Identifying Intersectionality and Solidarity within Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler, RRWSC, and “Men: Comrades in Struggle” by bell hooks Throughout this essay, I will be exploring three different medias, the book Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler, the Red River Women’s Studies Conference (some talking points from Tammy Kromenaker), and the essay “Men: Comrades in Struggle” by bell hooks. I will be demonstrating how ideas of both intersectionality and solidarity are present and centered in these sources. First, I will provide some background information about the medias referenced. Parable of the Sower is a book by Octavia E. Butler that chronicles the journey of Lauren and how she navigates a dystopian world that is hostile …show more content…
Parable of the Sower addresses the intersectionality of race, gender, and class, and how these factors impact women's experiences. The protagonist is a young Black woman, Lauren, who endures discrimination and violence because of her race and gender. Moreover, Lauren’s experiences are also shaped by her socioeconomic status. She lives in a world where poverty and economic inequality are rampant, and she must navigate the challenges of surviving in a society that values wealth and power above everything else. In addition to exploring the intersectionality of race, gender, and class, Parable of the Sower also depicts the intersectionality of religion, disability, and sexual orientation. For example, Lauren's religion, Earthseed, emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusivity and encourages individuals to celebrate their differences rather than hide them. The novel also highlights the theme of solidarity. Throughout the book, Lauren creates strong bonds with the people around her, despite the many challenges and dangers they face. She forms a community of survivors who rely on each other for support and protection as they navigate the dystopian, hostile world that they live in. Overall, Parable of the Sower encourages readers to recognize the power that is found in coming together in order to create a more just and equitable …show more content…
During the conference, the topic of overturning Roe v. Wade was covered in depth. The overturn of Roe v. Wade will have a significant impact on intersectionality because it would disproportionately affect marginalized communities. For example, women of color, low-income women, and LGBTQ+ individuals will have less access to healthcare services and face more barriers to obtaining an abortion than white, wealthy, and heterosexual individuals. This would exacerbate existing inequalities and create new challenges for those who are already marginalized. With this said, the overturn would generate ripple effects beyond the immediate issue at hand. The detrimental consequences could directly affect critical areas like education, economic prosperity, and overall well-being. In her speech, Tammy Kromenaker reflected on a time when her friend in college became pregnant. In that moment, a switch flipped for her. She went from being pro-life to being adamantly pro-choice. She knew that in this moment, her friend would not be able to raise a child. Pursuing an education and a career is challenging in itself, and unimaginably difficult while raising a young child. This is why a choice is imperative. Furthermore, there was a strong sense of solidarity throughout the entirety of the conference. So many individuals came together to discuss women’s issues. Since the
Without brave women activists like these, awareness of racial and sexual identities may not have the powerful presence it does today. The Collective’s Statement served as a fervent mission to demolishing all oppressive practices and helped to forge movements within our current society. Today’s
Deep in a swarm of 500,000 women, men, and children; a small huddle of girls headed by lead singer MILCK sang their song “Quiet”, loudly, for all the world to hear during the Women’s March on Washington in 2017. Their voices carried a tune of faith, hope, and power, which Jill Lapore echoed in her work “Wars Within”. Lapore’s writing is essential to providing significant insight into the election of 2017 by connecting to past historical moments which many members of James Madison’s student body can recollect and link to the severity of the election results. Lapore uses the connections between the civil war era and present day America to tie together the presence of inequality in simple historical terms. The usage of this connection allows for readers to compare cause and solution to possibly be persuaded to enact change as Fredrick Douglass did in the past.
“Push” by Sapphire tells a story about a young girl named Precious from Harlem who lived with many sociological issues in her young life. Although this book seems very extreme on what can happen in our American society and very unlikely, this book presents itself as an educational warning to the public. Sadly, these situations that Precious lives through, can easily happen to anyone today because of our messed up American society. Each person has their different oppressions they struggle with every day that create their own unique intersectionality. Precious story can help comfort and educate others struggling in similar situation overcome these social oppression and issues.
Survival Through an Afrofuturistic Lens Lauren, the main protagonist in the novel, “Parable of the Sower,” by Octavia Butler realizes that the way things are going in her society are not sustainable and that something must be done about it. Just as it has been shown that black people's grief is transmitted through generations. By making Lauren see that other people have sentiments that are equally as valid as her own, Butler utilizes hyperempathy to protect Lauren and her followers in the dystopian future. Since this makes her more sensitive, she is more likely to take in people on the journey, which helps Lauren expand her group in a world when everyone is out for themselves.
In these two articles, “Ain’t I a Woman” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” they both are about fighting for civil right and social change due to the unequal treatment of people based on gender and race. It is very common in the past American society since the racial discrimination and gender inequality have a huge impact on millions of people lives for more than two hundred years. Even though those people who suffered from racial and gender prejudice have fought for ending the discrimination and inequality many times throughout American history, it is not easy and smooth. In fact, fighting for social change must have good leaders to speak out for sufferers and to inspire others to stop discrimination as well as those leaders are willing to
This essay examines how intersectionality impacts Black women, examining their various levels of struggle and the tenacity that defines their path. Crenshaw contends that comprehending intersectionality allows us to see the diverse identities of minority women and better grasp how various oppressive systems interact to produce compounded discrimination. She highlights the significance of viewing race, gender, and other social categories as linked components of one's identity rather than as separate and isolated issues. Black women reside at the intersection of race and gender, which exposes them to a unique set of issues that are sometimes disregarded or misunderstood. Black women face racism and sexism in predominantly White nations, making their experiences complex.
The generic feminist movement consists of “white, middle-class heterosexual women” (Tong 42). These women focus on their needs, and neglect the specific needs of many women of color, who are often of a lower socioeconomic standing. White feminists focus on liberating the oppressive “housewife role,” (Tong 214) and fail to even attempt to include minority women who may in fact dream of a life in which they were able to stay home with their children. White feminists “fail to realize that it is possible to oppress people by ignoring their differences” (Tong 214). This issue makes it difficult for many non-white women to relate to or desire to be a part of the feminist movement.
The overturning of Roe v Wade has led to major medical issues such as drastic increase of maternal deaths, which affected both families and hospitals.
1. Introduction Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States, has been a hotly contested issue since it was decided in 1973. While the decision was celebrated by advocates of women's rights as a victory for reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy, opponents of the decision have consistently pushed for its reversal. With the appointment of conservative justices to the Supreme Court in recent years, the possibility of overturning Roe v. Wade has become a very real and pressing concern for women's rights advocates. This paper seeks to explore the potential impact of overturning Roe v. Wade on women's constitutional rights, particularly regarding reproductive freedom and healthcare access.
The court case of Roe v. Wade, which established a woman's right to access abortion, has been a highly alienating issue in the United States since its decision in 1973. Supporters argue that access to safe and legal abortion is a fundamental right of women to control and make decisions about their reproductive health. While opposers argue that abortion is morally unethical and that the government should limit or completely ban it. This political disagreement showed itself in the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decision, in which the court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade. Similarly, how the original ruling of Roe v. Wade changed the nation's future during its decision in 1973, the overruling will change the nation's future once again.
One men feel threatened and vulnerable, they start to control the lives of those who are gaining power (415). Having women of color construct this movement makes it harder for it to take off. Roe v. Wade is a big part of reproductive rights, essentially human rights. It is viewed
Society today is not very different from the way it is in the Parable of the Sower. There are many examples of problems that we face today that are listed in the book including violence, gender norms, and drug problems. A lot of things stand in the way of solving those problems, starting off with the most obvious which would probably be societal roles as a whole. Everyone is entitled to their own ability of free will and freedom of speech. This being said I would like to list some examples.
These readings, when looked at collectively, primarily show gender oppression through sexism, but they also mention the roles that other systems of oppression play as well. The theme
Kareen Harboyan English 1C Professor Supekar March 15, 2018 Word Count: Crenshaw’s Mapping the Margins: The Marginalization of Women of Color Analyzed Through Generalization and A Feminist Lens Crenshaw's Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color expands on the multifaceted struggles of women of color and the generalizations ingrained in society that limit women of color and keep them in a box. In this text, Crenshaw builds on the concept of intersectionality which proposes that social categorizations such as gender and race are intertwined and have great influence on one another.
Women are more likely to fight against the men or against other women because they want to identify with what the other deny them (Melucci, 1996). In other words, women and girls are more likely to continue to fight and pursue jobs of power in order to be identified as powerful, accomplished, strong women, which is what they are denied by other people. However, in order for that to happen we need to be recognized by others in order to confirm and determine who we are. Along with identity, collective identity is another tactic used in the film. Seen in the documentary there is a collective interest of feminists to prevent the objectification of women.