This is a series of ongoing women’s consciousness raising sessions. This is how it works:
We are inviting women from diverse cultures, races, sexual orientation, and all who self-identify as women, regardless of birth gender, to share their personal stories about their encounters with sexism, racism, classism or similar forms of discrimination as they relate to the larger issues of women's oppression.
Traditionally the women’s movement has called these moments “clicks” --when it clicks in our mind that we are being oppressed in our day to day lives. If through dialogue, we find ways to work together to move the lives of women forward, great. If not, we can at least listen to each other and become more sensitive to each others' goals.
These diaries are intended to be dialogues among women from their own perspectives. We ask men readers to respect this. Deliberate use of divisive racist, misogynist, homophobic, transphobic or classist remarks will receive one warning before the might of the daily kos moderation system is brought to bear! Please don't "feed the troll" by responding to them to avoid disruption of the discussion.
We hope to have a rotating diary writer and chair each week. If you would like to write a diary and moderate the weekly discussion (or have a problem posting or commenting) please contact us Dailykos at UNASPENSER, GEMINIJEN or NY BRIT EX PAT.
A Favorite "First" Book
Books were an escape for me and served me well. I would never be able to pick a favorite, so instead I chose to focus on the world's first novel. My stepmother, who is Japanese, began translating the tale to me when I would visit my father and her during summer vacations. We never got through it, but then again, the book does not end, instead trailing off in mid-sentence.
Tale of Genji, the world's first classic, and a masterpiece, was written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu and finished, so to speak, in or around 1021. The manuscript is a psychological thriller and its main theme is romantic love defined by the tyranny of time, culminating in the sorrow of human of existence.
The novel also includes a twelfth century scroll, the Genji Monogatari Emaki, containing illustrated scenes from the Genji, together with handwritten sōgana text. This scroll is the earliest extant example of a Japanese picture scroll: collected illustrations and calligraphy of a single work. For one week each spring, a few fragile fragments are displayed, honoring this remarkable woman's haunting tale from the Heian, or Taoist, period.
A Favorite Song that Invoked My Independent Spirit
In 1975, Olivia Records, the first label completely owned by women, released Cris Williamson's album, Changer and the Changed, an all-female production. It remains one of the best-selling independent records ever produced. My favorite songs from the album are "Sister" (below) and "Waterfall," but I love them all. If this album had a rating system of 1-5, I would give it 100 stars. It's truly epic.
It was also one of the first albums to be produced in the growing women's music genre. Stylistically, the album hewed closely to the sound that Carole King popularized with her chart-topping album Tapestry, but unlike King's songs, Williamson's were unfortunately not played on the radio — no doubt because Williamson was always, from the beginning of her career, openly gay, a feminist and an activist.
In addition to mainstreaming "indie" music, women's music as a genre has also evolved from a predominantly folk/acoustic sound to include more diverse sounds including the early 1990s Riot Grrl movement, which has clear roots in the feminist movement.
In our overproduced, over-hyped music scene today, The Changer and the Changed remains one of the purest testimonials to the feminist movement ever made.
A Comic Book Heroine Helped Me Heal
After a severe car accident, where I spent many months in agonizing pain in a hospital bed, I connected with the comic super heroine Oracle/Batgirl aka Barbara Gordon. The Joker shoots Batgirl aka Barbara Gordon in the spine, thus paralyzing her. At that point, Batgirl becomes Oracle, who provides computer programming/hacking services from her wheelchair.
I have a vast comic book collection, and Oracle is one of my favorite characters because, while I have regained my ability to walk, it took me many years and I looked to her for inspiration. She also stirred in me a desire to learn computer technology. Next month, Oracle will become a new and improved Batgirl with the ability to walk again for the first time in almost 25 years. That makes me very happy.
One of My Favorite Conservationists
Jane Goodall, conservationist extraordinaire, not to mention primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace is considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees. Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and continues her activism in conservation and animal/human rights.
What I'm inspired by most is her determination to combine ethical and spiritual values with science and conservation. She completely captivated me at a young age by challenging conventional perceptions and my respect for her tireless dedication to the principled treatment of earth and her creatures has grown ever stronger through time.
1 min. 11 sec. video on global efforts
If you'd like to see the complete 13 minute interview on 60 minutes last fall with Lara Logan, click here: http://www.cbsnews.com/...
A Multi-Faceted Woman
Josephine Baker (June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975) is a true heroine of mine. You may know her as a singer, dancer or actress, but she was much more than that. She was involved in the Civil Rights Movement and the French Resistance and was the first American born woman to receive the French military honor, Croix de guerre. During the McCarthy "Red Scare" era of the 1950s, she was falsely accused of being a Communist and informed that she was no longer welcome in the United States.
Later in life, Ms. Baker adopted 12 multi-ethnic children and called them her Rainbow Tribe. After Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, Coretta Scott King asked Ms. Baker to take his place. After much reflection, Baker declined, saying her children were too young to lose their mother. Here's a link to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial website (including the aweseome virtual tour video): http://www.mlkmemorial.org/... Ms. Baker would like that.
A Tribute to the Arab Spring
This young woman eloquently thanks, praises and gives her condolences to the women of Libya and Tunisia. Wikipedia suggests that some protestors may be nominated for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. Witnessing Revolution is a phenomenal series on this site to follow what's happening in the vast area.
Happy (belated) Birthday Amendment 19
A special thanks to our ancestors who led the way for us. It's a click away to see the International Women's Suffrage Timeline: http://womenshistory.about.com/...
The video says to vote Nov. 4th. Of course, that date in 2012 will be November 6th.
My Favorite Living Grandmothers
The 13 Indigenous Grandmothers are here to heal Mother Earth and all her inhabitants for the next seven generations.
Your Turn
These are just a few women who I wanted to honor. I'd also like to thank those on this site who do so much to heal the world and keep us informed. Many are in this group.
Care to share a few of your favorite women?