I come from a conservative upbringing, so I’m no stranger to conflict. Debating (mostly arguing) with my family has become such a regular occurrence that I almost enjoy it now. It has given me the opportunity to construct and defend my beliefs from a unique standpoint.
I’m excited to learn more about feminist conflict because it’s an issue that seems like should have a simple resolution, yet it is so complex that it sends my thoughts into a spiral. Like it says in the course description, “Why can’t we all get along?” As a collective group of feminists, it would make sense that we could, as the ultimate goal is empowerment for women. However, as this goal doesn’t start and end in the same place for all, it isn’t entirely as simple as getting along.
I feel like there is often debate about those who proclaim to be feminists, yet are criticized for not being the “right” feminist. Is there such thing? Is anything better than nothing, or is it useless unless one is doing everything they can, even though trickle down doesn’t work? I think it’ll be interesting to dive deeper into this and maybe come closer to attaining an opinion on some of these thoughts.
I’m particularly excited for the Sex Wars discussion. Last Spring, I studied Prostitution and the Sex Trade in Copenhagen, Denmark. I have learned about and been to countries in Europe that regard sex work as violence against women and some that deem it as empowering, but I know little about it from a historical perspective in the United States. I am also just generally interested in sexual behavior and the norms that surround different versions of expression.
I love Women’s Studies for the small classes and how important the small discussions that occur in class are to our learning. We can learn so much from each other, especially in the event of disagreement, and I’m excited to learn from all of you!