What can I say about this weeks assignment? As a black woman in America, the first thing I’d like to say is THANK YOU. The readings and music resonated with me as a woman because I am that woman. While reading and listening to the music as well as playing the game, I’ve been that woman in some capacity. I have tried to take a different perspective in this reading in that I want to tie in the readings, music, and game but I’d also like to hit on something that I totally did not understand or maybe need to discuss more. So here we go….
(1977), “The Combahee River Collective Statement.” What caught my eye?? I highlighted and starred so many statements in this entire reading but I focused more on sections 1. The genesis of Contemporary Black Feminism “There is also undeniably a personal genesis for Black Feminism, that is, the political realization that comes from the seemingly personal experiences of individual Black women's lives. Black feminists and many more Black women who do not define themselves as feminists have all experienced sexual oppression as a constant factor in our day-to-day existence. As children we realized that we were different from boys and that we were treated differently. For example, 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. As we grew older we became aware of the threat of physical and sexual abuse by men. However, we had no way of conceptualizing what was so apparent to us, what we knew was really happening.” I can resonate as one of the black women who does define myself as a feminist but I have experienced sexual oppression in my day-to-day existence as an only girl growing up with three boys and the “ladylike” image. And as i grew older, I became fully aware of the threat of sexual abuse in that I was raped by a family friend.
2. What We Believe “This may seem so obvious as to sound simplistic, but it is apparent that no other ostensibly progressive movement has ever consIdered our specific oppression as a priority or worked seriously for the ending of that oppression. Merely naming the pejorative stereotypes attributed to Black women (e.g. mammy, matriarch, Sapphire, whore, bulldagger), let alone cataloguing the cruel, often murderous, treatment we receive, Indicates how little value has been placed upon our lives during four centuries of bondage in the Western hemisphere. We realize that the only people who care enough about us to work consistently for our liberation are us. Our politics evolve from a healthy love for ourselves, our sisters and our community which allows us to continue our struggle and work. What I took away from this section is that they haven’t seen a movement that has worked to end oppression and these women came to a realization that they are the only people who care enough to work for their own liberation…why??? Because of Self-Love!!!
Audre Lorde (1980), “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” Before reading this piece, I listened to Ijeoma Oluo (2018), “So You Want to Talk About Race” and while I was reading, some of the comments from Oluo came to mind. On page 114 of Lorde says “Traditionally, in american society, it is the members of oppressed, objectified groups who are expected to stretch and bridge the gap between the actualities of our lives and the consciousness of our oppressor.” Who is the Oppressor? Well, in my household growing up, this was “The Man…the white man”. I felt like Lord’s comment tied in well with Oluo presentation because she talks about racism, lived experiences, and the differences of how something may seem bad to the white person who is trying to talk about race but is afraid because he/she may be called a racist. Oluo says Oluo states if a white person is afraid they will be called a racist when they try to talk about race to a person of color. She says “Trust me, no conversation on race has ever ended nearly as bad for you as it ends for people of color.” that if a person of color is willing to talk to you about race, even if they don’t seem very friendly while they’re doing it, it’s a generosity.” And I believe that when a person of color is willing to talk, they are attempting to bridge the gap between the actuality of their live and the consciousness of the oppressor.
Solange (2016), “Don’t Touch My Hair” (lyrics) and Momo Pixel (2017), Hair Nah The song and the game are enough within itself. DO NOT TOUCH a BLACK woman’s hair!!!! My favorite verse “Don’t touch my hair when it’s the feelings I wear and I love the hook “what you say to me”
Nina Simone (1966), “Four Women” (lyrics)… My manner is tough. I’ll kill the first mother’ I see. My life has been rough. I’m awfully bitter these days because my parents were slaves. What do they call me My name is PEACHES! Who is Peaches? I want to know more about Peaches. I could visualize everyone else (Aunt Sara, Soffronia, and Sweet Thing) described in the song except Peaches. I absolutely loved this song and it was my first time hearing it. However, in reading the comments, I saw that Jay Z sampled the song. Does anyone know which of his songs, sampled Four Women?
Tupac Shakur (1993), “Keep Ya Head Up” (lyrics) I wonder why we take from our women Why we rape our women, do we hate our women? I think it’s time to kill for our women Time to heal our women, be real to our women.. So this ties in well with the (1977) “The Combahee River Collective Statement” We believe that sexual politics under patriarchy is as pervasive in Black women's lives as are the politics of class and race. We also often find it difficult to separate race from class from sex oppression because in our lives they are most often experienced simultaneously. We know that there is such a thing as racial-sexual oppression which is neither solely racial nor solely sexual, e.g., the history of rape of Black women by white men as a weapon of political repression.
KEYWORDS: Racism, Sexism, Ageism, Hetersexism, Elitism, Classism, Feminism, Smart-Ugly, Lived-experiences
As a black woman born in the 70’s and a woman who has “lived-experiences”, I appreciate the readings and resonated with the hair, the racism, the politics, the different wages, etc. I feel like we are considered the lowest in the class. I don’t let that get me down, I keep moving forward and I am a PROUD BLACK WOMAN!!!
I would like to end with this one comment from this week’s work. “It is very hard to survive as a woman of color in this world, and I remember saying once if I stopped to feel, really feel the pain of the racism I encounter, I would start screaming and I would never stop!!!!” Ijeoma Oluo (2018). https://youtu.be/0P4A1K4lXDo
Wonderful post, Marea! I appreciate very much all of the connections you’re making between the readings and the songs. I wanted to jump in real quick to answer a question you raised. The Jay-Z song that samples Nina Simone’s “Four Women” is called “The Story of OJ.” In the Jay-Z song, he speaks to some of the same themes, like the relationship between racism, white supremacy, and colorism.
Thank you. I plan to listen to that song.
I really like your inclusion of the song “Scream” by Michael and Janet. I think it illustrates just how frustrating injustice and inequality can be. I think a specific line of the song that ties into the quote pretty well is, “stop pressuring me.” It is repeated all throughout the song and in relation to the quote, it sheds light on the pressures of suppressing racist experiences. It can be stressful to have pressure placed upon people to talk about their negative experiences.
Thank you and I couldn’t agree more. We never want to talk about the negative experiences. We just need to find ways to turn those negatives into positives and grow from the experiences.
Hey, Marea, I like how you did your blog very well detailed. Also, I appreciate you added Jay Z’s song. And the Jay Z song, he does talk about racism and other things that are important to the topic we are talking about this week.