This chapter starts off with a quote from Susan B. Anthony
” I will cut off this right arm of mine before I will ever work or demand the ballot for the Negro and not for a woman” -Susan B. Anthony
To that I respond, “Ain’t I a woman?” quoting Sojourner Truth. Black women have to tell yall time and time again about intersectionality.
Let’s dive into these questions.
In what ways do you see white women maintaining power through performances of innocence and victimhood?
Shrill, season 3, episode 5. No.
Annie is the main character. A fat journalist that has found her voice in fighting back against fatphobia. Because of this she takes on pieces where she feels her voice can make a difference. In the previous episode she goes to a ranch run by white separatists to write an article about them. In this episode Annie has posted her piece titled (title was changed from what she submitted, but body of said article doesn’t appear to include Annie challenging their racist beliefs) “Charming But Separate”. She awakes to notifications of many reacting to her article. Many calling out how she wrote this article and ignored the obvious racism. She gave these people a platform. She shot a gun after they placed one in her hand. She walked away with a pie they gave her. Instead of looking within, she cries to anyone who will listen about how she is the victim in this situation.
She holds power here by acting like she doesn’t have any. (Which is something that comes up in her relationships as well.) She literally finds herself crying to her ex saying, “everyone thinks I’m racist and everyone thinks I’m selfish”. Mind you, when her best friend (who is a Black Queer Woman from Nigeria) asked her why she took the article, Annie said she jumped at it without thinking. Calling herself wanting to write about more than her work on fatphobia that she has merely scratched the surface of.
How do you benefit from others being forced into rigid gender roles? What privileges would you have to give up for true liberation from oppressive and racialized socioeconomic institutions and structures?
As a femme presenting woman I do benefit from masculine women falling into the rigid role of provider. This means (in the most gendered sense) I wouldn’t have to worry about things such as household repair management, car maintenance and, finances. Right? But it’s a catch 22 cause I have to then perform my assigned role in return. The performance doesn’t work as it should unless everyone is familiar with their script. I must cook, I must clean, I must be open to having and raising children. Following this script can be comfortable. But there is nothing radical about comfort.
Discomfort disrupts the system. The privilege of being comfortable is something I have to give up. Comfort for myself and of others. I don’t talk about race relations enough. True liberation is having discussions about race. Because you can’t talk about American history without talking about how it has shaped thoughts around race. Thoughts smothered in anti-Blackness. “Why do Americans talk about race so much?” “Why are you making everything about race?” Because it’s in the medical system, the education system, agriculture; it’s everywhere. Not talking about racism doesn’t make it magically go away. It allows racist rhetoric to flourish unquestioned.
When have you gained social or material benefits by enforcing gender norms on others? What would it cost to stop?
Trying to think about when I’ve enforced gender norms on others and all I keep thinking about is how people have enforced gender norms on me. That’s not what the question is asking and it feels ever so pretentious to sit here and say I haven’t enforced gender norms on others. I’m at a place in my life now where I’m questioning gender for all its worth. My gender, the way we talk about gender, gender expression etc. I slept on this question and still didn’t come up with an actual answer.
Knocking these jawns out one by one. These questions are posed to make you think about ways you have been complicit in upholding oppressive systems. Or at least that’s what I’m getting out of it.
Featured image is how the last question made me feel. Cause that surely held up production. But I’m not mad at it.
Thank you for reading and I’ll see yah on the next one💕
Lingerie Slayer 
Thoughts?