caitlin it's that positive release that I have been spending most of my conscious thinking life trying to uncover, but the longer I wait, the more angry I become... and the more this explosion justifies itself in my head
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I don't agree with feminism completely, but I think it has damn better things to say than anything else I've encountered, so I take from it the good things.
Re: gender studies being so feminist... it's because the rest of the academy is so MASCULINE! It doesn't mean we don't accept critiques or questioning our reasoning. Again, take the good tools and leave the bad.
You need to read that paper I gave you by Thomas (which I still want back someday!). It has a lot to say that I think is really helpful to think about framing this in away that centers it on what can *I* do about disrupting ideas of gender myself without getting caught up and angry about how the WORLD is SO UNJUST AND I CAN'T FIX IT.
I don't think I've ever felt powerless to fix the situation, I've always felt alone in my thoughts. Even most men get awkward when I mention these things... most. the others are so busy arguing, I feel like I wasted a whole lot of energy... and in the end I just want a woman to believe me. as strange as that sounds. it's like I've been imprinted with this instinct to please women first because by rights "it's their turn" and then It's okay for me... I assume that's the problem I ahve in my life, and in my relationships but for the life of me, I just can't shake it
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I think it's really important that you think about these things, but also that changing social structures of inequality is a fucking slow process. I also think that, as you've noted, you really need to choose your allies and learn to frame your arguments in ways that are valid externally. That's something I think about a lot in women's studies- for example it's great that we recognize that traditional research practices are destructive for marginalized people, but how do you do research in a way that is egalitarian AND still has value in the eyes of those people who have the power to make change
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I'm interested in the shows you choose, I think. for instance you'd have to include "Married With Children" and oh the dreaded Simpsons. I'd say that if we don't get to the heart of the power differential itself then the roles will change, but someone will inevitably always be causing pain through dominance. We somehow, desire, need, are even bred to, have a position of power as a part of our lives; whether we are in that position or following that position. Maybe I'd go so far as to say that in fact men still feel the need to be incharge of those marital relations but because leadership has been a part of masculinity they feel they have lost their place in society at a very fundamental level... by women's roles changing. it's like women are allowed to lead, but men aren't really allowed to follow, yet
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Re: gender studies being so feminist... it's because the rest of the academy is so MASCULINE! It doesn't mean we don't accept critiques or questioning our reasoning. Again, take the good tools and leave the bad.
You need to read that paper I gave you by Thomas (which I still want back someday!). It has a lot to say that I think is really helpful to think about framing this in away that centers it on what can *I* do about disrupting ideas of gender myself without getting caught up and angry about how the WORLD is SO UNJUST AND I CAN'T FIX IT.
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