Video response

1. What are the three concepts that you have learned in this this semester that have impacted your thinking. Please explain your answer. Make sure that you specifically mention the texts that you are referring to.
The first concept that affected my thinking is Adrienne Rich’s “ ethical and intellectual contract between teacher and student” (25) which she addressed in her essay, “ Claiming an Education.” Rich argues that students should “ claim,” rather than “ receive” education (25). I agree with the necessity and meaningfulness of “ claiming” education because it compels students to be active, free, and critical-thinking agents of the learning process, not passive recipients of “ knowledge.” Rich helped me become more confident in claiming knowledge through being more responsible for thinking about my thinking and criticizing the thinking behind patriarchal texts in the past and present times. The second concept is “ sexism.” Before, I used to think that sexism is about men subjecting women to prejudice and discrimination. Bell Hooks, in “ Where We Stand: Feminist Politics,” argued that sexism also involves how sexist feminists undercut revolutionary feminists by accepting assimilation. Assimilation means that feminism ends with women being equals of men without changing the system that patriarchy is built on. Hooks encouraged me to become more critical of feminism in light of what women are no longer fighting for because of their assimilation into lifestyle feminism. The third concept is “ revolution.” In American Revolutionary, Grace Lee Boggs inspired me when she said that “ revolution” entails the evolution of the self, for only in changing the self can people aspire to truly change the world. Indeed, I cannot contribute to important social changes if I am not willing to change beliefs and assumptions that reinforce socially unjust beliefs and practices.
2. The Grace Lee Boggs documentary ” American Revolutionary” focused on the intersections of race, racism, social justice and the importance of community. There was a conversation on ELMS yesterday about the intersection of race and feminism which leads me to ask, is race a feminist issue? Why or why not. Please explain your answer.
I agree that race is a feminist issue because race affected and still continues to affect feminism’s assumptions, beliefs, practices, and goals. Feminism cannot be race-blind because race is part of our identity, especially in America, where race is a central issue for women in the past and in the present. I cannot imagine talking about feminism, which demands ending sexism of all forms, without addressing other forms of intertwining causes of social injustice in society, which includes racism. All these biases against another group, whatever their basis might be- gender, race, and social class, among others- these are all manifestations of a socially unjust society. If feminism wants to end sexism and sexist exploitation, it can only do so by changing the entire system that produces widespread social injustice. To be a feminist is to recognize and to respond to racial issues that affects women’s lives and destinies.
3. On the course glossary, there are definitions of the terms capitalism, racism and patriarchy. Please locate and cite one example of capitalism, racism and patriarchy from the course readings. One example each of capitalism, racism and patriarchy will be sufficient. The purpose of this question is for you to demonstrate that you can apply the term to the texts (essays, video, films, documentaries) that we have read this semester. For example, the Boggs documentary has a very specific analysis of capitalism.
When Tony Parker talks about “ The Man Box,” he describes how society promotes patriarchy. His concept of “ The Man Box,” or the “ collective socialization of men,” demonstrates how society teaches the concept of manhood from childhood to adulthood. “ The Man Box” upholds patriarchy because it perpetuates beliefs and practices on what it means to be a man, particularly in relation to women, wherein a patriarchal society teaches men that women have less value and are useful as property, so women are reduced to objects that make them vulnerable to violence and exploitation. The next concept is racism that American Revolutionary depicts. Grace Lee Boggs asserts that blacks do not want whiteness because they demand equality that is based on their own image. This is what equality means, not equality according to whiteness, which is racist, but equality based on one’s own human abilities and rights. The final concept is capitalism. In “ A Day without Feminism,” Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards emphasize that, without feminism, most women would not even find work outside their homes and would earn far less than men (29). If women found work, they would be limited to gender-typed jobs. Furthermore, they could not formally lodge complaints against sexual harassment and gender discrimination (Baumgardner and Richards 29-30). They are saying that patriarchal capitalism would have lasted up to now, or even worsened, without feminism.
Works Cited
American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs. Dir. Grace Lee. Documentary. 2013. Film.
Baumgardner, Jennifer, and Amy Richards. “ A Day without Feminism.” Women’s Voices and Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Eds. Susan Shaw and Janet Lee. New York: McGraw Hill, 2009. 28-31. Print.
Hooks, Bell. “ Where We Stand: Feminist Politics.” Women’s Voices and Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Eds. Susan Shaw and Janet Lee. New York: McGraw Hill, 2009. 40-44. Print.
Porter, Tony. “ The Man Box.” TED, Dec. 2010. Web. 4 July 2014. .
Rich, Adrienne. “ Claiming an Education.” Women’s Voices and Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Eds. Susan Shaw and Janet Lee. New York: McGraw Hill, 2009. 25-27. Print.