The New Declaration of Sentiments @declarationsofsentiment-blog - Tumblr Blog

my fave greek history story to tell is that of agnodice. like she noticed that women were dying a lot during childbirth so she went to egypt to study medicine in alexandria and was really fucking good but b/c it was illegal for women to be doctors in athens she had to pretend to be a man. and then the other doctors noticed that she was 10x better than them and accused her of seducing and sleeping with the women patients. like they brought her to court for this. and she just looked at them and these charges and stripped in front of everyone like “yeah. im not fucking your wives” and then they got so mad that a woman was better at their jobs then them that they tried to execute her but all her patients came to court and were like “are you fucking serious? she is the reason you have living children and a wife.” so they were shamed into changing the law and that is how women were given the right to practice medicine in athens

autieblesam-deactivated20190506

Yeah, this isn’t some Greek myth story about a hero or demigod or something, Agnodice was a real person who actually did this.

feministfront

“Crazy” is one of the five deadly words guys use to shame women into compliance. The others: Fat. Ugly. Slutty. Bitchy. They sum up the supposedly worst things a woman can be. “Crazy” is such a convenient word for men, perpetuating our sense of superiority. Men are logical; women are emotional. Emotion is the antithesis of logic. When women are too emotional, we say they are being irrational. Crazy. Wrong. Women hear it all the time from men. “You’re overreacting,” we tell them. “Don’t worry about it so much, you’re over-thinking it.” “Don’t be so sensitive.” “Don’t be crazy.” It’s a form of gaslighting — telling women that their feelings are just wrong, that they don’t have the right to feel the way that they do. Minimizing somebody else’s feelings is a way of controlling them. If they no longer trust their own feelings and instincts, they come to rely on someone else to tell them how they’re supposed to feel. Small wonder that abusers love to use this c-word. It’s a way of delegitimizing a woman’s authority over her own life.

Harris O’Malley, “Men Really Need to Stop Calling Women Crazy” (via feministfront)

feministism

archivesofamericanart

We’re kicking off Black History Month with one of our treasures.

In 1931 poet Langston Hughes published this booklet ‘The Negro Mother and Other Dramatic Recitations.’ The poems addressed citizenship, military service, urbanization, full employment, family life, freedom, and friendship. Hughes intended the booklet to be shared in community through public performances and recitations in churches, club houses, and lodges rather than individually in the quiet privacy of a home. Printmaker Prentiss Taylor illustrated the poems.

This hand-colored copy of ‘The Negro Mother’ is preserved in Taylor’s papers. http://s.si.edu/2kraFpT

pink-pudding-girl

It’s okay and perfectly normal to have cellulite, body hair, stretch marks, acne, etc. Your body is beautiful in its own way ✨✨

Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

#feminism #feminist #women's rights #women's march #equality

I have had several small instances which make me angry about why society has the mindset that they do, in terms of sexism

I was walking down a street with my sister in Bangkok at 10pm. I was around 13 years old and she was 20. There were a few young men who started cat calling us. We walked much faster, but they started following us and whistling. We felt unsafe, angry and wanted to say something back at them, but didn't want to create a scene or more problems.

There are times when I want to do certain things but my extended family feels that it is more of a "guy" thing to do. WHY? I hate how there are certain things that people believe only men/women can do. I'm not being a feminist here. Instead I would like to argue that men and women should be treated equally.

Why is it socially acceptable for men to have body hair, but women to not? Why is it that if men have completely no body hair, that it is considered weak or unmanly? Both genders should treat their body hair the same way and it is should not be necessary for women to have completely bare skin at all times. There is nothing wrong with having body hair and shouldn't be considered unhygienic because it is purely a natural thing our body does for protection.

Having your period shouldn't be something that is disgusting or gross or something that you can't mention in a conversation. It is a completely natural part of life and should openly be discussed. Why is it something embarrassing that women should hide? Being a teenager with so many things to deal with, if society starts accepting this, life would be so much easier, especially emotionally.

#declarationofsentiments #womensmarch #feminism #womensrights #femalerights #equality #submission

Coming from the south Asian background, I have experienced a lot of sexism that may not have been directly subjected to me, about came in the form of things that some of my family members have said or the mindsets that they have. Remarks like "you can just marry a rich man", "your husband is going to love your cooking" or the fact that my aunt prohibited my cousin from going out for a while because it wasn't "ladylike" or whatever. I don't really understand it because of my American upbringing but if you're going to undermine somebody's ability or telling just because of their gender, it's obviously a problem. I have to balance out the fact that these people have had very different upbringings and lived in times where close-mindedness was very common, but I also want to speak my mind and stand up for things that I think should be common sense.

declarationsofsentiment-blog

I need feminism because a classmate once told me the wage gap didn’t exits and that he, as women, also felt as much insecure as women when walking at night.

I need feminism because I once had to detour and go into a library to hide from a guy following me.

I need feminism because I can’t show my ‘distracting’ shoulders at school

I need feminism because my mom doesn’t let me go to my condominium gym and night and in the afternoon I need to take pepper spray with me.

iI need feminism because once in a 5th grade party two kids wouldn’t stop chasing me and my friend even after we told them we didn’t want to dance with them.

I need feminism because a friend of my brother once barged in to the bathroom where he knew I was showering and everyone acted like it never happened.

I need feminism because at a recent party, after denying a guy a kiss I had to hug him to make him go away.

anamericangirl

- so you need feminism because a guy told you the wage gap doesn’t exist and that women aren’t the only sex that can feel insecure walking alone at night? Your classmate was actually correct. The wage gap doesn’t exist. It has been debunked numerous times. Why does someone telling you the wage gap doesn’t exist, especially if they are right, mean you need feminism? And also, why do you need feminism when you learn that men can also feel insecure walking at night? Men are statistically more likely to be the victim of a crime, so why does learning this information make you feel like you need feminism? You just don’t like it when people let you know when you’re wrong and that women aren’t the only people who get victimized?

- i’m sorry but why does taking a detour to get away from someone following you mean you need feminism? What do you expect a social movement to do about that?

- a lot of schools and workplaces have dress codes and there’s nothing wrong with that. We don’t need feminism because dress codes exist.

- you need feminism because your mother wants you to take basic safety precautions? If you think feminism is going to stop crime from happening or that it will mean people will no longer have to take any measures to protect themselves, you’re extremely misinformed.

- that really doesn’t sound like a situation that needs a social movement. That just sounds likes kids being kids at a party. What exactly is feminism supposed to do about this?

- so some guy was a jerk once and now you need feminism? Why is feminism what you need to deal with this?

- i understand people do crappy things sometimes and come off as jerks and can be inappropriate, but why is feminism the answer? What is it going to do about this? Coming across a jerk every now and then is not a reason to involve a social movement that does more damage than good.

declarationsofsentiment-blog

-Men are statistically more likely to be victims of a crime, but women are statistically more likely to be victims of rape. We are afraid of specifically being raped. In the situation, the man was not showing statistics or trying to discuss anything with me. He heard me speaking about something I am afraid of, and spoke over me, without taking in my side into consideration. Yes, he can be a victim of a crime, but he doesn’t get told to carry pepper spray, put his keys between his fingers, pretend to call his father when someone is following him at night, etc.

-The fact that I am afraid when I see a man follow me and automatically assume he is going to rape me is why I need feminism.

-The dress code would be fine if it was put in place because we have to look professional. What doesn’t make it right is that the reason it is there is because we’re “distracting” boys.

-My younger brother can go out at night by himself, and it isn’t a problem. I don’t need feminism because of the fact that my mom makes me do this, but because of why she is afraid. She isn’t scared that my younger brother will get hurt because he is a boy, even though he could be a victim of a crime as well.

-I need feminism because that is seen as normal behavior in boys. They are not taught that when a girl says “no” that is her final answer, and that doesn’t just disappear when they get older.

-I told him I was going to shower, and he came in knowingly. It is someone doing something they know is wrong and not being held accountable for it. The reason why it would need a social movement is that his family did not reprimand him for it, and other boys do things like that all the time. It is just seen as a “boy will be boys” thing. It isn’t a “guy being a jerk one time”, it is the fact that it is seen as a no big deal.

-I need feminism because some people (both women and men, but it disproportionately seems to be men in certain situations) don’t understand consent. It is because they are raised that it is ok to keep on going when someone says no. This isn’t one guy. This happens every time my friends and I go out. Obviously, it is not all men, but I need feminism to start raising boys to see consent is important.

I do recognize I’m incredibly privileged and that these events aren’t as serious as many other women that are less privileged than me. I need feminism for them too. But this is an example for people to see that girls that live in peaceful countries and sheltered lives are still exposed to sexism, double standards, and inequality.

You don’t have to agree with me at all, and I recognize that people have different beliefs and ideas of what is right or wrong. But try to see this point of view as well. :)

anamericangirl

- right but men are statistically more likely to be murdered, so why can’t he talk about feeling insecure about walking at night when he’s more likely to be murdered than you are? Why can’t you talk about how you’re afraid to be raped and he talk about how he’s afraid of being murdered without you thinking he’s “talking over you without taking your side into consideration”? That kinda sounds like exactly what you’re doing to him. Why is your fear more important than his? And, also, because men are more likely to be attacked, that means his chances of getting murdered are greater than your chances of getting raped. Why is your fear of rape more important? And just because women are more likely to be raped, doesn’t mean men aren’t at risk of getting raped. Why can’t you both be afraid? Why does your fear have to be the bigger issue? And just because you’re afraid of specifically being raped doesn’t mean that rings true for all women and therefore feminism is necessary. I’m a woman and not specifically afraid of rape and I don’t understand why being specifically afraid of rape deserves a social movement. If we need social movements for these kinds of things, then shouldn’t men also get one for their insecurities about being specifically murdered when walking at night? Besides, being cautious walking alone at night is a good habit because criminals exist. And even though women are statistically more likely to be raped the statistical chances of you getting raped while walking at night are very low.

- no the fact that you see a man follow you and automatically assume he is going to rape you is not why you need feminism. I would say feminism would only make that problem worse because it perpetuates that kind of thinking. You just seem to have paranoia of rape and that fact that you automatically assume a guy is going to rape you is not a social issue, it’s a personal one. Most guys aren’t rapists so there’s no reason to live in fear of being raped.

- is that what your school said? Your school used some form of the phrase “you can’t wear clothes that reveal your shoulders because it’s distracting boys”? Or are you just assuming that’s the reason?

- well, i can’t speak to your family and why your mom does the things she does, but your family is not representative of the norm. I don’t know where you live or what it’s like there, but, in general, most parents would have some level of concern about their children going out alone at night, whether they are boys or girls, and would have rules about it and make sure they have some form of protection with them. It’s smart to carry pepper spray with you, whether you’re male or female. Besides, I would argue that it’s feminism that created this problem in the first place and would only make situations like this more frequent.

- no that’s not normal behavior for boys, it’s normal for kids. That’s what feminism told you was normal behavior for boys and that they aren’t taught that no is her final answer. Feminism does a huge disservice to men and boys in this area, thinking they aren’t taught about consent and all that but it’s just not true. It’s really unfair to just say this “normal behavior” for boys. Your experiences aren’t the rule. I’ve had experiences where I’ve told boys I don’t want to dance and they were very respectful about it. Your experience is not what’s normal. And it’s not because they are boys either. Some people will respect it, some won’t. This goes for girls too. It can be even worse with girls sometimes because feminism teaches them they will always be on the receiving end and won’t be the aggressor but it’s just not true.

- yeah i agree that what that dude was inappropriate and he was being a jerk and his family should have said something to him, but this is not a social issue. You’re using this to advocate for feminism as if this is representative of society and it’s not. There could be a number of different reasons why his family said nothing, and you’re just assuming well it must be because of the idea that “boys will be boys”. And yeah, in this instance it was a guy being a jerk. I mean do guys always barge into the room when you’re in the shower or was this a unique circumstance? Feminism is not the solution to this.

- how do you know they are raised to keep on going when someone says no? i mean do you literally think they are taught by the adults in their life that when someone says no, you can just keep going? I’ve known a lot of boys in my life and not a single one of them was taught that. I really don’t like it when people say boys aren’t taught about consent because, once again, it’s just true. Just because some people don’t respect consent doesn’t mean they weren’t taught about it. Maybe it happening to you and your friends every time you go out has something to do with the places you go and the environments there because that’s not representative of a societal norm. And you can’t use personal experience to argue that it is because everyone’s experience are different. You can’t just attribute something like that to men in general just because it’s been your experience.

I really don’t think any of this is sexism or inequality. And feminism is a movement that is full of double standards and really, in its practice, doesn’t do much for equality so I don’t know what it would accomplish in these instances. For the most part, I would say feminism is responsible for creating most of these problems in the first place.

declarationsofsentiment-blog

Those examples are just the tip of the iceberg. You are right, I don’t necessarily need a soaicl movement but what I know I do need is some kind of change. Most of the things you argue can be easily debunked by explaining where I’m from and the situation in further detail (especially since most of the things in which words were used were in another language) and I admit that is partly my fault because I can’t really give you that information. I don’t expect you to have the same reasons as me or to follow this social movement at all, I just ask that you kindly consider them. Maybe my experiences aren’t the norm and I get that but for me they are.

- He was referring to murder when he responded to me, he said he was afraid of being mugged and I said I was afraid of that too.

- I know guys aren’t rapists, hell none of the people I’ve known have raped other people. It’s just that it’s very sad that rape is such a big concern for a majority of women (not including yourself, as you stated)

- Feminism doesn’t have to specifically solve problems that EVERYONE has but rather solve the root of the problem.

- I agree to disagree, I absolutely believe this isn’t an issue created by feminism and that’s okay, we can all have different opinions.

- Yes they have explicitly said that it’s ‘distracting’

- I can’t really explain my living situation so that you understand but just know that it is safe because it is a closed community with many guards not just like the street.

- Once again, I fully know my experiences aren’t the norm at all but that doesn’t take meaning away from it. Yes it is way less important in the grand scheme of this but it’s still important to me.

- ||

- The whole point of my initial post was to explain why I need feminism, not society. I understand that that isn’t the norm but still I find it to be an issue, you can think what you want but that’s my opinion. “I really don’t like it when people say boys aren’t taught about consent because, once again, it’s just true.”

Feminism is literally supposed to bring equality between men and women and I do agree that some radical beliefs from part of misinformed feminists have gotten in the way of equality but I don’t think shaming the whole movement is fair or really represnetive of what you are trying to say. Some people decide that they will not take the ‘label’ either because they are scared of intense criticism or because of other motives but they still fight for equality but I personally believe that more progress (at least for me) could be made if I stand behind the movement.

Many young women are told to wear particular types of clothing so that they won’t attract unwanted attention from certain males. I personally choose sweatpants and a sweatshirt so that no one stares at me when I’m walking. However, it makes me angry that I have to do this. Why is society teaching girls to wear or not wear certain clothing? Society should teach boys to respect women and to keep their eyes off of a women’s body.

As a young girl, my parents no longer feel like it’s safe for me to go out with guys alone or to go out alone late at night in fear of me getting sexually assaulted. When I ask why they let guys go out with girls alone or go out late at night, their sole response is that they’re guys. Rather than teaching girls to be fearful of the outside, teach guys to keep their hands to themselves.

I was talking to my cousins who have now joined the work force and they tell me how, when doing the same amount of work as the other men in their position, they’re still paid less. They spend the same amount of sleepless nights as their male colleagues to meet a deadline, but they still get paid less.

Conversing with my grandparents made me realize how different men and women are in society. For men, it’s about what jobs they want to do and how much money they’re making. For women, it’s how many kids they’ll have, what they can cook, and when they’ll get married.