Postcolonialism/Feminism Project Blog #1: Thoughts on Feminism & Flowers

Found 3 very interesting sources this week!

1)Cheikh Anta Diop
2)Ifi Amadiume
3)Madhu Purnima Kishwar

Very interested in their thoughts on Postcolonialism and (in relation to Amadiume and Kishwar) their thoughts on Feminism. Amadiume suggests that while the Western woman is viewed as the ideal feminist there is also an ideal feminist in Eastern feminism. And in both cases a there is a division between "Feminists"/women's right activists when it comes to defining what a Feminist woman should look/act like, etc. For example: working, independent women do not see domestic women as feminists even if they are choosing to be housewives. Feminism in the 1960s which is referred to as the "Second-wave" (the first wave occuring as early as the 1880s) sparked women's concern with their reproductive, sexual, and domestic status. Therefore it is interesting that some women would say that choosing to be a housewife is not "feminist".

Although it may appear as women choosing to remain within the confines or (as prof. AK refers to them as "containers") of stereotypical female roles dismissing any women's choice is dismissing the value of women's choice. If a man chooses to marry or not marry there is no outrage others simply recognize that he has made a choice, however if the woman marries and becomes a housewife or in any other way does not--on the surface--portray the ideal feminist she is not considered independent or foward-thinking. A clearer example of this can be the Geisha which I discuss here (My response on Geisha & Orientalist fantasies). That article is in response to a professor who held an educational discussion on Geisha and Orientalist Fantasies.

It is ironic that in discussing female issues some women concentrate on how males view women (the external problem) and avoid the internal problem (how women view themselves). It makes one ask how far has the women's movement come if we are still evaluating ourselves as objects of a male society rather than individuals. As Freedman explains in her book No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women rather than focusing on the fact that a woman has made a choice that is not ideally "feminist" women have come to realize that women must focus on the fact that the woman is now able to choose and should be able to choose freely. And choosing certain options shouldn't label a woman as oppressed or repressed. Also there are social conditions to consider..a woman who is a Harvard graduate or any kind of prosperous woman (for instance prosperous farm women in Africa in Amadiume's article) is/are more capable of achieving the status of the ideal feminist woman. Basically it is far more complex than simply breaking traditional female roles. Timing, social context, social status, education, opportunity, location...all of these things contribute to the feminist status a woman can achieve. This is where I find Kishwar interesting b/c Kishwar argues that this is why she does not call herself Feminist b/c it is too broad a title & the issues and unique experiences of women all over the world cannot be thrown together under an -ism.

Women of both the Western and Eastern world as well as women in different countries on the same continent have different circumstances, for instance religion. As my colleague Steph C. documents in her studies ( See her project here: Steph C.'s Postcolonial project) Steph discusses the veil which is considered a symbol of repression by Westerners however (this is my observation now)-->Western women wore and still wear church hats and also revealing one's body to a certain degree in Western civilization is still an issue and it can still lead to being considered a "certain type of woman"...but b/c we cannot understand the importance of the veil, b/c it is foreign we assume as Achebe stated that foreigners have strange customs w/ no equivalent in the west. Not so! It is simply that we are unable to see through the mystery, the Orientalist fantasies, the belief that the west is developed beyond certain things to see that there are similarities as well as differences.

But on another note...My professor introduced me to Cheikh Anta Diop's work, I'm looking into one of his works titled The African Origins of Civilization: Myth or Reality and I am quite interested in his arguments linking Africans to the origins of Western civilization. I am excited about that because I like reading about how the various nations/ppl came about because it seems as though people try so hard to prove how different we all are rather than understanding that those differences are only skin deep. My thoughts on this? Shakespeare comes to mind:

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" -- Shakespeare (Romeo&Juliet)

Anyways, I will keep you posted on my research & findings. If you like what you read please follow my blog & twitter as well my group members & prof. AK are also tweeting about similar projects, thx!

Live. Love. Laugh. & God Bless!

--babydoll.

Poetry should be easier, like frying bacon.

So, there's this open mic event in my hometown (well, my second hometown..I'm actually from Jamaica) anyways, I kind of want to do it but I'm like is my poetry that good? It's okay..I got compliments in highschool & college + a few awards..but I just don't look at my work as phenomenal, you know? Also I'm shy. I've performed a poem before..when I worked with students at a detention center at the end of the program I promised them I would read my poem and recite it from memory and actually perform it like spoken word..so i did. Which was good because some of them couldn't get permission to attend the event and their teacher recorded the event for them so I wanted them to see me perform it.

Well, they enjoyed it and the event as a whole but idk if I should read it again.. it's a poem I wrote titled Dark Liquor (btw it's not what it sounds like)..but idk what to read for this event?? I don't like writing typical poetry and I like taking familiar but non-associated concepts to talk about the actual subject of my poems for example my latest poem titled Letter to my first daughter, Eve deals with my personal struggle with my hair/Black hair...but I compare it to the story of Eve & the garden. I'm contemplating reading this poem I wrote called Execution which is quite risque but a lot of ppl seemed to like it, it's short but I think it packs a punch. So maybe I'll do those three. Dark Liquor is somewhat long, Letter to my first daughter, Eve is like medium-ish and Execution is short so..that could work.

Still, I reaaaallllyy need new poetic inspiration lol. I might look into the books my professor (who I will call "E") suggested last spring, they have cool ideas about coming up with ideas for poetry. Or maybe I'll just have my little sister grab 3 random objects from my room and write a poem that incorporates all of them. btw I will talk about my siblings a lot in these blogs. I heart them. Maybe I'll write a poem about them who knows? If all else fails there's always bacon...I do enjoy bacon. What? BACON = GOOD in my book, idc what they say! lol I thought about writing a love poem for all of 3 seconds then said ewww...never been able to write one that didn't sound like it was written by a ten-year-old boy with a crush on his teacher. Well, I think i'm out of things to say, til' next time.

Live. Laugh. Love. & God Bless<3

--babydoll.

This may be the Summer that changes MY LIFE!

So...Today is my first official day of research towards my Literature minor..I'm assisting my amazing Professor of Literature who I will call AK I say first official day because I finally have all 3 books that I need to read to submit papers and bibliographies on sections of each...which will be a lot! whew..but I love literary analysis..always have..I'm a geek, I know..I know..

Anyway my professor and I are not actually meeting...we communicate through skype conference calls. Oh and there are actually 7 of us involved in this research: myself and 2 other women are working on the feminism project while the other group (which consists of 2 members) is working on Postcolonialism and Technology. And finally, we are working with an author from London who we met via Skype in April!

Prof. AK is amazing..in the past few months because of her I actually helped host a 3-day feminist event/discussion and interviewed a director of a successful film. And now we are working with this British author who I will call "Brit"...AK and "Brit" are actually working to publish a book of essays and the feminist group is a part of the project. And, also...we get to work on our own individual research which will be published online via my college and students will actually be able to site me as a source! I'm sooooooooooo excited! :D

Idk no matter how much I try to run from writing and literature it finds me. Ooooo...also I'm revising some poetry, essays, and a play I wrote last Spring and also working on some new ones and possibly a short story but I don't really like writing short stories..they're my least favorite :/ ...anyways, it's all for my portfolio for my writing minor...along with this I'm studying for the MCATs and I'm up for these 2 jobs which I hoooope I get because they pay really well lol but it will be a lot...idk how i'm going to do it all!!! We'll see..I love challenges..I fuss and sometimes get discouraged but I love the pressure of proving myself and accomplishing my dreams...

Besides that I have a few projects I'm working on with my little sister...she really loves fashion and so do I so we're thinking about doing something with that..I'm the big sis so I want to help her get started on her dreams too, hey she's 16 it's NEVER too early..so this should be a eventful and progressive summer for me...

ON TOP OF THAT...I need a great dress for my cousin's wedding..it's in London so you can't go to London and not look amazing right?? RIGHT!! I've been there and it's like a fashion show..so I must look good lol. Umm that's all on my mind for now...

Live. Laugh. Love. & God Bless<3

-- babydoll.