Talking point #2

"Oppression" by: Marilyn Frye


Quotes


"Oppression" by: Marilyn Frye

slowly, but surely making progress...


Quotes/Reflection

After reading this text, I truly believe that it is by far my favorite. At first, I was completely lost with where she was going with the word, "oppression". But after I did a few google searches, I came to a better understanding of it. I can honestly say this text made a huge impact in my life in numerous ways. There were far too many quotes that stood out, but I picked a few that really brought out my attention. "If she is heterosexually active, a woman is open to censure and punishment for being loose, unprincipled or a whore. The "Punishment" comes in the form of criticism, snide and embarrassing remarks, being treated as an easy lay by men,..." (175). After coming across this sentence, I questioned myself, Why is that a women is being criticized for doing what most guys do? I'm mind-blown by the stereotypes, it's like why are people even concerned with someone else's life? Doesn't that slow your life down; when you're worried about something that has absolutely nothing to do with you? Then again, answers that will never be truthful. Another quote that stood out and brought criticism to the table, "If one dresses one way, one is subject to the assumption that one is advertising one's sexual availability; if one dresses another way, one appears to 'not care about oneself' or to be 'unfeminine'." So pretty much she's saying that some people, men at that, observes a women's sexual availability by her appearance; the way she dresses. Everyone has there own sense of style, most women have a reason for the way they dress, some just don't. Why can't that be an acceptance? Cause we're in the "bird cage," as Frye mentioned in the text; and no one will ever understand what's like to be in that bird cage, because we're viewed in a microscopic system.