#feminists please interact

[sunnys-feminism-blog]

..ah yes, because misgendering a 16 year old (someone who you KNOW is a child because you literally said they were) and then proceeded to tell them 'fuck you' and swearing at them is the right thing to do.

Listen—you are not anymore of a feminist just because you misgender random kids online. Pull your head out of your ass and do better.

[phoenixix89]

informational books about matriarchy / matriachal societies pls??

[bittersweetcountess]

there are 100+ instagram posts tagged #freearmitaabbasi, a young Iranian woman who is about to be put on trial simply for protesting.

there are 5000+ instagram posts tagged freeandrewtate, a man who is on trial for rape and sex trafficking and has been recorded admitting to some of his atrocities.

think about that

[theferalwomencollective]

The Feral Women Collective, Issue #1

Introducing The Feral Women Collective, Issue #1! A feminist zine collecting and raising women's art and voices.

[camilleisback]

Hot take: if you shame women (especially heterosexual women) for consuming queer (especially mlm) media, specifically literature and fanfiction, you should take a good ol' humility bath and STOP. POLICING. WOMEN'S. INTERESTS. AND. HOBBIES.

Kindly fuck y'all. You're no different from your forefathers who thought that us, as women, should have been banned from reading NOVELS. And you have the nerve (the nerve!) of calling yourselves progressive or leftists. I'm so sick of it.

[neonhearted]

I never hated being a woman, sometimes I just get so tired because I know society isn’t going to change overnight, so I just... let myself dream for a moment. If I was a man I’d be able to take my shirt off, cut my hair how I liked and no one would find it weird, wear what I want and no one would look at me funny for being in the wrong section of the store, and I’d love who I love without any debate.

I truly don’t think my being a lesbian has anything to do with my discomfort in gender roles, because I have never consciously struggled much with internalized homophobia, but maybe it’s behind the other issues. Why I don’t feel like I fit in, that I never felt like a normal girl, or whatever. But I also think that maybe there’s more to it because I’ve always been this way. Even when I was a child I wanted to be tough boyish.

But most people seem to never think about gender roles and I don’t understand that, because for me it feels like I’m being restricted by these norms in several ways every single day. I refuse to believe there’s anything wrong with me for questioning norms that make no sense, but I wonder. Why don’t I enjoy shaved legs and a skirt when most other women do? Did I miss something? Why didn’t I fully internalize these norms?

[sunnys-feminism-blog]

Women can basically be anything. They can be the sweetest person alive, nice but awkward, shy, smart, snarky, girly, Tomboyish, motherly, clingy, childish, oblivious, strategic, sassy, elegant, anything at all. But somehow, they seem to always be villanized for it.

A woman could be tomboyish and generally just have more male friends than female ones—not because she wants their validation, but because her friends just happen to be men—and somehow, she'd be called a pick-me girl. She'd be accused of being an attention seeker. Even a 'whore' or 'slut' in some capacity.

A woman could be girly and mainly hang around female friends, and just generally do really girly thinks because thats what she likes. And she'd be seen as 'fake', catty', a 'mean girl', 'annoying'. She could be the sweetest person alive, and somehow, there'd be something for people to find annoying about her or accuse her of.

A woman could be motherly, care for her children, and mainly spend time with them or enjoy spending time with them. But one little mistake and she'd somehow be the worst mother of the year. And if she spoke about her kids a lot, she'd be 'talking about her children too much' or 'annoying'.

A woman could be childish and somewhat oblivious, for that could just be her personality and nothing more. But somehow, she'd be seen as 'stupid', 'annoying', or 'fake'.

A woman could simply set boundaries. She'd be 'mean'.

A woman could say nothing about boundaries, yet one little mistake or slip in front of someone, and she'd be the worst person alive.

Yet, if these were all men—

A masculine man hanging around with other men, for the sake of simply having friends and nothing more. He'd be just hanging out with his friends, or 'just being boys' with his friends. He'll, if he had friends his opposite gender, he wouldnt be picked on at all. If anything, he'd be praised.

A man being feminine or expressing himself in feminine ways, hanging around with those of his opposite gender. He'd be seen as 'funny', or 'sassy', and would be praised just for existing.

A man could be very fatherly, and LOVE spending time with his children. He'd receive nothing but praise. Just a lovely doting man who loves to be with his family.

A man could be childish or oblivious. He'd be babied by those on social media if he had a fan-base and seen as charming or funny. He'd be 'chaotic'. He'd be defended by several people. People would love him.

A man could set boundaries. And many would respect him, defending him if he did so.

A man could not set boundaries at all. And even if he made a mistake, no one would care.

Now, why is it so different when women do the exact thing a man would do, or are the exact thing a man is?

Is it because women are just—inherently lesser than men? Is it because they're usually bad people who get that kind of attention anyway? Is it because those type of women just arent liked?

Or, I dont know, maybe its because society, for no reason at all, hates women, and has unreasonable expectations?

I see this happen all the time. Female characters—and male characters in media being treated differently. Celebrities, female and male, treated differently. Men and women, in the ordinary world with no sort of attention at all, still treated differently.

Women are HUMAN. They deserve respect. They arent evil. They arent boring. They arent anything like that. If you can treat men with respect, even though he did the exact same thing as a woman you claim to hate, then you can treat women with respect as well.

Women are not villainous. Again, I repeat, they ARE HUMAN. So stop demonizing them!!

[sunnys-feminism-blog]

Women In History:

Juana Ines De La Cruz.

(Regarded as the 'worst' nun by men in history for her feminist views and beliefs—possibly the first recorded feminist. She was a playwright—writing comedies and tragedies, a poet, a musician, and was nicknamed the 'tenth' muse. She is regarded as one of the most important figures in Mexican literature.)

(I plan to create a post on different women in history every Friday so more people are aware of the women who accomplished things, women who weren't credited for their accomplishments or inventions, women who deserved better, etc. Women deserved to be spoken on more in history without being villainized, so that is why I'm doing this. Also, because I dont see a lot of people talk about this amazing woman, so thats why I'm writing this.)

Juana Ines De La Cruz, a successful nun who did everything she could to protect her sisters and family from men who wished to exploit them and who did not back down in the face of the men who criticized her not letting people talk down to her for simply being a woman, is not spoken a lot about with Westerners. There is a rather popular video about her made by Ted Ed, but otherwise, I have never seen anyone speak about her. Today, I write this, as a way to share her story, and to help others learn about her—as I admire her as a person, and think she dedicated a lot to the feminist movement for her time.

Juana was born in San Miguel Nepantia near Mexico city, as an illegitimate daughter of Don Pedro Manuel de Asuaje y Vargas-Machuca, a Spanish Navy Captain who was involved with colonial transatlantic shipping and trade. Her mother, on the other hand, was Doña Isabel Ramírez de Santillana y Rendón. She was a criolla—and her father leased the Hacienda de Panoayan near Mexico City.

Juana's father left her at an early age, and she never really knew him, considering he left her while she was in her infancy. For her whole life, she lived with her mother and the rest of her present family, in a house under the lease of her maternal grandfather. Despite the misogny of the time, her mother managed the house as well as she could, and tried her best to set a good example for her daughters.

From a young age though, Juana was a prodigy, and was very skilled. At a young age, she was exposed to Latin and Nahautl. She learnt philosophy; mathematics, and possibly more. This also started, because at the age of 3, she snuck to her older sisters school, and watched her there. When she learnt that only men received a higher education at the age of 16, she begged her mother to let her attend in the guise of a man so she could receive such education. Her mother denied of her of this.

Juana, at the very least, had access to her grandfather's private library from a young age. And this is where she mastered most of her skills. Latin, the Aztec language Nahautl, philosophy, mathematics, and more. At age 5, she could do accounts. At age 8, she wrote a poem on the Eucharist. By adolescence, she had mastered Greek Logic, and at age 13—she taught Latin to young children. She also wrote short poems in the Nahautl language. And her intellect was so impressive and precocious, that she caught the attention of the Mexican Royal court, who let her be their lady in waiting at the age of 16.

The viceroy, Marquis de Mancera, wished to test her intelligence when she was 17. So, he invited several theologicians, philosophers, poets, and jurists—to ask her questions while she was unprepared, and even told her to explain different points on very difficult subjects. She managed to succeed in this, increasing her reputation, and catching romantic attention from many admirers—all of whom she denied the proposals and confessions of, wishing to stay independent.

Wanting to find a way to stay independent without being bothered for marriage, she became a nun, and began to write multiple works on the rights of women, love, and religion.

She wrote a play called 'The House Of Desires', about two couples pining over eachother, but being repeatedly prevented from any sort of romance through multiple uncontrollable and sudden circumstances. The leading lady, however, is a nun—who is determined and open-willing, and expresses her frustrated desires and wants.

She also wrote another play called 'Love Is The Greater Labyrinth', a take on Theseus and the Createn Labryinth. It shows the Greeks behaving as 17th century Coutiers, making sly jokes and getting into several ronantic entanglements.

She also wrote a poem called 'Foolish Men', a critique of the absurd double standards and expectations against women.

The following is the entire poem itself:

'You foolish men who lay

the guilt on women,

not seeing you’re the cause

of the very thing you blame;

if you invite their disdain

with measureless desire

why wish they well behave

if you incite to ill.

You fight their stubbornness,

then, weightily,

you say it was their lightness

when it was your guile.

In all your crazy shows

you act just like a child

who plays the bogeyman

of which he’s then afraid.

With foolish arrogance

you hope to find a Thais

in her you court, but a Lucretia

when you’ve possessed her.

What kind of mind is odder

than his who mists

a mirror and then complains

that it’s not clear.

Their favour and disdain

you hold in equal state,

if they mistreat, you complain,

you mock if they treat you well.

No woman wins esteem of you:

the most modest is ungrateful

if she refuses to admit you;

yet if she does, she’s loose.

You always are so foolish

your censure is unfair;

one you blame for cruelty

the other for being easy.

What must be her temper

who offends when she’s

ungrateful and wearies

when compliant?

But with the anger and the grief

that your pleasure tells

good luck to her who doesn’t love you

and you go on and complain.

Your lover’s moans give wings

to women’s liberty:

and having made them bad,

you want to find them good.

Who has embraced

the greater blame in passion?

She who, solicited, falls,

or he who, fallen, pleads?

Who is more to blame,

though either should do wrong?

She who sins for pay

or he who pays to sin?

Why be outraged at the guilt

that is of your own doing?

Have them as you make them

or make them what you will.

Leave off your wooing

and then, with greater cause,

you can blame the passion

of her who comes to court?

Patent is your arrogance

that fights with many weapons

since in promise and insistence

you join world, flesh and devil.'

She also wrote 'The Arraignment Of Men', as another critique of the misogny of the time.

The following is the entire poem under that title:

'Males perverse, schooled to condemn

    Women by your witless laws,

    Though forsooth you are prime cause

Of that which you blame in them:

If with unexampled care

    You solicit their disdain,

    Will your fair words ease their pain,

When you ruthless set the snare?

Their resistance you impugn,

    Then maintain with gravity

    That it was mere levity

Made you dare to importune.

What more elevating sight

    Than of man with logic crass,

    Who with hot breath fogs the glass,

Then laments it is not bright!

Scorn and favor, favor, scorn,

    What you will, result the same,

    Treat you ill, and earn your blame,

Love you well, be left forlorn.

Scant regard will she possess

    Who with caution wends her way,—

    Is held thankless for her “nay,”

And as wanton for her “yes.”

What must be the rare caprice

    Of the quarry you engage:

    If she flees, she wakes your rage,

If she yields, her charms surcease.

Who shall bear the heavier blame,

    When remorse the twain enthralls,

    She, who for the asking, falls,

He who, asking, brings to shame?

Whose the guilt, where to begin,

    Though both yield to passion's sway,

    She who weakly sins for pay,

He who, strong, yet pays for Sin?

Then why stare ye, if we prove

    That the guilt lies at your gate?

    Either love those you create,

Or create those you can love.

To solicitation truce,—

    Then, sire, with some show of right

    You may mock the hapless plight

Or the creatures of your use!'

She wrote many works, but most of them seemed to criticize the misogny of the time, and she never seemed afraid to do it even with the harsh criticism she received from the misogynists of the time.

In her time in the church, she was visited by many prominent scholars. She owned a large library, served as an archivist and convents treasurer, and protected her sisters from the men who would try to exploit them.

However, she would often fall into conflict with her benefactors, and in 1690, a bishop posted her private critique of a well respected sermon. The sermon told her to focus on prayer, rather than knowledge, as being a woman, that was her 'place'. But, in response, she retorted:

'God would not have given women intellect, if he did not want them to use it.'

(Perhaps it translates differently in this letter, but I believe this is where she said it.)

Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz

From I, Juana, dance with somebody. Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz I remember that in those days, even thou

The conservative archbishop of Mexico at the time became furious at this, and slowly stripped her of her power, forcing her to sell her books and give up writing. Juana was furious at this, but—she was unwilling to leave the independent position she had put herself in. So, as a last act of defiance, she wrote in her own blood as she bitterly renewed her vows:

'I, the worst of all.'

Unable to do scholarship, she threw herself into charity work, and in 1695, she died of an illness she contracted while nursing her sisters.

She is recognized as one of the first feminists in the Americas, and as someone once said, history is a product of her work. For that, I think we should speak on her more, and more Westerners like myself should know about her. Without her, literature and more would not be where it is today.