Looking at feminist theory has been an interesting
experience for me since coming to Whitworth.
Before Core-250, I had never felt particularly oppressed by a
patriarchal structure. The feminist
lecture in that class, though, made me start thinking about the ways I have
internalized patriarchy. For example, as
a kid growing up with dreams of being a great author someday, I wanted to be in
the league of Dostoevsky, Tolkien, or Milton.
Not Jane Austen; she didn’t seem quite legitimate. Neither did any woman writer, once I stopped
to think about it. And neither did
I. I had internalized the idea that
great writing is male writing. My
growing understanding of feminism, first in Core-250 but now in this class as
well, has made me see some very real problems in society that have taken root
in my own head too.
At the same time, I am not always sure how helpful it is to
start thinking about the ways I have been “oppressed.” For one thing, there are many places in my
life where I experience privilege (race, socio-economic background,
nationality, education, supportive family…).
For another, I am not sure how much I buy into the mindset of clinging
to my own rights. I don’t want to become
so concerned with the ways I am being oppressed that I fail to take where I am
and work with it. I don’t know; what do
you all see as the balance between fighting oppression and simply living life
with grace?
I don't think the point is to be reactionary, but rather, to educate yourself and others. There is a point to seeing the oppression, but you have to move beyond that to build something else.
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