Assign 5
Toni Mitchell
Assign 5-
They say knowledge is power and indeed it is, but it seems as though the more I read the more upsetting it is to unfold the truth. V. Spike Peterson and Laura Parisi pealed back a layer of our Declaration in regards to the arguments surrounding the lack of focus placed on gender identity and its influence upon the political realm. In the essay “Are women human? Its Not an Academic Question”, Peterson and Parisi express the need for heterosexism as oppose androcentrism when examining the relationship between women and human rights. Heterosexism is basically the assumption that everyone is or should be heterosexual and that heterosexuality is the only normal, natural sexual orientation. Which brings me to my next point, if androcentrism is defined as the focus of men and heterosexism focused on the distinction of men and women; don’t they fall on hand in hand? Either way it is the man of power who gets the final draw.
I must admit that I grew up recognizing heterosexism is the “normal” way of life and for one to in be involve with the same sex or identify themselves as another sex was against the norms. It wasn’t until I’d recognize the true state of freedom did I then begin to see no barrier in regards to gender (there goes that word again), race, social/economical background. The term Heterosexism itself not only discriminates against other sexual preferences but also the discussion of human rights as to pertains to woman and man. The tittle of the essay itself raises the question of whether or not women are considered human beings. The marital contract for instance is the perfect example of how men continuously manipulate the female species. As a female, one is expected to aspire to idea of marriage. Think about it; a majority of little girls by the age of three want to be princesses living in a castle with handsome prince. If you pay closer attention, it is always the princess who needs saving. Once again unconsciously promoting the degradation of women.
We as a society will associate the terms heterosexuals with reproduction and abortion with murder a way to further institutionalize women. We lay the burden of [the] continuation of life based upon the male and female being with each other as if there aren’t other way to conceive a child. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the current president of the united states seems pro Antiabortion. In my opinion the only person who should have a say in abortion is the woman, for it is her body. It is the one thing she has claim over; ones own property. Isn’t property what make one “human”?
