Before exploring courses in Women’s and Gender Studies, I used to believe issues regarding race, gender, and socio-economic status where things that would go-away if they were just ignored. Sadly, my naïve opinion was that if we don’t make an issue out of these things, they will somehow just magically disappear.
In the meantime, I am currently involved within my own personal struggle to remove myself from a particular class or social standing; which involves being a white, single mother that has been homeless and on welfare. I am very fortunate and blessed be gaining knowledge regarding these issues through a formal education and to learn about the struggles that have impacted women (and men) throughout history. I am excited that I have this opportunity to study and read the works of Sojourner Truth, Margaret Fell, and Cheryl Glenn.
There is no denying that we live in a world that involves the classification of people and by doing so; we categorize the people that are “different” than us to a lower level and build ourselves up to smarter and somehow worldlier than those that do not fit into our category.
This little dynamic has occurred and continues to occur throughout women’s studies, activism, and education. There continues to be opportunities that occur a little more easily because somebody happens to be the “right” color, social class, or gender. Of course, there have been people throughout history and those whom continue to work against this system that we have built within our world – but, those people are far and few between.
One detail that I would like to point-out that will demonstrate how we still live within a segregated society involves the amount of media attention that someone like Elizabeth Smart (I am sorry for what happened to her and just using her name as an example) whom was kidnapped from her home in Utah received, while at the same time, I know there are cases of black or poor families where the child is kidnapped and hardly a mention of it occurs in the news. Isn't a kidnapped child something we should all be concerned about no matter what race or economic background the child is from?
I could go on...but, I need to get to class :)
You have fallen down a rabbit hole and have entered my little piece of heaven...or according to some people this may be a one way ticket to hell. The choice is yours.
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