deconstruction. Whether these actions and/or concepts are rooted systemically or flourished from the ignorance of individuals and/or groups, it must addressed! The systematic structure we currently live in was not structured to be inclusive or practice equality for all people, so this positions us to deconstruct social structures by re-creating, and revisiting oppressive social structures.

-Shanequa

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

In “Theory as Liberatory Practice”, by Bell Hooks, there is an intense focus on #theory’s ability to be a healing practice and source of liberation for many. Hooks decides that when linked with our personal experiences, #theory and practice become transposable and enable one another. By having #theory as a backbone of ones personal feminism, it allows for structure and understanding of the cultural and socioeconomical issues that surround you. As feminists it is very easy to become involved and attached to many of the troubles that plague our society. #Theory becomes an inspiring force that drives many people to make changes and connections to the topics that oppress themselves and others. The veracity about feminist #theory and feminist practice is its adaptability and transformative properties. “Theory is not inherently healing, liberatory, or revolutionary. It fulfills this function only when we ask that it do so and direct our theorizing towards this end.”

- Heaven.

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

More people are concerned with why women stay in abusive relationships than why men are abusing women

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

Missionary Framework: This is where Third World women are being viewed as victims that much be rescued from their own cultural traditions. (pg.366) This is a highly conceptualized idea that was coined during the colonization era. However, this is still much prevalent today in the fact of Western views of Third World women being static and solidarity. There is this prominent discourse that highlights particular characteristics of the “average Third World woman” that describe them as women who need to be “saved”. However, this becomes problematic because we have to ask ourselves….who is deciding the intended changes within these women’s livelihoods? Truth be told, women of the Third World do have agency and can stand up for themselves. Generally, they are progressing figures in their society and are able to represent themselves as empowering individuals. And while there may be unethical cultural and societal practices targeted toward their women, it is not necessarily up to Westernized feminist to tell them what they need or what they need to transform in order to achieve respectable equality and justice.

Hill

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

Transversal politics looks around, between, and through social positions and politics. This ideology look beyond just the shared experiences of the individual. That is not to say they don’t matter, they count as your jumping off point. But, there is also the chance for shifts and changes in the landscape of your ideas based on the influence of others. I think what struck me the most about this one in particular is the thought that the only people who represent a group are those elected by the group themselves.

I think this would serve as a very interesting organization tool for bringing together a variety of voices. Very true to a democratic process in its way transversal politics allows the group to decide who they want to be their voice. Additionally, this also allows outside members to represent a different social location (although I am not sure how well this use of the system would work).  

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

I am glad to see that these students choose to take what Eve Sedgwick calls the “universalizing” view of queer studies, rather than the “minoritizing” view. While the latter sees queer sexualities as relevant only to those who identify as queer, the former sees queer sexualities influencing all of human culture.

Douglas Ray,  How to Teach Queer Studies In Alabama

This quote inspired me do a little more research into the work of Eve Sedgwick, because I felt this was the core of this article, of queer theory and feminist theorizing, in general. Eve Sedgwick, author of Epistemology of the Closet, provided two approaches to understanding homosexuality. The “minoritizing” view others the queer community as a distinct population who are authentically, completely, and separately gay from the “rest.” Alternatively, Sedgwick suggests (in a very Kinsey fashion) the “universalizing” approach: that all people are personal affected by sexual diversity and fall on a spectrum of homosexuality AND all people all personally affected by the implications of how we marginalize, oppress, and other groups. So, these two terms were what intrigued me and I pulled out of the reading. 

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

Nepantilism is to be divided by your intersectionality, rather than to be empowered by it. Many times in my feminism I have been internally conflicted by knowledge from past experiences, influences from my culture, and whatever situation I was faced with at the time. I feel like I don't need to say it, but that's not how it should be. I'm young in my feminism and just young in general. Maybe that makes me naive. Feminsm in general, as a collective movement with a unified goal, shouldn't make me or anyone else feel a division between intersectional backgrounds and our activism. I think I say the same thing every week, but I guess that says something about my feminsm and where I am. #submission #nepantilism -Zhoe L

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

If feminism fights the patriarchy and the civil rights movement and the efforts successing to that fight white supremacy, then intersectionality fights the kyriarchy. The kyriarchy is essentially the oppressive system set up by all the lines of marginization (though patriarchy, white supremacy, and capitalism are seen as the major lynchpins). And while its possible to be supportive and aware on one axis, it's possible to be oppressive on another. In Plaid's piece "No I Would Follow the Porn Star's Advice," the exampne highlighted is between two Latina women. They share that marginalization, but one is a sex worker, and the other's not. One has a PhD, and the other has no college experience mentioned. So, the PhD non-SW of course feels the porn star is unqualified. This is a situation of a failing on the lines of capitalism/patriarchy, but not on white supremacy (at least not overtly). In the picture above, "BlackTransLivesMatter" is shown because while trans women face a lot of violence, and black people face a lot of violence, black trans women face a disproportionately amount of violence in comparison (one black trans woman a week on average in 2015 so far is murdered). Intersections of race and gender identity are at play here, and kyriarchy ensures the more marginalizations you, the worse off you'll be for it. Auriana F. #kyriarchy #submission

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

I am choosing to define #intersectionality.  This is the idea that an individual’s identities overlap and interact with each other.  These identities can be (and often times are) conflicting, in that, one identity can be oppressing while another can be privileged—all in the same person.  It is important to keep this idea in mind, especially when talking about feminism and feminist issues.  Not all people are going to bring to the table to same experiences (and biases) because of their intersectionality. 

I chose to include a picture of myself because I, like anyone, have intersecting identities. 

-Jessica H. 

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

Access to higher education can grant individuals a number of privileges itself. Often times a degree can open doors to higher paying jobs and grant the individual with credibility, whether it is earned or not.  One problem that author Andrea Plaid points out in "No, I Would Follow the Porn Star's Advice" is the disconnect between people with degrees and people without and that the Degreed often feel they deserve more than the Self-Taught.  In Andrea's text she points out that many times people who only have experience in a field are not deemed "credible" by their peers. However, I agree with Andrea's point and think that sometimes the ones with experience and no education are more qualified to speak on a topic than the educated.  Just like what is depicted in the image, I believe there are many roads to "success" and education is not the only one.  

#educationalprivledge 

Layla Monazam

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

For this week, I chose the term Aboriginal Women. My reason for choosing this term, was because this was a new term for me; I had no prior knowledge about the Aboriginal people. Traditionally, in the Aboriginal culture women played a key role within the family, government and the spiritual ceremonies. In the household the women were responsible for the domestic duties, while men were responsible for providing. In the traditional society men and women had an honorable respect for one another and shared balance in their roles. The equality amongst men and women in the aboriginal culture was undermined, due to the influence of the Europeans. The cultural changes heavily impacted the role of the Aboriginal women. The Aboriginal Women was stripped from their rights. As a result, the Aboriginal women has suffered from racism, sexist stereotypes, and acts of violence. I chose this video to reveal some statistics about the violence against Aboriginal Women.

#ChelseyFranklin #AboriginalWomen #ActsofViolence #submisson

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

This video talked about passing and the problems surrounded by it. I think that a thing that was overlooked (rather not mentioned) is that binary trans people will often times subvert their look in order to achieve this ability to pass. What I mean is, not only will they do traditional things they may want to do anyway to try to pass, they will sometimes alter their style from they would truly like it to be in order to better fit into people's preconceived notions of gender/presentation. Rather, a "queer aesthetic" makes it harder, in general, for binary trans people to pass, while a cis queer person  wouldn't run into the same thing in most instances. It's another neat little layer of policing.

Auriana F.

#submission #passing #femtechnet #transgender

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

I will say that the turn black woman is something that I am familiar with and also passionate about. I am a black woman and I enjoy being a black woman but it is not always an easy task. I feel like there is a ongoing battle of having to constantly redefining myself apart from the stereotypes of being black and a woman. I chose this video because I think that the vlogger an excellent job revealing the everlasting intersection that black woman has always had to endure. Black women suffer from being oppressed by their sex and the color of their skin. This issue as has existed far back as history dates; and even in the present day black woman are still dealing with the same issues. However, on a good note, the fight hasn't ended, and black women are still pressing against the oppression that they face daily. In addition to that, the activism of black woman is often swept under the and never talked about. Therefore, I also like the fact that she included the influences that African-American woman had in feminism during the second wave and the civil rights moment. This term is very important to me because it is a part of my being and will be until I die.

Chelsey F.

#BlackWomen #intersetionality 

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

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Heteronormativity is a societally driven idea that people naturally conform to distinct, binary gender roles of man and woman. It leaves no room for individual gender expression, sexuality, self expression, or anything else that doesn’t fit in those tiny blue and pink boxes.

It is the fuel to the fire of anxiety, embarassment, fear, and depression that we all have when we don’t measure up the the norms of our society.

Zhoe L.

[wvuwgstfeministtheories]

The term I am trying to define is #disability and #impairment. Although there was a distinction in literature between the two, impairment referring to physical limitations while disability refers to social and structural limitations, it seemed to me they were blurred and intertwined in the end in terms of its consequences to the individual. Whether it is due to impairment or disability, the emotional responses to them seem to be the same in that the bottom line is, "I feel limited. I feel hurt. I feel left out. I feel frustrated!" This is why I think clare stated that "Oliver's model of disability makes theoretical and political sense but misses important emotional realities" (p. 8). In practice, it might not matter whether we call it disability or impairment. The important thing is, people with disabilities feel excluded all around, to the point where the hurt that results from that may be so familiar to them, as the above picture describes, that distinguishing between disability and impairment becomes difficult and maybe even pointless. When focusing on their emotional consequences, disability and impairment may not be so different after all.