Attacking Power in an Unlikely/Unlikeable Form

The Williams sisters dominant tennis. They come from a poor background and did not follow the traditional path to professional success. When you combine that, with the fact that they are Black women, that is more than enough reason to send people on the attack.

This is just one example taken from "Womanist Musings"

How many times have I been subject to a cross-sectional analysis of Oprah, Venus and Serena and countless other powerful, accomplished and successful Black women who do not conform to traditional standards of beauty. It can only be classified as plain simple "hating". These women have more than enough going for them - plenty of dosh, accolades, fame and the loving of a good man so what's left to use as ammunition: relegating them to the bottom of the so-called beauty heirarchy used against women only. A rich man can continue being rich without any critique of his external appearance. But a woman violating patriarchal codes of dominance as measured by wealth must be attacked.

Perfect Songs for International Anti-Street Harassment Day

Boobs

Sitting in physics class this morning and a young woman wearing a royal blue flowered strapless sundress decides to adjust its top while she is walking past the entrance of the lecture hall. While she does, her girlies accidently pop out for three seconds with only a few of us in the class noticing. Quick escape for her. But hilarious to watch for those of us that did see. Can I hear a wardrobe mash-up. This one goes out to you Janet, Tara and others...

A young guy in my class who saw the event said that he believes women should keep their ta-tas in bras obviously motivated by the thing he saw. So, it made me think about bras: their actual purpose and how they intertwine with aspects of gender conceptions. He, as a young man, wants women to wear bras as a means of keeping that which he views as erotic out of his sight. The bra in this sense is not for support is rather a cover up or concealment. In extreme cases in society, women wear burqas to conceal that which men find erotic which happens to be their entire body. So perhaps the reason why first wave feministas starting burning bras in the first place was because they saw these items of clothing as a means by which the sexualization of the female form propagates. But men have nipples too yes? But theirs have not been made sexual in a common sense.

Bras are bloody uncomfortable. Going without always feels amazing. Who cares about the sag or the nipple, it's about freedom. The freedom to roam, reach, explore, investigate, learn, discover and walk the journey of life with ease not hiding.

This ties right into a recent event. The Rio Carnival which took place this month. Astounding! The kind of show one has to try their darndest to see at least once in their lives. Some of the women performing had their breasts out. Some cultures in Southern Africa also have women bearing their breasts during cultural dances. Neither are ashamed. Shame about boobs is a social construct but more importantly a Western social construct. Stating obvious stuff of course.