Black Oppression and the LGBTQ community.

Oppression towards a minority. Denied freedom and rights. "Unnatural, inhuman." 

Both things to describe the treatment of the African Americans for so many years, and things that describe the rising awareness and continuing disapproval of the LGBTQ community.

The actions that the powerful white man made out of fear resemble the actions that are taken against the LGBTQ community by the fearful heterosexual homophobic men and women of America, and the world. 

Denied rights to vote? Denied rights to marriage? How is it so hard to see that the mistakes we made before, are being made again, but to a different group of people? Even though both are in the past, the scars from those cuts remain and wait still to be fully healed. 

After years of discrimination and hate, we realized that the black community was as equal to all of the others. Did their skin determine who they where as a whole? No. We realized they were people too, and that they had always been. No man should should be ashamed of their skin colour. It seems so obvious now. But why isn't it just as obvious that a man who loves a man is still human, still equal? 

We're repeating the past. The mistakes we are making now are the same ones we're embarrassed about from back then. We're all human. Men, women, gay, straight, white, black... We're all equal.

The names we call them. The "n word" that is frowned upon now, is equivalent to calling someone a "faggot". It's unnacceptable.

It's inhumane.  

We are all people. We all rely on the same things to feel complete. Love and acceptance. Don't we all deserve it? 

If you don't approve of it, that's your respected opinion. But being civil isn't hard to do. When you have a coworker you don't agree with, you aren't openly rude to them. You should be kind and respectful always. 

The new law letting same sex couples marry each other is a leap in the right direction. We have made so many of those leaps for African American equality in the past and even currently. Let's continue leaping. 

"Just because a law has been passed doesn't mean the issue is settled. Let's face it, blacks were freed from slavery and granted full citizenship a long time ago, but did that end discrimination?"

                         -Ryan Trimble

Stop the madness.

Alright. I had a long blog laid out, but this app had a glitch, and I lost it all. So I'll summarize in a short, lesser version.

This morning I was looking through my Twitter feed and found several upsetting tweets. I've reworded them and changed a name so I could use them on here.

• "My mom reminded me today that boys are horrible, stupid, and pointless. You're a mistake."
• "Hey boys. Quit being douches and messing with girls feelings. Bye Brandon!(:"
• "Why are you still trying to talk to me? You boys are so immature, disrespectful, and ridiculous! I can't believe you are seriously all the same!"

Now, I'm assuming the women who wrote these tweets are not feminists, nor are really aware of gender equality. But when men and boys see these tweets, Facebook updates, Instagram captions, it doesn't make them want to learn about gender equality either. Because by you being upset at one boy, you post it and shove all boys into that group of "disrespectful douches". You are stereotyping them all as "stupid", "pointless", "mistakes", etcetera. And without really thinking about it, then many boys will see all women just as that. Just complaining about boys on social media. Just women who hate men, and want to let them know that. It's incredibly sexist of these women. If you have something you need to say to someone you think has done you wrong, don't subtweet them. Talk to them, please. 

This is why many men laugh when presented with the idea of feminism and gender equality. Because with things out there like these mean tweets, men just assume that feminism is just a lot of women coming together to hate on men. 

And that's exactly what it's not. All we want is equality. No superior gender. For women to be pilots, and men to be nurses, without having the occasional laugh or stare. For stereotypes to be abolished.

But how are we going to get anywhere if things like this don't stop? Yes, I understand that this is Twitter. And it's not a huge international deal. But if we want to make a change, everyone needs to make a change. Let's create a better society, where "sexism" is no longer a term we need use.

Sexism: prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.

Let's take "typically against women" out of the definition.  

Let's make a change.

Also, I strongly recommend you get on Netflix and take some time to watch this amazing film, "Half the Sky". It's an incredible documentary. 

Twitter: @HannaRuita

Men and women. Women and men.

Feminism.
A subject that might make your stomach turn and maybe even make you stop reading this post. But it's something that needs to be discussed. And I'm willing to discuss it.

I, myself, am a feminist. I 100% am for equal rights for men and women. 

In my sociology class this past week, my teacher brought up the question, "Should men and women be equal?" Not are they, but should they.

He discussed different aspects of equality.

• Jobs.
• Opportunity.
• Respect.
• Roles in the home.

And several more.

We decided that yes. Jobs should be equal. Women should earn just as much as men for the same job. As of 2012, a woman earned 77 cents to a man's dollar. Even though they work just as hard. A woman can be a pilot, and a man can be a teacher-which is traditionally a feminine occupation.

And a yes for equal opportunities.

But a lot of the class (excluding myself) voted no for respect. They claimed they should both be respected, but to different degrees. They said men should have higher respect as the "stronger" sex. The women should have respect in things such as actions like opening the doors, pulling their chairs out for them by men, being that they're sensitive and dainty, etc. 

But I brought up an idea that women and men are held to the same respect. That women are seen as strong and men can share their feelings. And then some boys- and even a couple girls- argued with the idea of the traditional home.

The traditional home.

The man: Father, strong, head of the house, disciplining. Goes to work. Provides.

The woman: Mother, sensitive, kind. Cooks and cleans while father is at work.

A boy commented and said that this is how it is: "Men work. Women cook, clean, and raise the kids. That's how it is and that's how it always should be." 

I raised my hand and I could feel my heart beating harder as I was about to argue with this very close minded boy.

"This is the 21st century. Women can go to work. And men can stay at home," I argued. "We don't wear bonnets and top hats any more than only men go to work and women stay home. Men can be sensitive and women can be strong. I say we scrap this idea of limiting men and women to those roles. Let the women go out to work with out having to feel guilt for leaving her kids. And let the men stay home without being called 'Mr. Mom'."  The boy stared at me in utter disbelief. But I just smiled at him. 

He continued to make several extremely sexist comments, and every now and then another student would laugh with him.

Let him laugh. But I hope that one day, the sex you were given at birth doesn't define what you can and can't do. And I hope you feel the same.