Addition to social event Unslut

While I was reading the article on "Sex Positivity" by  I thought about how in the film Unslut and the case of Rehtaeh Pearson, the kids did not know what consensual meant, therefor believing that because Rehtaeh did not say no and was not fighting back, that she was not raped because the sex was consensual. While sex positivity is the idea that all sex, as long as it is healthy and explicitly "consensual" is a positive thing.

The other thing that came to mind was how much rape and other types of bullying towards girls and women could be prevented if they taught a class starting in middle school and all through college about sex positivity in addition to safe sex. Not only would it show men/boys how to end misogyny by learning to respect women/girls and stop turning them into sexual objects but also teach the girls that sex is a healthy thing, to respect themselves, that they don't need to act like a porn star and that they don't need to feel shame, that they don't need to have sex just to prove to their boyfriends that they "love them" like Allyson Pereira did when she sent her ex boyfriend a naked picture of herself in order to get back with him, or use sex or objectify themselves to get what they want.

In my opinion, this is one way that the cycle of oppression can be interrupted. When people are educated they can form allys with each other and learn to speak up.

The film also shows dichotomy/ double standards women are held to like in the article by Marilyn Frye, "Oppression". In the film, Gina Tron was shammed for the way she dressed signifying that because she dressed sexy she deserved to get beaten. The founder of Unslut, Emily Linden, was shammed because she let her boyfriend go to third base therefor she was slut and with Rehtaeh because she was not kicking and screaming when she was being raped indicated that she like it. 

It's no wonder women become oppressed they are judge no matter what decision they make. There is no happy medium.

  

Addition to social justice event It's A Girl

                        

This documentary is a classic example of how men have power over women's control to produce In Adrienne Rich's "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence she listed 8 characteristics of male power that was included in Kathleen Gough's essay "The Origin of the Family".  

The women are forced to have ultrasounds to find out the sex of the baby and are being forced to abort if it is a girl.  In the case of Dr. Mitu, her refusal to abort twin girls brought her torture and abuse not only from her husband but from her in-laws as well. She has been threaten of rape, death and the kidnapping of her daughters. She is suing her husband, in-laws, doctor and hospital but just like here the US it is hard to fight the rich and powerful.  Her case is till ongoing because like in Allen Johnson's article "Privilege, Power and Difference", article although he focuses on "white males". This documentary shows that males dominate in any culture/race. The males still have power and because they are rich, influencing the authorities comes easy to them. 

                                    

In China now it is legal to have 2 children, however they still control women by having to obtain a government issued birth permit. By doing so women still risk being forced to have an abortion. So ultimately it is not stopping female genocide. 

What needs to be done is what Ayvazian suggest in her article "Interrupting the Cycle of Oppression", to have an ally in a country that condones forced abortion and female genocide. Or fight the patriarchal system by educating the people of China and India on the value of women because with knowledge comes power to fight the system. 

http://www.itsagirlmovie.com/en/blog/mitu-khurana-a-mother-s-ongoing-battle-for-justice

http://www.itsagirlmovie.com/blog/two-child-policy

Pecha Kucha

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1DEuxD6bhfLjslg1d9cUFAcgW7gQDmrPENt6GJ7nY5Yc/pub?start=true&loop=false&delayms=20000&slide=id.p

Ayvazian and Blanchard

Interrupting the Cycle of Oppression

The Role of Allies as Agents of Change

Andrea Ayvazian

Combatting Intentional Bigotry and Inadvertently Racist Acts

Andrea Ayvazian offers way we can stop oppression.  She defines what being an ally is as " a member of dominant group in our society who works to dismantle any form of oppression from which she or he receives the benefit."  

I agree we should come together, however, we live in an society that is afraid to get involved due to consequences it may bring.  Others only get involved when it affects them directly or a family member.  

It's true that at some point in our lives any domination we had is lost or taken away. Take the military for instance. No matter how physically fit you are or what qualification you posses, you still can't enlist after a certain age even if you have served before.  According to Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA) of the Armed Services Committee personnel panel has said the “risks outnumbered gains” when it came to enlisting older personnel. She said they are not only more likely to become injured, but also take more time to recover than their younger counterparts. How can we change this type of discrimination when our own government enforces it?

Unfortunately, doing what William Strickland stated " When a critical mass of white people join together, rise up and shout a thunderous 'NO' to racism, we will actually alter the course of history". it's not enough.  We need to educate and get educated about racism as the article by Fletcher A. Blanchard indicates.   An example of fighting bigotry and being an ally is the story of Ruhi Rahman who was harrassed on a train for being Muslim and passengers defended her.

Below is a link to a video by Franchesca Ramsey on 5 ways you could be an ally. Understand privilege, do your homework (educate self), Listen, speak up (not over), understand ally is a verb.

Ruhi Rahman http://www.attn.com/stories/4395/muslim-woman-train-harassment?utm_source=email&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=internal

https://www.veteransunited.com/network/military-age-restrictions-how-old-is-too-old-to-serve/

    Franchesca "Chescaleigh Ramsey:  https://www.youtube.com/user/chescaleigh

Sex War

Sex Positivity

Women and Gender Advocacy Center

There are two kinds of sex, classical and baroque. Classical sex is romantic, profound, serious, emotional, moral, mysterious, spontaneous, abandoned, focused on a particular person, and stereotypically feminine. Baroque sex is pop, playful, funny, experimental, conscious, deliberate, amoral, anonymous, focused on sensation for sensation's sake, and stereotypically masculine. The classical mentality taken to an extreme is sentimental and finally puritanical; the baroque mentality taken to an extreme is pornographic and finally obscene. Ideally, a sexual relation ought to create a satisfying tension between the two modes (a baroque idea, particularly if the tension is ironic) or else blend them so well that the distinction disappears (a classical aspiration).” - Susie Bright

According to WGAC (Women and Gender Adocacy Center) Sex positivity is the idea that all sex, as long as it is healthy and explicity consensual, is a positive thing. It aims to remove stigma and shame from all sexual choices.

As I read this article all that came to mind was the case of Rehtaeh Parson, and how when kids were asked what consent meant they did not know. They said that because she did not say no or fight them off that it was consensual. But how can you expect a drunk teenage girl who was vomiting to ward off anyone?  I sure hope that sex positivity is taught in schools along with sex education. Maybe then the number of rape and sexual abuse/bullying will decrease.

Then I read "Sex War: The Debate between Radical and Libertarian Feminists" by Ann Ferguson and wonder why there has to be different types feminists when it comes to sex? Isn't the main purpose of having sex a combination of both radical and libertarian views? Like Ferguson said "feminists should be free to choose between basic and risky practices without fear of moral condemnation from other feminists.

 I agree with Kitty Stryker when she said "It’s saddening to see us fighting each other, women who have been called prudes for asserting their sexual choices attacking women who have been called whores for asserting their sexual choices…and vice versa"

http://shannonmajorreviews.blogspot.com/2010/03/susie-bright.html

http://www.feministcurrent.com/2014/04/11/the-divide-isnt-between-sex-negative-and-sex-positive-feminists-its-between-liberals-and-radicals/

Sexuality Study

http://www.attn.com/stories/4061/sexuality-spectrum-study

Sexism even in women's clothing

http://www.attn.com/stories/4144/sexism-womens-pants-without-pockets