Lesbian Identity Politics and Associated Organizations Essay

Identity politics were a major part of social reform in the Sixties and Seventies. Yet, the advent of identity politic reform originates in the Fifties, a decade that saw the African-American Civil Rights Movement start to gain momentum. On the heels of the Civil Rights movement, we also see the Women’s Liberation Movement begin to gain steam, shortly thereafter followed by the Gay Liberation Movement. And as an offshoot of these reform movements, we observe the dawn of lesbian identity politics – a movement very much its own amongst its predecessors. One sect would come to be coined the â€Å"lavender menace† of feminism – a group of mostly Caucasian lesbians – followed later by the black lesbian feminist group, The Combahee River Collective.†¦show more content†¦After delivering the food, and being understandably annoyed with the task, she was belittled by a male protestor who would have her as a sexual reward for sitting-in. Black femini sts, such as those in the Combahee River Collective, experienced very similar discrimination in Civil Rights campaigns, especially groups like the Black Panthers. Just like Jay, many African-American women were used as sexual remuneration to men who did good work within their organizations. This patriarchy, antithetic to the goals of feminism, was the undoubted enemy of both these lesbian organizations - usurping it became one clear goal. The Combahee River Collective, though, did not feel separate from African-American men concerning race, yet, felt doubly oppressed by white patriarchy. Understanding that they connected with black men racially, yet struggled with them sexually, almost supplements the idea that white men – who controlled government and economy – were the ultimate oppressor. They did not feel they were separate, but rather, just opposed to black men along patriarchal lines. Inversely, the Collective connected with white lesbians against patriarchy, but were subjected to hierarchy within feminism as well as lesbianism. Secondly, we see that if well known reformists were not male, they were heterosexual, the epitome being Betty Friedan. This was the reason for the more specific goal of the two groups: battling hierarchy in addition toShow MoreRelated Repression and Fear of Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgender Americans1610 Words   |  7 PagesRepression and Fear of Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgender Americans Every June thousands of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender people gather in different locations around the world to celebrate Gay Pride Month with dances, festivals, and marches. The categories of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender are fairly recent; the term homosexual used to refer to all individuals of a sexual orientation other than heterosexual. 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Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Yogic Techniques for...

The topic I chose to focus on for my research Masters Project is â€Å"Exploring the therapeutic effects of yogic techniques for stress management†. I choose this topic because I am particularly interested in stress and anxiety-related mental and physical disorders with the use of yogic techniques. I also choose this topic as little is known about the beneficial effects of a yoga practice and self-care as an alternative to medication interventions. Within the area of Social Care, the use of yogic techniques can be extremely beneficial through creative approach for both service users and social care workers. The need for alternative approaches to self-care in the field of social care can be achieved through the use of yogic techniques to help with stress management. The health benefits of yoga can help to reduce stress and anxiety, enhancing mood and wellbeing and reduce the risk factors for chronic disorders. Yogic techniques relocate focus and attention to the body and breath and can help to calm anxiety while releasing physical tension. Overall, the use of yogic techniques can be used over a wide population of people, varying in all ages, gender and physical limitations. The need for alternative medicines in which individuals can learn self-care rather than the use of medications is needed. Stress and anxiety falls under the category of non-communicable conditions. They are not infectious but are long in duration and usually slowly progressive. They are estimated to account

Ecological Self Essay Example For Students

Ecological Self Essay Diversity is a whirlwind of color through a society. There are no two people in the world that are exactly alike. Individuality distinguishes one person or thing from others (Landau, 364 Ed). A persons environment as a whole: an interaction with others, experiences, and time, makes a collage of traits that distinguishes someone as an individual. David Sibleys theory of the Ecological Self or Identity is bound by his determents of social, cultural, and spatial context. Sibley believes that class, race, gender, and nation shapes our identity, it is a single concept that is molded by our experiences from the world. I do not agree with this claim because people are individuals, not a development of their surroundings. Identity is not a single concept, there are many factors that shape it, environment cannot just effect identity. Sibley is a British sociologist that has dedicated his life to the studies behind the Ecological Self. Sibley claims that the Ecological Self is not internal, it cannot be separated from the physical. The social positioning of the self means that the boundary between self and other is formed through a series of cultural representations of people and things which frequently elide so that the non-human world also provides a context for selfhood (Sibley, 250). The other, that is being spoken of, is also known as the Generalized Other. This is when we cannot separate from the physical and consider it to be the norm. How do I know who I am? Where do I fit in? Internal and external forces mold our sense of self. Heredity and personal moral are examples of internal forces. Children are often most effected by this. The forces of physical inheritance takes place mainly in childhood, though even as adults we have the possibility of dealing in our personal development (Grunewald, 2). Environmen t also plays an important role in the formation of self-identity. The surroundings, which can include people, places, and experiences, mold an individual into whom they become. The past shapes our identities, and builds from our experiences. It is our memories which help us make the connections, gives us the insights, and provides us with the sense of continuity, which is so important for our personal identity (http://ozcountry.com/life/tip5.html). When we go through times of crisis, massive changes, serious illness, deep conflicts or stress, our sense of self can be seriously challenged, particularly if we have not faced such experiences before. Rather than assuming that personal identity is permanent, static and secure we might see it better as our personalities are dynamic, evolving, fluid and changing. This will enable us to grow with lifes changes as we develop new skills, insight, attitudes, beliefs and values. We are never the same person (http://ozcountry.com/life/tip5.html) . Identity is a lifelong, continual process of identification with contexts. The final point made by Sibley was to what extent do individuals alter their identity to conform to social roles. To most, fitting in and being liked is a very important part of life. The way that others look at us is a part of our social standing. Everyone conforms in some way to simply fit in. College is an excellent example of the way that people conform. This is at a time that many begin to venture out and make decisions on their own. Many college students face the choice of whether or not they would join a fraternity or sorority. On college campuses being part of the in-crowd means that you are in a social organization. Students alter their identities and conform so that they are able to fit in and affiliate themselves with others. Individualism and Identity have many factors involved. There can not be just one cause that influences a person so greatly. I would like to see myself as a collection of interactions and experiences. The surroundings that I have encountered have had an impact on my life, but it is not the single determinate that makes the person that I am today. David Sibleys Ecological Self and the other related topics discussed, have some validity of defining the concept of self-identity. Social and Cultural expectations are not the only dominant forces that shape ones personality.WC:grunewald,peter.genetic engineering and medicine. 1997. 1 jan 2000. www. anth.orglandau, sidney, ed. The doubleday dictionary. doubleday co., inc. new york: bogus, 1975. .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 , .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .postImageUrl , .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 , .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56:hover , .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56:visited , .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56:active { border:0!important; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56:active , .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56 .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u342225da1dfe6a6aa6c0a2152affdc56:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Advantages of Stupidity. 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Secret Life of Bees Human Honeycomb Essay Example

Secret Life of Bees: Human Honeycomb Essay As humans, we tend to believe we are far superior to all other creatures, that we have nothing in common with anything thought of as ‘below us’. We are very wrong in thinking that. In the novel the Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, it is proven that though we do have differences, we are not so different from such a ‘simple’ creature as the bee. In the novel, Kidd compares a bee community, meaning their hives, to a human community, which could mean something as big as a town or city, or something as small as a family. She makes the reader realize that we are similar to bees in the way we treat life and crave love from others. She also, however, shows us how we differentiate in little ways like being able to replace a leader and the ability to hate. By comparing the two different communities, Kidd helps us understand the workings of life itself. Though humans see the differences between themselves and a little bee on a grand scale, there are still plenty of smaller scale differences that you have to think about. Unlike a human government, â€Å"A hive without a queen was a death sentence for the bees. We will write a custom essay sample on Secret Life of Bees: Human Honeycomb specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Secret Life of Bees: Human Honeycomb specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Secret Life of Bees: Human Honeycomb specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They would stop work and go around completely demoralized. †(286). In a human government, we elect a leader and someone to take their place should something happen to them. In a bee community, if a queen dies or leaves the hive, all the bees stop working and their society falls apart. There is also the emotion issue â€Å"I hate you! †(39). Humans possess the ability to feel and think for themselves, and one of our strongest emotions is hate. Bees do not hate other bees to our knowledge, and they are drones who work as a unit, not free-thinking individuals. Although humans and bees are obviously very different, we are very much alike as well. Many people would not believe that they are similar to a honey bee, but, in fact, they are. â€Å"The world was really one big bee yard, and the same rules worked fine in both places: Don’t be afraid as no life-loving bees wants to sting you† (92). The human world is similar to a bee yard because both are made up of small, structured communities that are run by a leader. And, much like the bees, if a human is happy and loves life, they are less likely to strike out at anyone. Even if bees do not possess hate, they can possess love â€Å"Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved. †(92). This quote is very true, no matter what or who you are, love is essential to your life. Whether you are communicating or just working along, making honey, love is extremely important. Humans and bees look and seem very different, but deep down we actually are very similar. Sue Monk Kidd compared human and bee societies because by highlighting the similarities and differences between the two, she helps us realize things about our everyday lives that we may not pay any attention to. Besides the obvious differences like species and size, we differ from bees because we can replace a fallen leader in a heartbeat and still have our society run smoothly. We also possess the ability to hate one another, where as bees do not. We do have similarities though, like whether you are a human or a bee who loves life, you are less likely to act negatively towards others because of that love of life. Bees and humans (along with everything else in the world) both greatly desire love as well. Next time, before you kill that ‘insignificant’ little bee, remember that he is not so different from you and spare him his life.