Spivey: Interview Assignment

The idea of Feminism and its ideologies has changed throughout the course of its history, and the people who lived through each wave have a different story to tell depending on their race, class, and gender. The individual I interviewed for this assignment is an African American woman named Gloria Little. She was born June 5, 1932. She is the second oldest of 10 children, and has lived on the same street in Athens her entire life. The story Gloria tells is not just from a view point of a woman, but of a black woman living in a time when women weren't treated equal with men, and blacks were not equal to whites.
First, I started out the interview by asking what it was like for her, as a black woman, growing up in the south. She explained that there was always a female at home. Her mom or grandmother both did not work outside the home, and her father and grandfather were seen as the family “breadwinners”. Men were supposed to take care of the family financially, and the women were supposed to be at home and take care of the children and the domestic duties. She said that this was just the way things were for all families both black and white. She said that it was shunned upon for woman not to be in the home taking care of the children , and her family was in agreement that the father should be out in the workforce.
While growing up, Gloria never was a student in an integrated school system. She went to a black public high school in Athens, and then went to college at Savannah State where she got her degree. Her grandfather worked for The University of Georgia System where he earned 17 to 18 dollars per week to help support her dream to get a college education. One of the main reasons she feels that women, especially black women, had fewer opportunities for employment was because of lack of education. Many black women simply could not afford a college education which caused women to be held in minimal jobs. She recalled that most professional job for black woman at this time was a teacher, but to be a maid or cook was much more common. She explains that she as well as many of her friends wished women could break out of the traditional roles for women but financially it just wasn’t an option especially for black females.
Also, she explains that there were more jobs available for women at this time, but they were for “white” women only because of the fact that white woman usually had more education. Segregation also played a large role in the minimal job opportunities for black women. Employment, or lack thereof was just one of the ways in which African Americans were being segregated at this time. She also recalled going to movie theaters , and that black people could only sit in the balcony section and white people got to sit in the main theater. She also remembered restaurants being very racist, and still encounters some racism to this day. After reflecting upon some of her memories, she attributes ignorance as the reason fort the racist feelings because they are ingrained in people’s minds, and it is hard for people to change because change comes from the heart.
Next, I asked Gloria about the reaction of women when the Feminine Mystique was popular. She said that the main feelings she remembered women having in response to that was that men and woman weren’t getting the same pay for doing the same jobs. She said that at that time the feeling was that the Feminine Mystique was geared more toward white women which she thought was ironic because it was written for the feminist
movement, and black women were women too!
During the 1950’s is when Gloria entered the workforce as an elementary school teacher here in Clark County, and the school’s were not integrated yet. She taught for several years until the schools became integrated, and she was sent to teach at the “white” school. She described the experience of being in the integrated setting as hard. She remembered how the black teachers always felt as if they had to prove themselves as being just as good teachers as the whites. The black teachers weren’t expected to be able to do the same caliber work as whites, so this was a constant struggle. She did say that for the most part people were accepting of her, and that the transition went smoothly, but there were always the few people who were resistant to change just as there is today. Gloria taught for over 32 years.
She described the period in the 1960’s-1970’s, also known as the second wave of feminism, as a time that things started to get better for women in general. More women were getting out into the workforce at this time which was providing more money for families. She remembered women starting to be more independent during this time, and that some women were starting to make more money than men. Ladies were doing things on their own for once, and not bound and dependent upon the husband. She remembers this time as a great time in our history because or once women were free to be who they wanted, or so it seemed at the time.
Although Gloria doesn’t identify as a feminist, she does hold many ideals and values of a feminist. She strongly believes that women should have the right to be in the workforce if they want to work or stay at home if that is what they choose. She strongly believes that all people should be treated as equal because we are all equal and skin color shouldn’t change that although at time it does.
One of the main reasons that Gloria said she doesn’t identify as a feminist is because she believes that under no circumstance is abortion right. She talked about when she was younger and that abortion was shunned, very controversial and “hush-hush” as she put it. She said that back in the day when she was growing up everyone thought that abortion was wrong. Then she said as time went on more people were beginning to accept it, especially after Roe v. Wade, but that the older generation, which was her generation, still thought it to be morally and utterly wrong. This new generation that came along during the 1970’s felt that women should do what was right for themselves, and Gloria strongly disagreed with that. She said that now, people think they can do whatever they want, and that we live in a “me” centered generation as opposed to a “we” generation back when she was young. She tells of how family used to be at the number one of importance and now it’s self.
Women in history had a hard time in general and were treated unfairly simply because they were not men. Adding in other factors such as class, race and sexual identity only makes this bind of oppression even tighter for those which are affected by them. It is easy for me to sit and say that I believe everyone should have equal rights, but I am a white female with privilege at my fingertips. I enjoyed the opportunity I had to speak with Gloria because she gave me a picture of life that was previously unknown to me. It is hard to get a grip on reality just reading about stories in a book or in a magazine, but when you sit face to face and hear about the obstacles and awful things people went through, it makes you have a better perspective on life. It also makes you realize that our society needs to be open. Open to change, open to awareness, open to free choice, and open to accept people for who they are and not what color they are, how much money they have, or what sex organs they were born with.

Doyle: Interview Assignment

Kelly Doyle
McCauliff
WMST 2010
March 7 2008
Hispanic and Female: Does the United States Prove to be More Advanced than Less Developed Nations?
“We have all been programmed to respond to the human differences between us with fear and loathing and to handle that difference in one of three ways: ignore it, and if that is not possible, copy it if we think it is dominant, or destroy it if we think subordinate. But we have no patterns for relating across our human differences as equals. As a result, those differences have been misnamed and misused in the service of seperation and confusion” (Lorde 454). Here, Lorde elaborates on the premise that society dictates norms and acceptable standards and that minorities are simply expected to accommodate themselves accordingly. Throughout the interview, my interviewee focused on this injustice and how being both a female and part of a minority group has affected her.
Magda Berrios was born in 1959 in Granada, Nicaragua and considers herself to be a Hispanic, heterosexual, female. She was raised in a patriarchal household where her mother was forced by her “controlling and verbally abusive” father to constantly stay at home and care for her and her siblings. While neither her father or mother graduated high school, Magda graduated from an all girls boarding school and completed college in Nicaragua. In 1985, she decided to move to the United States of America because her father’s life was threatened by the new Nicaraguan government, and she saw there was very little freedom left in her country. When she arrived to the United States, she immediately noticed a difference in the way she was treated, not only because of her gender, but because of her ethnicity. For example, when she had first moved to the United States, she was in a very nice apartment building in New York City and saw that there was an apartment available. When she went to inquire about the room to the manager, who happened to be a Latino as well, to this day she remembers what he told her. He blatantly said, “muchacha, tu no puedes ni siquiera sonar en vivir en este edificio” which translates into “girl, you cannot even dream of being able to live in this building.” Reflecting on Peggy Mcintosh’s “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, this could be a perfect example of “If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live” (McIntosh 389) which illustrates just one way that the majority casts a disvantageous shadow over minority groups. This comment, even though coming from a Latino, demonstrates the ongoing racism that underlies many everyday aspects that those from other backgrounds encounter. Remembering this episode, seemed to jog her memory causing her to become more frustrated with the constant obstacles that minorities experience. This could also serve as an example of Lorde’s idea that minorities tend to even discriminate against each other because of how the majority has enforced the rejection of differences. Also, this could be a result of minorities being disheartened by how they have been previously treated; so, they in turn discriminate against those who are different. Becoming a vicious cycle, this way of thinking destroys individuality and creates divisions within racial groups.
Magda also faced discrimination when she entered the workplace especially when it came to sexual harrasment. Although she was obviously harrassed because she was a young woman surronded by predominantly male coworkers in a univeristy setting, she attributes most of it to the fact that she was hispanic and new to this country. She also divulged another example of where her ethnicity played into an additional form of oppression as described by Frye’s “Oppression” as the definition being a “double bind [in] which options are reduced to a very few and all of them expose one to penalty, censure, or deprivation” (Frye 2). She quickly realized that she had to be firm and careful in a society where men dominated and women were subordinate to their desires.
Another interesting perspective that Magda brought to my attention was when I asked her “Do you feel like your gender has ever prevented you from obtaining anything you desired?” she responded, “I feel like the fact that I am married to a doctor means people are willing to overlook my gender and race because of my social status”. Frye highlights the negative aspect of this scenario saying at “every race/class level and even across race/class lines men do not serve women as women serve men” (Frye 10). Magda mentioned further that she always felt that she was in her husband’s shadow, not only because he was a doctor, but because he was a male doctor. This definitely brings to light the idea that many countries perceive prosperity over any other quality. Consequently, she strived to escape from his shadow and stand on her own as a professor at a university in the south. Another interesting point came up when I asked her how education differed for men and women in Nicaragua. She said that the nuns at the private school she went to would say “educar a una mujer es educar a una familia” which translates to “educating a woman is educating a family”. Interestingly enough, this was to promote the idea that woman are an essential part of educating their children and families later on in their lives. Magda touched on the fact that this did seem to undermine the numerous capabilities that women could accomplish with higher education, but she encouraged the idea that women can use their education and incoporate it into a life that includes their children and family. This brought me back to Betty Friedan’s “Problem that Has No name” from the Feminine Mystique where Friedan points out “Many young women…whose education plunged them into a world of ideas feel stifled in their homes” (Friedan 47). I asked Magda if this thought had occurred to her and she took a moment to consider the question. “As a mom with three children I often am faced with choosing between my work and their wants and needs. Although my husband is as supportive as he can be with how busy he is, I sometimes feel as if the workload I have to take on everyday is never ending and all upon my shoulders. However difficult it seems at times though, I love my family and cannot imagine life without them.” She seemed surprised by these words that may have never actually escaped her lips, but she also stressed the importance of women being able to not have to choose between their family and their career. “Where I used to live, this would be considered a luxury. My mom did not have the option to work. My father refused to let her start her own business and my brothers, sisters, and I all knew that this completely crushed her.”
Finally, I asked her how she would compare Nicaragua’s and the United States’ changing perspective on both feminine empowerment and racial equality. She indicated that she feels there has been little change in either country since she was little. She blames this on the fact that people insist “on being selfish” and only look out for their personal well being. “As for the future of any country”, she concluded about the future possibilities of a female or minority representative president, “I would feel content that a woman finally can be represented at that high level of power in order to make changes, and hopefully not to act like a man” and “have the opportunity to show that there is much more for people who are not white.”
In conclusion, I was surprised to see just how relevant many of the articles and essays we read in class especially to a woman whom had never been exposed to such literature. I correctly chose her as my interviewee specifically because of all the intersections that run through her as mentioned in Lorde’s piece as well. Magda was very eager to read a few of the above mentioned articles and could personally relate to many differenct concepts, approaches, and sentiments. I was actually surprised to find that there was not much of a culture shock when it came to differences in gender between Nicaragua and the United States, only those that are associated with smaller more conservative countries. I was also appalled by how much more liberal she was than I had previously anticipated according to her close involvement with the Catholic church from birth. She exposed me to a new, less radical version of feminism that can be developed and experienced without having any formal part in feminist movements. Her insight to a life spent in two completely different cultures revealed a very inutitive and balanced light onto feminist perspective and previous theory. When I asked her for her definition of feminism and whether or not she considered herself as one, she simply said “it is the idea that no one should experience either advantage or disadvantage for their religion, class, gender, social class, or any other personal identification. It stems from the idea that humans have every right to pursue and achieve happiness; so, yes” she said with a chuckle, “I guess I am a feminist.”
Bibliography
Friedan, Betty. “Problem that Has No Name”. Dominant Ideas About Women. p 46-
49, 1964.
Frye, Marilyn. “Oppression”. The Politics of Reality. p. 1-16, 1983.
Lorde, Audrey. “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Womend Redefining Difference”. Understanding and Valuing Difference. p. 454-458, 1980.
McIntosh, Peggy. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”. Take a Closer Look: Racism in Women’s Lives. p. 389-392, 1989.

May: Interview Assignment

A Family of Strong Females

When I first read over this assignment, I did not know who I would want to interview. After some consideration, I decided to interview my mother because I did not really know much about the things that influenced her perspective while growing up. I knew that she went to an all female college in Pennsylvania, and that she never wants me or my sister to attend a college like hers. Besides that, I did not really know much more about her opinions on things because I have never asked. I chose to interview her because I understand that I need to ask her the questions that I have while I have the chance. My father, her husband, passed away in 2002, and there are a lot of questions I would have loved to ask him. My mother was widowed at the age of thirty-eight, and I saw our family of three females grow and learn from each other. It was incredibly refreshing to have an educated discussion, with the expected off topic rambles, with my mother about her past and education. This paper will discuss what my mother offers as a woman born during the Second Wave Feminist Movement.

One of the most interesting points of my interview was how knowledgeable my mother is about feminism. My first question was whether or not she considered herself a feminist, to which her response was “In some ways yes…” and went on to talk about how she felt that despite the gains women have made over the years, including Hilary Clinton’s rise in government, “but the battle for equality continues on.” She graduated from Cedar Crest College, a small women’s college in Pennsylvania, in 1985. She explained that she chose the school because she “wanted to be in an academic environment free from competition with men.” We discussed the waves of Feminism and she said she most closely identifies with the “Second wave … many good points were made by some very acerbic women writers. I have had the most exposure to their views while I was in college.” I was not surprised to learn that my grandparents thought a women’s college would be safer, but it was interesting to discover that my mother refuses to send her daughters to a women’s college because there was “way too much emphasis on driving out to parties at the nearby co-ed schools . . . I want my daughters to be able to walk home, in the company of others for safety, after a night out.” I had never thought to ask about why my mom threw away any brochures from women’s colleges while I was in high school.

My mother and I never had the stereotypical birds and bees talk, because growing up in such a sex-positive generation I’ve had other means, such as experienced friends, to learn about sexuality. So, I was a little hesitant to approach the topic of sex and abortion. I began by asking what her Catholic, conservative mother told her about sex as a young woman. It was not surprising to hear that my grandmother “did not discuss sex other than to express her view that premarital sex was a bad thing.” My grandmother passed away when I was ten years old, so I do not remember her very well and we discussed her for a while. My mom remembers that her parents both worked at her high school, where few women worked at the time. This made me think of my father’s mother, who worked as a nurse until a few years ago. I had never sat down and considered that my family has so many strong, working females. One story about my grandmother’s views on premarital sex came up that made me realize the differences in the generations. My mother commented “I remember her saying why would he want to buy the cow when he can get the milk for free – I do not like any comment that compares women to cows. Sex is a natural part of life.” I consider this an example of how sexuality has become less taboo through the years. My mom had never heard of the term “sex-positive” in reference to Third Wave Feminism until we discussed the topic. She thought that movement had ended in the 1990s, and did not know much about it. She laughed when I told her that some people consider the Pussycat Dolls feminist, but that she loved their reality television show.

Education has always been important in my family. There was never a question of whether or not I would go to college, and I have always respected my mother for her education. She explained to me how her family had taught her to value being an educated female in a world of men. She had already told me that she realizes men still tend to earn more money in jobs, which is a reason why she decided to return to school as an adult. She wanted “the satisfaction of being a female with a higher degree. And more money at work.” When my sister and I were younger, however, she chose to leave her job and be a stay at home mother. When I asked why she decided to return to work when we were in elementary school she explained how she “thought it was important to be home with my children during their early years. The whole “bonding” thing has great validity and importance to me. But I was bored at home. There are only so many times you can watch “Beauty and the Beast.” I needed more mental stimulation.” She became an elementary teacher at the school my sister and I attended, and now enjoys working as a middle school special education teacher. She is currently working towards a Master’s in education, while maintaining a full time job. I remember that even as my dad was terminally ill in the hospital, she did not drop the courses she was taking during the summer. She said it was important to keep working towards her educational goals so she could support the family. This had a major influence on me as a young female, and I will never forget my mom saying that the best decision she ever made was to return to work, because a woman should never rely solely on her husband because you never know what may happen. I asked her if she had ever read Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique and she replied “Yes, back in college I read it. I remember being drawn in by Betty Friedan’s views on how women should not be identified in life solely as a wife and mother. They need their own identities. It explored many things that were ahead of me – a career, marriage, and family. It made me think about what was important in terms of life goals.”

Our conversation jumped around for a bit as she laughed at the family dog, Teddy, and I searched for another pen because my first one ran out of ink. I then realized that I had never discussed abortion with my mother, and I asked her what her general opinion was on the topic. She told me that “while I could never do it, there is a place for it – rape, incest, medically dangerous pregnancies. There are other situations where it should be considered, such as teenage pregnancies, families that have grown too large, families that are not financially stable to raise children. However, other options should be considered in these cases, like adoption.” She pointed out how anti-abortion her parents were. I did not really find her opinion unforeseen because she has had such a liberal education and works with special education children from families of poverty. She told me multiple stories about children that are unwanted, abused, and neglected and end up in foster care or in extreme cases, psychiatric hospitals. Throughout the years of her teaching in these sorts of programs, I’ve seen her buying many lower level books for middle school students still struggling to read and write due to their emotional damage and behavior problems. Her devotion to these children has always been inspiring to me. We went on with our discussion on abortion and she told me about a roommate she once had who was from Italy and had two abortions. The woman was left with worries about ever being able to become pregnant again because the second one was carried out with poor hygiene conditions.

The discussion of this roommate, whom I had never heard of, made me remember a friend my mother was close to a few years ago. I remembered my mom used to refer to this friend as a “man hater.” My mother laughed as she recalled this and went on to explain how this woman’s viewpoints were very extreme after her experiences with her ex-husband, who cheated on her in her own bed. My mom told me to remember that “all women should experience living on their own, supporting themselves, but there is a time and a place for sharing your life with another person.” Our family spent time with this friend a lot after my dad passed away, and I remember worrying that my mom would listen to her friend and never start dating again. She started dating about two years after he died, because she “did not want to be too old before venturing back out into the world.” I began asking questions about her marriage with my dad. I never knew that they met when my dad, who served in the Navy for twenty years, was stationed near her hometown in New Jersey. They became engaged after he was transferred to Charleston, South Carolina, and she refused to move with him unless she had a ring. She commented that “the engagement was a factor out of respect to my parents. They would not have approved of me moving in with a boyfriend, despite the fact that I was a grown woman.”

My long conversation with my mother really opened my eyes to how similar our views on many issues are. She and I agreed that a woman should not vote for Hilary Clinton solely on the fact that she is a woman, and the candidates’ ideals, goals, and policies are the driving factors in making a decision about which candidate is in the best interest of our country. We also have very similar views on pre-marital sex, abortion, birth control, and the sex-positive culture. My mother is a strong and inspirational woman for my sister and me. She has identified as a feminist since she attended college, and I am beginning to realize that I, too, am a feminist.

Hinrichs: Interview Assignment

When I first approached my mother about the interview assignment, she seemed a bit wary. My initial objective was to flush out some ideas with my mother about who would be the perfect woman to interview. Together we thought of women such as a past women’s studies professor, our local Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president, and my cousin who is a business executive. When I briefly mentioned interviewing my mother, her response was a resounding “No. I’m not qualified. I’m not educated enough on the subject.” Her answer did not completely surprise me, because there have been numerous times throughout my life when I recognized how uncomfortable my mother is with not finishing a college degree. Her discomfort about her lack of education exists despite the fact that she had a successful career in government, raised three children alone, and is one of the smartest people I have the honor of knowing. Given my mother’s response to being interviewed and my own notion of feminism, I knew that she was the woman I had to interview. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the various and significant ways that my mother has helped shape the feminist movement as well as to share her compelling opinions on the future of feminism. On a broader scale, I intend for this essay to serve as proof that every woman’s experience counts and every voice matters.

When I asked my mother whether or not she identifies as a feminist, she answered affirmatively. In her view, feminism means that “as a woman, I hold an equal position of respect with a man.” When asked whether or not she considers herself a feminist activist, she again answered affirmatively. The first example of activism she gave was her persuasion of numerous women over the years to vote for Democratic candidates based on their pro-choice platform. As I perceive it, my mother’s answer is tied to the third wave notion of an expanded definition of activism. In their piece entitled “Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism and the Future,” Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards argue that “Though activism can be grand or all-consuming, it is also…everyday acts of defiance” (Baumgardner and Richards 629). Building on Richards and Baumgardner’s assessment, I argue that many women of all ages, including my mother, have moved beyond the narrow definition of feminist activism as directly fighting for suffrage and other publicly activist tasks. As a self-identified feminist, my mother considers a woman’s right to abortion to be directly tied to feminist ideas. Given this belief, she considers a persuasive debate on the merits of pro-choice candidates to be an example of activism even when it takes place in her home and with a friend. I agree that such conversations constitute activism and, more importantly, “make up a vital feminist movement” (629).

According to my mother, her most significant contribution to the feminist movement was “raising my two daughters, and my son, to be progressive thinking people.” While I truly appreciate this belief, I could not help but wonder how some feminists would respond. Betty Freidan, for instance, refers to the plight of housewives such as my mother as “the problem that has no name,” an insinuation that a woman relegating herself to housework and children is problematic and unfulfilling (Friedan 49). Contrastingly, Rebecca Walker argues in her “Becoming the Third Wave” that choice needs to be at the heart of the feminist agenda (Walker 601). Though Friedan would likely disagree, my mother views her decision to end a successful career in the federal government to stay home with her children as a choice. While her decision is perhaps not traditionally feminist, it coincides with Walker’s and my own belief in choice feminism. Moreover, I believe that her choice to stay home is not inherently contradictory to feminism.

Lisa Belkin agrees with this argument and calls the countless women like my mother who ended lucrative careers to stay home with their kids members of the “opt-out revolution” (Belkin 1). Belkin writes in her New York Times article entitled “Opt-Out Revolution” that the educated, intelligent, and gainfully employed women who are “opting-out” of careers are “redefining success. And in doing so, they are redefining work” (3). As Belkin sees it, this so-called revolution is beneficial to society in that the tendency of successful women to leave their jobs forces employers to work harder to keep them. The employers’ efforts translate into increased flexible work schedules, job-protected family time off for men and women and other untraditional ways of working (11). To sum up Belkin’s argument, then, the choice of successful women to stay home with their children has helped rather than hindered the feminist movement. When asked whether or not “opting-out” was an adequate term to describe her situation, my mother answered “Yes, I guess I did opt-out. I think that term is problematic, though, because it undermines the importance of raising children. As if I ‘opted-out’ of the more important option to work. I don’t see it that way.” When asked to elaborate, she explained that her education and work experience were in no way wasted because “educated people, male or female, raise educated people.”

In addition to my mother’s concerns about Belkin’s “Opt-out revolution,” I worry that the piece is too much in favor of postfeminism. Postfeminism is the idea that the feminist movement is no longer relevant or necessary because its goals have already been achieved. As Baumgardner says in her foreword to Sisterhood, Interrupted, a postfeminist is likely to negatively think of “older feminists as victim mongerers” (Baumgardner 140). Belkin’s article has definite innuendos of postfeminism in that she insinuates that modern women are not breaking through “the glass ceiling” almost exclusively because of maternity (Belkin 2). While maternity plays a role in the lower percentage of females in top corporate positions, I think sexism is also clearly to blame. Given the prevalent role of sexism in the workplace today, I find little validity in the postfeminist idea. As my mother puts it, “I don’t see how you could say that women have achieved full equality, especially in the workplace. I think feminism will continue to be necessary for quite some time, if not always.”

Continuing with our discussion of the future of feminism, I asked my mother what she thinks is the greatest challenge to the movement in the future. After reading pieces such as Richards and Baumgardner’s “Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism and the Future” which speak of an attainable feminist utopia, I was somewhat surprised to hear my mother’s answer. Her perception and fear is that “some day women are going to realize that they can’t really have it all.” In her case, for instance, she was a widowed mother who had to sacrifice her career in order to care for her children in the way that she saw fit. I do not think that she regrets her decision, but the fact still remains that sacrifices were made by her and by countless women who are forced to choose. The realization that these sacrifices are very often necessary could be, according to my mother, detrimental to feminism.

Upon finishing our interview, my mother once more told me “if this isn’t the kind of material you need, you should interview someone else.” Her insecurity astounds me. After having eloquently expressed countless experiences and insights about the feminist movement, my mother still clearly felt that her opinions were not adequate for an academic paper on feminism. My hope is that this essay stands as proof of the various and significant ways my mother has helped shape the feminist movement as well as her insightful predictions about feminism’s future. Furthermore, I hope to have proven that the experiences and opinions of every woman are valid and important to feminism.

Peyton: Interview Assignment

Growing up as apart of my family, it is widely known that anything and everything is to be talked about. We talk about academics, sex, society, and everything in between. That is at least what I thought until this semester, my second semester as a college student. Everything changed when I entered my Introduction to Women's Studies class and I finally found a topic that was never talked about in my family's many conversations. This mystery topic is the topic of feminism and its cause the oppression of women. This fact struck and interest in me, I wanted to know why my family never brought up feminism.

My family is highly dominated by women and young girls so this topic seems to me to be paramount to be included in these conversations that are held daily between members of my family. Recently, I questioned my aunt Salathia J. Wison-Powell (one of the many voices of my family) to get to the bottom of this mystery. I wanted to know what were my family thoughts and opinions on the many topics brought up in my Women's Studies class. But most important wanted to make women's issues a topic discussed often in my family, so I decided to make this interview the first time.

We started off with a random discussion on feminism. When I asked what feminism meant to her, she responded “I'm confused about the exact meaning, but I do know it's a movement that has something to do with women's rights. I explained that feminism has many meanings. Meanings that include Marilyn Frye's definition of feminism as a movement that is concerned with the oppression of women, and sexism. Then she answered my next question without me asking, “in that case I am all for that movement.” We laughed for a few moments and then continued.

Seeing that my aunt Salathia is forty-four years old, black, heterosexual, married woman I informed her about how identity is important when discussing this topic and how it is important that we don't separate the intersections that cross through each of us as taught by Audre Lorde in “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Redefining” I also informed her that she lived through the second-wave of feminism and might be (according to what you believe) living through the third wave of feminism. With this new information delivered to her, we focused on her life and the experiences she had growing up as a black woman. She says she first noticed the difference in roles between men and women as a child at home. Salathia is one of four children, three of whom are female. She says that her mother (a single mother for most of their childhood) expected the girls to do all of the house work, which even included cleaning their brother's room. Expected of their brother “nothing” only “to be a boy.” This reminds me of the “X: A Fabulous Child Story” by Lois Gould that I read early this semester when we were discussing sex vs. gender. People are taught to conform to a gender based on their sex organs.

Salathia goes on to say closer to the end our conversation that she still notices these roles played out today. “Take my boss for example,” she says, “she is one of partners that own the company I work for but she is the only woman and even though she has a voice in the company it is still the smallest” Salathia goes on to say that her boss is sometimes taken for granted in the company. She raps up by saying that “women are definitely still not equal to men.”

As stated before it is important that we can not separate the intersections that cross between each of us, because they define who we are. Therefore, our conversation turns to race, being two African American women it's important that we talk about the issues that are unique to us. We agree that it seems that feminist in the past have ignored what is truly important to us. For example, Betty Freidan's “The Problem with No Name,” concerns middle to upper class white women, because like my aunt points out “black women were more independent white women” and I add the fact that they had to be because of their socioeconomic status. Therefore, the problem of being anxious to do something as explained in Freidan's piece does not concern women of different minorities (not just African American).

My aunt being the intelligent women that she is brings up the fact that women have so many issues, from oppression due to the double-bind to reproductive rights. I ask her what she thinks of the double-bind using sexuality as the example. “It is completely unfair” my aunt says, “why should a woman have to be faced with being labeled a whore or a slut because she enjoys sex, when men due the same behavior they are treated with a pat on the back not a demeaning word.”

“The next topic we face”, I explained to Salathia, “is the most controversial topic in my class, and that is reproductive rights and abortion.” She says that her only opinion is “a woman should be able to decide what happens to her body in all situations,” she says, “So I guess I’m one-hundred percent pro-choice.” Pro-choice respects a woman’s moral capacity to make decisions regarding her health and welfare, including reproductive decisions.

Feminist are all about standing up for any one who is being treated bad or oppressed by another, no matter their race, gender, religion, or sexual preference. With this info my aunt responded “then I’m definitely a feminist” a quote I didn’t expect, “I don’t go to rallies and meetings but by that definition (above statement) I’m definitely part of the feminist movement”. I explained that seeing that we are in the third wave of feminism that’s quite acceptable because third-wavers are okay with unintentional feminist.

I have to say that talking about women’s issues is quite liberating in a way. Even though this semester has shown me through readings experiences of women, sharing experiences with another person makes it all click. No matter what your age, race, or socioeconomic status all women share common experiences and thoughts.

My family doesn’t talk about these issues because “I guess we don’t think is necessary,” says my aunt Salathia, “we have always raised strong women in our family, and these issues are just known to us something we face daily.” I agree with my aunt that we have strong women in our family, but explain to her the concept of consciousness-raising how sharing experience can help us with these issues that are “just something we face”. We decided that day to incorporate all of issues we discussed into family conversations.

My family is now a family that talks about anything and everything. We talk about sex, society, politics, entertainment, academics, everything in between, and women rights. We are a family full of strong, black, beautiful women. Each of us in our own way are, in the words of my favorite singer Alicia Keys, a “Superwoman,” yet another thing me and my aunt agree on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SLeae3Yoe0

Goldin: Interview Assignment

Work Force Equality Should Be Feminist Focus

Feminism is an ever-changing theory, evolving with time and morphing into more modernized movements. Its history shows three distinct periods, or “waves” that differentiate in method and goals, but all have one common setback: inequality in the work place. This paper will argue that the root of women’s oppression historically and presently is inequality in the work place and that the feminist movement needs to focus on gaining occupational equality both now and in the future. Researching the Internet and interviewing an average twenty-five year old Hispanic female with a high-powered job has provided insight to the oppression of women in the work force, and the progress that women have made up to this point.
First Wave Feminists are remembered for their infamous struggle for suffrage. They stressed the importance of great sacrifice and effort in achieving their goals. Their epic fight for voting rights was successful, though few First Wave Feminists were actually granted the opportunity to participate in an election. They believed that gaining suffrage was a tool for all other achievement. Although winning the right to vote was a great accomplishment, First Wave Feminists failed to recognize the other problems that they faced, including inequality in the workplace. During the First Wave, the first women to ever graduate from dental school, Lucy Hobbs, did so in 1866. Similarly, Frances Elizabeth Willard became the first female college president at Evanston College in 1871 and Suzanna Madora Salter was the first woman mayor in Argonia, Kansas in 1887 (History.com). These women were not recognized by the movement for being a crucial advancement towards equality. It was too uncommon for woman to be doctors, lawyers, and politicians, or have any other high-powered jobs. An extreme setback of the First Wave of Feminism was the fact that they neglected the root of all the problems: job inequality. I believe that women’s suffrage would have been undeniable if women had first earned respect by becoming successful in the working class. Nevertheless, the Second Wave began to recognize the importance of job equality. When the prohibition amendment was passed in 1919, conservatism swept the country causing feminism to diminish, marking the end of the First Wave (Kryger).
World War II sparked the Second Wave of feminism when women were asked to join the labor force while men were on the battlefield. Over six million women started work outside of their homes and icons like Rosie the Riveter encouraged women to be involved (Kryger). After the war ended, women were expected to return to their homes and stop work, but not all were willing to do so. In the 1960’s and 70’s the Equal Rights Amendment was passed, but women were still not satisfied. Both liberal and radical feminists strived for equality in the workplace by fighting for higher wages (Kryger). Second Wave Feminists made leaps and bounds towards equality for all by raising consciousness through sharing of personal experience and being granted the right to an abortion in the famous court case of Roe v. Wade. Second Wave Feminism also introduced a new club called the National Organized for Woman (NOW). Founded by Betty Friedan, the organization had three main focuses: gaining equality in work, education, and politics. Friedan strongly believed that woman should be encouraged to pursue a career as well as motherhood. Overall, the Second Wave made huge improvements for women, including progress in the workplace. World War II allowed for women to recognize their abilities in the labor force and brought us one step closer to equality.
Presently, we are in the Third Wave of feminism. The Third Waves main focus is diversity and multiculturalism. Everyone is included in the feminist movement, whether their acts of feminism are intentional or not. I interviewed Lisa Goldin, an average 25-year-old Hispanic female in order to hear first hand experiences and information about women who have high-powered jobs. In questions where I asked her about oppression or inequality she seemed to always relate her response to the workforce. I observed that Lisa was inspired most by the Third Wave Feminists who also have high-powered jobs. She mentions that Oprah Winfrey is one of the most powerful women in the world because of her extreme success in her career. Women like Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, and Rosie O’Donnell who rebel against the stereotypical “prefect ten” TV personality, have become successful in their work without having to wear tight, revealing clothes and succumbing to the pressures of the new mainstream media. Another good point that my interviewee brought up is that women are becoming recognized in sports other than gymnastics or figure skating. Female athletes have become more and more famous including Mia Hamm, Venus and Serena Williams, and Michelle Wei. So how could I possibly argue that the root of the female oppression is inequality in the workforce? Although there are a few career-successful female icons, there is solid evidence that men make more money than women at the same occupation. My research shows that the maximum amount that a female professional basketball player can make per year is $87,000.00. Mean while, Kevin Garnett, who is the highest paid male professional basketball player, is paid $23 million per year (insidehoops.com). Females and males who play the same sport professionally have an extreme difference in salary simply because basketball is a stereotypically a man’s sport. Furthermore, there is an extreme wage gap between white men and white women, and since 1988, statistics show that this “gap” has been continuous (womensmedia.com). I argue that this is because of the way that men view women. Lisa mentions that the older men in her business do not take her seriously, render her incapable, and ignore her input and idea’s. She said, “I always feel that in my building, the older men always doubt my capability.” Men associate women with being teachers, secretaries, or stay-at-home moms, but when put in a higher position, they are doubted by men and the stereotypical view. A psychiatrist named Susan Fiske conducted a study that shows that women “are seen as either liked but incompetent, or as successful but disliked.” These women are part of “an ‘outgroup’ in the business world” and are compared to men (Barnett). For example, while I was reading about the experiences of a woman named Judy Dothard Simmons, she stated that her boss’ way of promoting her was to explain, “we're paying you man’s money now…so we expect some loyalty” (Simmons). Women have always been seen as the “second sex,” but this problem hits hard on women in the working class. Lisa explains that men in her building always assume that she is a secretary and seemed “shocked” when they find out otherwise. Still, co-workers are only half of the problem. Presidents of companies and hiring managers discriminate against women. They pay them less money, and most businesses are male dominant. Bosses also discriminate against their female employees in other ways. Studies show that when women pursue a stereotypically “male” career, they are stuck at the bottom of the ladder, whereas men who enter “female” professions are more likely to get promoted (Barnett). The Third Wave’s main focus needs to be on improving these problems, so that women have an equal opportunity to succeed in their chosen field. However, accomplishing equality in the workplace accounts for more than just equal pay. Women need to be treated equally and feel comfortable around their co-workers. Unfortunately, women tend to feel intimidated, harassed, or oppressed by the actions of their co-workers. A study in 2006 “revealed that almost three out of four women staff feel bullied because of their gender” (Rennie). Also, 72% of women said yes when asked “if they had ever felt intimidated by a fellow employee or manager because of gender” (Rennie). Sexism still does exist very much in the work place. More attention needs to be brought to this problem.
In the future, women need to keep working on gaining equality in the workplace. It will be hard to change the stereotypical views of men towards women. As a nation, we must get past these stereotypes before the feminist movement can be complete. Woman can start that journey by standing up for what they believe in. Anyone can help. Lisa believes that she helps by simply having a high-powered job and stepping outside the stereotypical woman’s comfort zone. From studying feminism’s past, it is easy to conclude that feminists will never be pleased with what they achieve, but I argue that equality in the workplace will earn women the respect they need to be seen as equal in all aspects of life.


*image from womensmedia.com*
Works Cited
Barnett, Rosalind Chait. "Ageism and Sexism in the Workplace." Generations 29.3 (Fall 2005).
Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. 5 Mar. 2008 .
"Firsts in Women's Acheivement." History.com. The History Channel. 5 Mar. 2008
.
Inside Hoops. 7 Mar. 2008 .
Kryger, Stacie. "And I Found Feminism." The History And Contemporary Theory. Academic Search
Complete. EBSCO. 5 Mar. 2008 .
Lips, Hilary M. "The Gender Wage Gap: Debunking the Rationalizations." Women's Media. 6 Mar. 2008
.
Rennie, Jonathan. "Women Can Say Sexism At Work Is Getting Worse; 80-Percent Claim Careers Have
Suffered Due to This." Evening Times 11 Sept. 2006, Money Today ed. 7 Mar. 2008
.
SImmons, Judy Dothard. "Why Sexism Should Top the CIvil Rights Agenda." New Crisis 107.2 (Mar.
2000). Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. 5 Mar. 2008 .

Interview Assignment

Many people today feel that the feminist movement is at a standstill. They believe feminists from earlier movements have done everything they could accomplish and that there is nothing else they can achieve. However, there are still women who are concerned with consciousness rising and are fighting to keep their voices heard. These women are doing whatever they can to further the movement their mothers started a century ago. I believe that it is the responsibility of parents to raise families to be leaders and show their children the steps that have been made in order for women to be equal in the house and in society.
For more than 150 years, women have fought to be more than just housewives. It started with just a handful of women battling to gain respect in a patriarchy society. These women, such has Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton, were willing to risk everything they had to allow women in the future to have their own voice and place. Anthony, Stanton, and many other women knew the impact women could have if they were allowed to express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings about the changes occurring during their time. Because they were willing to stir the pot, women today have been given an opportunity that Anthony and Stanton could only dream about. This movement is known as first wave feminism movement. The first wave movement is said to have ended in 1920 with the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. Although this was a huge step for women, there was still more that could be done.
This led to the second wave feminist movement. This movement started around 1960 when women were expected to fill the role for men while they were fighting in WWII. Because women started to work in factories and had other jobs outside their home, more women started to realize they could achieve a lot more than what they were led to believe. Betty Freidan expressed these feelings in The Feminine Mystique. Freidan spoke about a discontent feeling women at the time were feeling. This discontent became known as “The Problem that had No Name.” This book helped to lead to the start of the second wave feminist movement. This movement focused on creating equality for all women. Not just in the household, but also in the business world.
Although the first and second wave movement accomplished a lot for women’s rights, women today still feel there is work to do to truly become an equal part in society. Third wave feminist today are continuing the fight. However, women in this movement are dealing with a lot of struggle to gain any more ground. Rebecca Walker and other feminist women are trying to get women from all over the world an equal opportunity. One problem they are struggling with is that many people feel there is nothing else women can do. These people feel that everything that can be done has been done already.
After having my interview with a long time friend of my family, I realized one important piece to successfully creating a better future for women. Susan is a forty eight year old teacher at a local elementary school. She is a speech therapist at Holly Springs Elementary. However, Susan is also a proud mother of three kids. She was raised in a small town in North Carolina. Susan is a person who loves life and lives everyday the best she can. She loves helping anyone in her life and would do anything she can to make sure you are ok. During our interview, Susan expressed that if it were not for her parents and how they treated her brother and her as equal people, she would not be the person she is today.
This is where the households today can make a difference for women equality. How children are brought up by their parents can impact how they treat each other in the future. One of the first questions I asked during my interview was the impact Susan’s parents had during the early years of her life. “My parents always made my brother and I feel as if we could do or be whatever we wanted. They never treated my brother any different then me. My father always respected my mom and cared for her better than most husbands did back then.” To me, this is important for children to see growing up. If they are raised seeing their mom or sister treated differently or not being able to do the same things as their father or brother, they may believe this is the social norm.
Susan grew up in North Carolina during the start of the second wave movement. As a child, she remembers doing the same activities as her older brother. “We would ride our bikes together and had the same friends,” Susan said without any hesitation. Susan could not remember any certain moment were she felt as if her brother was treated better than she was. I asked Susan if there was ever a time where she felt as if life could be better or easier had she been a boy. “I have never felt or wished to be a male! Are you kidding me?” Susan said proudly. I rephrased the question in a manner to see if she ever felt like an outcast for being a female. “Not that I can remember. Right before I started high school, my family and I moved to another town in North Carolina. At the time, I was wearing boy’s Levi jeans because they fit me better. As I made friends there, I was asked by both sexes why I wore boy jeans. Before I knew it, I started a new trend for my high school. My girlfriends started to wear the same jeans as I did.” I really thought this was amazing considering when it happened. It also made me realize that the people who might have had a problem with her or any girl wearing boy jeans, were probably the same people who were raised to believe that there are things that girls should wear or hobbies they should be involved in and things that boys should wear and do.
Because Susan was raised during the second wave movement, I asked her how her parents supported her decision to go to college. “My mom and dad always supported me in anything I wanted to do. They never tried to convince me to go for a certain occupation or to not go to college at all.” I remember my mom telling me stories about her father telling her sister and her that they did not have to go to college. Instead, they should try to find a guy who would marry and support them. Again, this demonstrates the impact parents have on their children.
While attending college, Susan met her future husband, David. Before I could even bring up the question, Susan quickly started to explain to me the difference between her parents and his parents. “David grew up with a family were his dad made all the decisions and it carried over to our marriage. His parents were very active in our marriage life.” Susan went on to explain the impact David’s parents had on their marriage. “He became very controlling with me. I needed to get his permission before I did anything, yet he was able to do whatever he wanted. I could not leave the house without me having to tell him exactly where I was going, why I was going, and when I would be back. It really bothered me because he was not like this when we first got together.” Susan knew the reason he was this controlling was because this is what he saw his father do to his mom. Susan could not understand why his mom was so accepting of this behavior and why she never did anything to fix it.
Susan and David had three kids together, a daughter, Lindsey and two sons, Tyler and Spencer. I asked Susan what kind of influence David had on their kids. “David treated our two boys entirely differently than how he treated our daughter. He always made sure to do whatever he could for the boys. He was involved in sports with them and spent most of his time with them.” Some people would say this is how it is suppose to be. The dad spends more time with the boys and the mom spends more time with the daughter. “It was how he treated our daughter that really hurt me. David made Lindsey feel as if she was not important to him. Even worse, David would verbally abuse her.” Susan explained that this is was when she knew she had to do something but she did not know what to do. As the years went on, the fighting became more frequent. “I felt like I was always having to stand up for her or go behind his back and let Lindsey do something he said she couldn’t. This only caused more problems for he and I.”
For six years, Susan contemplated getting a divorce. “Inside I knew this was the best option I had for me to be happy but I took ‘til death do us part’ seriously and tried everything to make things work.” Eventually, Susan realized there was nothing more that she could do. “I took all the fault. I really felt like I was doing something wrong to make him treat us this badly.” Susan finely realized that she either had to continue living in this unhealthy marriage or stand up for herself and what she believed and divorce David.
“I have been separated for 5 years now and divorced for 3. I am a happier, better person. My pain I feel is more like a bruise now which is good because I’m healing.” Susan said that a book she bought when she first separated really helped her get through it. The author of the book is Patricia Evans. The book was written to help women cope with having a husband or man that verbally and emotionally abused their wives. “The hardest part of all of this is knowing that he really did love me. Unfortunately, because of how he was raised, he was never able to see the pain he was causing Lindsey and I.” Susan explained how she is starting to feel the internal happiness she lost for so many years. “I feel more like a child today. I have a feeling of peace inside me that I have not felt since I was kid. I go to bed every night alone, but I have this feeling I used to get on Christmas Eve.”
After having my interview with Susan, I really felt that women are not at a place first wave feminist would hope to be. It is hard to believe that after all the fighting women have done to battle oppression and to be equal in a male-dominant society, there are still women all over struggling to have peace. That is not to say there has not been any improvement over the years because there has been. However, in order for women to become equal, it has to start with what children are taught as right and wrong. As parents, it is important that they demonstrate equality in the household. If kids are brought up in an equal household, where both sexes are able to work together, it is more likely these kids will grow up treating everyone equal and eventually their own kids. This type of education can eventually lead to a more equal society.