Por : Mallory Kate Huntley
144517 - International Relations UDLAP
Chances are that you've heard about the Occupy Wall Street movement occurring all over the United States. These protesters are representing the so-called "99%"... the poor and middle class who are separated vastly from the big dogs, the "1%".
This movement has been supported by unions, anarchists and the such... but where do women stand in this movement? There is no doubt that Occupy Wall Street host a variety of colorful characters and envelops the voices of many, though not all are there for the same reasons. The main idea is to end oppression, no matter what your initial motivation was for being there. And what is feminism if not the banding together of minorities in order to end oppression?
Overall, Occupy Wall Street has given off the aura of being very feminist, anti-patriarchal and anti-racist. The economic aspects that OWS are tackling greatly affect the idea of feminism, specifically when it come to abortion. OWS has begun to discuss reproductive rights, but from an economic viewpoint. With the recent wave of family planning service reduction and the always rising price of birth control options, many young women cannot afford what it takes to prevent a pregnancy, much less a costly abortion.
Because of this correlation, the OWS movement could certainly be utilized as a sort of soap box for (if not feminism directly) reproduction rights of women.
However, although Occupy Wall Street certainly seems woman friendly at first glance, there are many negating circumstances as well... such as the string of violent sexual crimes, rape, and molestation that is occurring in different OWS "camps" all over the USA. This leads me to wonder, even if women are offered the best circumstances to express their concerns, needs and beliefs, does it affect the primal dominating nature of man in the end?
How many revolutions do we need to change that?
144517 - International Relations UDLAP
Chances are that you've heard about the Occupy Wall Street movement occurring all over the United States. These protesters are representing the so-called "99%"... the poor and middle class who are separated vastly from the big dogs, the "1%".
This movement has been supported by unions, anarchists and the such... but where do women stand in this movement? There is no doubt that Occupy Wall Street host a variety of colorful characters and envelops the voices of many, though not all are there for the same reasons. The main idea is to end oppression, no matter what your initial motivation was for being there. And what is feminism if not the banding together of minorities in order to end oppression?
Overall, Occupy Wall Street has given off the aura of being very feminist, anti-patriarchal and anti-racist. The economic aspects that OWS are tackling greatly affect the idea of feminism, specifically when it come to abortion. OWS has begun to discuss reproductive rights, but from an economic viewpoint. With the recent wave of family planning service reduction and the always rising price of birth control options, many young women cannot afford what it takes to prevent a pregnancy, much less a costly abortion.
Because of this correlation, the OWS movement could certainly be utilized as a sort of soap box for (if not feminism directly) reproduction rights of women.
However, although Occupy Wall Street certainly seems woman friendly at first glance, there are many negating circumstances as well... such as the string of violent sexual crimes, rape, and molestation that is occurring in different OWS "camps" all over the USA. This leads me to wonder, even if women are offered the best circumstances to express their concerns, needs and beliefs, does it affect the primal dominating nature of man in the end?
How many revolutions do we need to change that?
