dmariel, 4/28

After doing the reading last night, I was not sure exactly where Cixous and Butler were going with their argument. After class today I realize that they are speaking out for women around the world. Women have commonly been oppressed in our culture and it is in the past few decades that we have really taken a stance in our equality. As a woman, I inevitably feel as if I have a better understanding of this than men. Therefore, I agree with Jackson when he said in class that it is apparent hat the girls would be able to run the class today due to the fact that the reading was about women. But, could we run any other class?
When Dr. Casey allowed the girls to run the class today, my first thought was one of nervousness. Personally, I am not a very outspoken person in front of my classmates. I have never thought about it in depth until today. Am I just shy? Or do I feel repressed to speak my thoughts as a woman? I definitely do feel that I can easily express myself in written word much better than spoken. When I have a personal issue that I try to solve with someone, whether it be a friend, my mom, or my boyfriend, I have trouble speaking my mind. I find it much easier to write my emotions down in order to gather my thoughts.
I have always viewed feminism much like the other girls in our class. I see crazy lesbian woman stomping around with bras and protest signs. I understand that these women are racialists, but I believe that feminism is somewhat...stupid? I don’t know if that would be an appropriate word to describe it, but I believe that any woman has the power to be as successful as a man if they stand up to the stereotypes in our society. I think women have just as much of a right to voice their opinions in our culture and that feminism is just angry women looking for a reason to feel powerful. Dr. Casey brought up a quote that Cixous states that “women are leaving their bodies”. I found this to be explaining the way that women have to leave their biological sex in order to fight fully for their equality. It is inevitable that men and women have genetical and therefore physical differences that cannot be changed. Therefore, I think that there are always going to be some aspects of women that cannot overcome men in society.