It's pretty fucking simple, when I
narrow it down the foundational feeling that causes me to nearly
burst with passion: what I want is to be comrades with female
embodied people. It is likely that they have knowledge I do not, and
I think it is important to listen, but they are not better than me.
The thought of us being on par is what stimulates me. It's a common
diversion away from the important issue of imbalance within the
world, and the more power and attention men are granted, when it is
mentioned that, if we are really shooting for equality then why are
there all these women particular things; women's studies, women's
shelters, women's music festivals. This was a struggle for me to
answer before, and the realization that it is so simple now is
telling. I now more clearly understand the need for education, for
my speaking out and for becoming involved in the fight to stop men's
violence against women and men. 1.To me, it is encouraging that I
changed, and that now I can clearly see that the studies of most
school subjects come from a white, male perspective (author and
teacher) or are conditioned within a patriarchal culture, and thus
feel intimidated to go against or indoctrinated within, and in praise
of, a way of life that systematically prioritizes men's needs. 2.
Why are there more shelters for women, or why are they woman
specified? Is it because women are abused by men? There are
shelters that are men only, and there likely may be a need to
separate genders, maybe because many women would not feel safe
already sharing quarters with men, due to the threat men frequently
pose to women and the huge numbers of women who have suffered
assault, harassment and torment from men. The need for shelters for
men to me reflects the failure of capitalism, leaving some out on the
street, cold and hungry, while some eat fancy dinners in lavish
settings, prepared by hired servants. This cruel imbalanced system
maintains that if you just work hard, you too can live the "American
Dream." Individualistic, patriotic zeal ignites a person's mind
who has put in the time and lived comfortably, leading them to
worship america as the best and proclaim that anyone can do it if
they put their mind to it. This is especially touching and
patriotically invigorating to people when there is an "underdog"
tale, and it is taken often as proof that this is truly a, or THE,
land of opportunity, of course ignoring factors such as white, male,
hetero, and/or class privilege.
The point of women's shelters?
Because a lot of times, women need protection from men. Is this
because women are weak and men are strong? Men, presented with an
ideal to live up to that a man is physically strong, emotionally
detached (being "emotional" is viewed as weak) and in
control (not just of himself, but others too; the more control, the
more "manly") end up being out of touch with other human
beings. And in his continual mode of conquest (unconscious or not)
he will much more easily devalue the life, body and spirit of the
women and girls who suffer from his physical, emotional, and sexual
abuse. He feels entitled, which no one ever is, to any aspect of her
he chooses and without her consent, and in a man's misguided attempts
at living a worthwhile life, he chases power and at the cost to the
lives of women. So men beat, kill and rape women in fucked up
searches for power. I started to write out "empowerment"
but I feel a huge difference between empowerment and power. To me,
power isn't necessarily bad, and I supposed empowerment could be,
because you could be entrusted to a certain position by stepping on
the backs and putting down another.
I think it's because from early on, it
is the boys who are sent messages that tough is a physical,
intimidating thing, that we live in a competitive world where the
toughest one will get the job, get the girl (and boys and men are
told that indeed, they should find romantic interest in female bodied
people, and be the superior, patriarch, maintaining the position of
power, dominating their (unequal)partner and running the family.)
3.
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