Author: Antoinette

GONE HOME

This game felt like an extended hide-and-seek. Katie returns home from being overseas and discovers that her family’s lives have changed. Her younger sister, Sam, has gone through several emotions including adaptation, confusion, anger, and even love. For her age, 17, all of these emotions are new to her. As Katie moves around the family home, some materials coincide with Sam’s journey of discovering who she is, and her parents are also going through changes. Change is inevitable and continuous. We will discover ourselves numerous times in our lives.

RIOT GRRRL

According to Western society, women and girls are to be dainty, shy, soft-spoken, weak, and always loving. Deviating from these forced traits is scolded by society. Riot Grrrl is not afraid to be scolded, and their revolution encourages females to live unapologetically.

CONNECTIONS

Audre Lorde’s text incorporates Martin Luther King Jr’s concept of how silence is betrayal. To be silent in times when it could positively impact an outcome is a betrayal to not just others but yourself. Being silent when you know you want to speak your mind is not being true to yourself. Your time on earth could end at any moment, and with your last breath, you will regret the times you did not speak up. Being afraid is natural, but we should not let that fear deter us. The words we choose to speak could be the words others want to speak as well as the words needed to create change.

“I was going to die, if not sooner than later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you.” (Audre Lorde, 1977, p.41)

The Riot Grrrl movement and manifesto also emphasize speaking up. The accepted societal views on how females should behave are unacceptable. Riot Grrl uses their voices. They seem loud and angry, and that is because they are. Enough is enough when it comes to society trying to dictate women’s every move, thoughts, and feelings. It does not work like that. I will not work like that.

In Gone Home, there are materials placed throughout the home that we can use to conclude Sam has been trying to find herself. Sam is nonconforming to what society believes about females being attracted to only males. She has discovered that she likes her female friend more, and they both feel like they are revolting against what society made acceptable. Sam even has a Riot Grrrl poster and music is played in the game.

 “The future of our earth may depend upon the ability of all women to identify and develop new definitions of power and new patterns of relating across differences.” (Audre Lorde, 1980, p.123)

This quote from another one of Audre Loude’s texts – “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” stresses the importance of discovery when it comes to self-identification and gaining power or confidence. As it relates to Riot Grrl, this quote means standing up for what you believe in and not letting anyone take away your voice just because you are different. The world is becoming more diverse every day, and by speaking up, we can create a world that acknowledges and accepts our differences instead of belittling them. With Gone Home, this quote would likely resonate with Sam on her journey for self-discovery.

Research Essay Topics

Topics that I find interesting and could enjoy relating to gender studies include Art and Sports. Women artists (in every medium) are underpaid and underappreciated. The same can be said for female athletes.

Reference

Audre Lorde (1977), “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action”

Audre Lorde (1980), “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference”

Kathleen Hanna (1991), “Riot Grrrl Manifesto”

Overview

“So You Want to Talk About Race” 

Keywords – Race, Fear, Injustice, Hate 

Ijeoma Oluo’s main message was that it is difficult to talk about race. However, it is necessary. We cannot fully move forward in any aspect of our lives with avoidance. “Race is not something people can choose to ignore anymore. Some of us have been speaking all along and have not been heard” (Oluo, 2018). Instead of taking the time to understand the differences and oppression that is happening with people of color, many people say that “race does not matter”, “we all matter”, or “we are all equal”. However, we all are not yet equal. This is something that needs to be understood first so that we can make a change. When you are not the person who is suffering, the best thing you can do is listen. From there, ask where you can help. 

“The Combahee River Collective Statement”

Keywords – Politics, Feminists, Liberation, Patriarchy, Socialists

This text describes some of the beliefs, goals, and issues that black feminists face. The collective unites over shared characteristics that cause them to be oppressed. “We were told in the same breath to be quiet both for the sake of being “ladylike” and to make us less objectionable in the eyes of white people” (The Combahee River Collective Statement, 1977). This statement narrates how black females have been suppressed in multiple aspects of their life. It is an example of intersectionality. 

“Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference”

Keywords – Difference, Norm, Inferior

Most of this text illustrates that deviations from what has been considered the norm causes people to be regarded as inferior. “In America, this norm is usually defined as white, thin, male, young, heterosexual, Christian, and financially secure” (Lorde,1980, p.116). People who are different from that norm are more likely to be oppressed. With more deviations, there is more oppression. 

Connections

For the “Hair Nah” game, I like that there were options for different hairstyles instead of just being limited to naturally curly hair. I know from experience that people like touching braids without asking as well. The first round was fine then the intensity kicked up as hands were coming from multiple directions. I thought to myself “I can’t do this” in real life nor with the video game. It will never become acceptable for someone to touch another person without their permission. We are not toys. We are human, and each of the main texts and videos is trying to bring awareness to the dehumanization faced by people of color. 

Question

Referring back to the “So You Want to Talk About Race” video, Ijeoma Oluo mentioned that people will vote for tighter policing because they are scared of the way the demographics in their neighborhoods are changing (Ijeoma Oluo, 2018). 

Why are those people scared? 

Reference

Audre Lorde (1980), “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference”

Ijeoma Oluo (2018), “So You Want to Talk About Race”

(1977) “The Combahee River Collective Statement”

Overview

This week we dived into readings with the question “What is gender?” in mind.

–       Starting with Catherine G. Valentine, we get the idea that gender has historically been thought of in two ways only. You are either a male or a female. Simple. However, gender is not simple and behaviors or actions should not be thought of as being exclusive to one gender or the other. Valentine asks the question “Do all the men you know fit the ideal of masculinity all the time, in all relationships, and in all situations?” (Valentine, 2020, p.4). Using my personal experience, my answer to that question is no. Yet, males are given character traits such as being rough and tough while females are regarded as sensitive beings. Society has long thought that men are not supposed to be sensitive or *emotional like a female*. The question that Valentine asked is meant to make us think of how behaviors vary depending on the situation that a person is in. Gender should not be used to explain or predict someone’s reactions to circumstances.

–       Maxine Baca Zinn and Bonnie Thornton Dill are women of color that have shared their perspectives on multiracial feminism. In the text, Zinn and Dill mentioned that they “use “multiracial” rather than “multicultural” as a way of underscoring race as a power system that interacts with other structured inequalities to shape genders.” (Zinn & Dill, 1996, p.324). After reading that statement, I can say I understand their reasoning. When referring to race, it is typically outward or observable characteristics that are shared by a group of people. Culture is not as easily observed, and it incorporates the beliefs and values of a group of people. Zinn and Dill’s decision to use the term “multiracial” works with their ideas because, within society, a person’s race affects their encounters and social location. That is not to say that someone’s culture does not do the same, but race, within the United States especially, has a profound influence on social order.

–       Trying to find a connection between “The Prism of Gender” and “Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism” is a bit of a challenge for me. I believe that all three authors would acknowledge gender as being situational, but I think that Zinn and Dill underscoring race instead of culture conflicts with Valentine’s view that culture helps manifest how people see gender.

Check Out This Video

–       While I read Zinn and Bonnie’s text, I was hoping to see the word intersectionality because I believe the meaning behind that word could sum up a good amount of their ideas. Since I did not see the word used, I want to add this quick video on what intersectionality is by the great Kimberlé Crenshaw (:

Keywords

Catherine G. Valentine (2020), “The Prism of Gender”

–       Complex, Situational, Culture, Biological, Individual

Maxine Baca Zinn and Bonnie Thornton Dill (1996), “Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism”

–       Feminism, Inequality, Change, Multiracial, Difference

Let’s Think Together

I want to start by saying WOW! “Androgynous” by The Replacements is such a powerful song with few words. The song was released in 1984 making it 39, nearly 40!, years old.

My questions:

How much longer will it take

or

What will it take for androgynous people to be more openly themselves in public?