Stop the Madness

Today’s issues in our society have evolved over time, but only due to small changes that have had substantial effects on life. 150 years ago people had a problem with black people and oppressed them harshly. During World War II Japanese Americans were interned against their will. These have all been physical forms of oppression, however based on the knowledge I have acquired throughout this course I see now that behind all of this, women have been the ones struggling the most. As I have learned, women have and are still being oppressed to this day. As Wittig points out in her article, the basis of this oppression is biological and historical. There has never been a time in history in which women have been seen and treated as equals to men, let alone lesbian women. Over time males and females began expecting different things from one another; for instance a man is to be rugged, tough, and emotionally unattached. On the other hand, women have become expected to be emotional, loving, non violent individuals. Based on these two descriptions, where do homosexuals and lesbians fall?

It is because of the male and female natures that society has deemed to be normal that homosexuals and lesbians find it difficult to find their place in society. I do not have to look far in order to see an example of this internal difficulty. Years ago, when my entire family was still close, we would get together at least once a month for a family party. One of my male cousins, who I later found out, is gay, used to get teased by the rest of us boys for playing with the girls while we played football in the front yard. It wasn’t until reading these articles that I have come to realize just how difficult life must be for homosexuals and lesbians. You are expected to conduct yourself a certain way based on your gender. In my cousins’ case, we all found it strange for a boy to not want to play football and to instead choose play dress up with the girls. We gave him shit for it, just like how you would expect a bunch of 14 year olds to. These expectations are what have ruined the lives of lesbians and homosexuals. It separates them from society by making them appear as strange, weak, and hesitant. It is up to parents of young children to allow their kids to see everything from a fresh, non biased perspective. Parents have all the power and control in what a child ends up believing is normal and acceptable; however, I believe that you are what you are, not what your parents want you to be.