From One White Ally to Others

by: Liberate Zealot

Let me take a moment to explain that I'm on my tablet as my computer's mouse is haunted and so there might well be more spelling mistakes than normal and I won't be able to include links to sources as I would like.  Now on to actual content.

I'm sure everyone reading this is in some way aware of the police violence and protests in Ferguson, perhaps you're even aware of certain feminist and LGBT groups speaking up in defense of the protesters and stating the concerns of police violence and racism in America  need to be concerns of mainstream feminism and LGBT groups.   These are connections I've seen white people speaking out against, sometimes even while claiming to support and stand in solidarity for the people in Ferguson.

So this is my message to white people, specifically those who want to support Ferguson protesters and what they stand for.

Firstly, shut up for a while and listen.  I know this is hard, I like sharing my opinions too.  But honestly, unless we're addressing other white people, and unless we're basing on our opinions on the testimonies of people of color it isn't out place to speak.  So again, spend a long time listening silently, and trust the black people who do speak out and share their experiences.

Next, remember our privilege.  As white people we are given the benefit of innocence by the police and media in a way black people aren't and this has shaped every single one of our lives and opinions.  By growing up to see police as protectors and only having that view point challenged (and at a remove at that) as adults means we might not understand the impact police violence and racism has on reproductive justice.  This is not something that effects out lives.  But if we can remember the first point and listen and trust we will learn from black women how fears of police violence against their children impacts their reproductive choices and parenting.  Things do not need to be self evident to us for them to be obviously and automatically true to the people who are actually affected.

Third, we need to remember that people of color are necessary parts of our feminist/LGBT/differently abled/etc communities.  Their concerns (that our white privilege removed us from) are not ancillary but need to be reconized as fundamental parts of our movements.  To do otherwise is to say people of color are ancillary and not fundamental parts of our communities.  And I hope that I don't need to explain that this makes us at least passively racist.

Lastly, we need to take direct action in support of the people of color in our communities.  However, while doing so we need to remember our privilege and our proper place.  We, and our families, are not Trayvon Martin, Renisha McBride, Michael Brown, or Cece Mcdonald.  We cannot fully know their experiences, and the experiences, fears, and concerns of their families and neighbors, and so we cannot speak for them.  Our jobs are to be microphones, to amplify their voices so more people can hear them, not to speak over them or steal their words.  When we do speak with our own voices and words on these issues we need to do so at the right time and place and towards the right people.  At candle light vigils we stand in silent support.  We raise our voices to the predominantly white police, politicians, and media to call on them to act with justice and hold them accountable and culpable for their actions and words.  We challenge white people who tone police, and play respectability politics, or what want to turn the Ferguson protests and the extrajudicial slaying of Michael Brown away from the endemic racism of police violence.

And again we listen, we respect, we trust, and we support.  The concerns and oppressions of people of color need to be fundamental parts of feminist/LGBT/other movements, but in doing so we white people need to remember our support cannot include speaking for people of color.  

We Are Women Recap

By: Liberate Zealot

So after some issues (damn metro!) the roommate and I made it to the We Are Woman Rally right around noon.

Check out our Facebook Album for more imagines!

We missed several speakers and one performer. Mara Keisling, who spoke at the Unite Against the War on Women Rally, was back, but sadly I didn't see her speech.  However, all the speeches are up on-line if you care to check them out yourself.  And the bands, sounds system, and over all organization of the Rally was the best I've seen yet.

My favorite speakers were Rev. Charles McKenzie of the Rainbow Push Coalition in Florida and Soraya Chemaly of the Huffington Post, fem2pt0, Btchflcks, and more.  They were both eloquent and impassioned speakers who, in my opinion, out shone the other speakers, in their ability and skill and the resonance of what they were saying.  Both spoke about current political and social issues, discussed individual acts, and connected them to the larger mentality and methods of the Kyriarchy.  Soraya Chemaly spoke about internalized misogyny and how the social and political issues are related to that and society's failure to see women as fully human.  This tied very nicely into discussion about the ERA which was the focus of most of the speakers. (along with plenty of disparaging comments about Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan).

As a reminder the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) which would result in Constitutional recognition of women's humanity and personhood, has never passed.

However, I have to admit to a sense of disappointment with the We Are Woman Rally. Maybe it was the heat, or the length of the rally (10:30-4:00), but it just wasn't as good as other ones.  The speakers became repetitive after a while, and while they were all knowledgeable and "accredited feminists" many of them just weren't stirring speakers.  Most disappointing was the diversity of the speakers.  The vast majority were late middle aged white women. Few of them self disclosed as queer or from the "lower" class.  It was too homogeneous to feel representative of all US women.  And if I noticed this I can only imagine how alienating it might have felt to women of color, or those who've grown up without class privilege.

I can't help but compare it to last week's #sheparty which was led by Flyover Feminism and about the diversity within the feminist movement. To go from a discussion about needing better representation and the feminists in power, the privileged feminists, needing to be the ones to open their conferences, to reach out and gain the trust of our less privileged sisters, to a rally full of "official" feminists, dominated by white women.  Well, it was upsetting, and it made me angry.  We're supposed to be getting better in truth, not just paying lip service to diversity and intersectionality.

-Blindess and Naming

By: Liberate Zealot

In certain activist groups and movement there's this idea that we must all "pull together" and not mention the differences that exist within group.  Differences "don't matter" and discussing them is "divisive". Now, the idea that we should all be color-blind and talking about racism and race fuels racism exists in many areas, but it, and similar ideas of gender-blind and sexuality-blind is especially problematic in activist/social justice areas as it invariably leads to the more privileged members being the focus while the concerns and experiences of the intersectionality oppressed are silenced.  

I was at Occupy Wall St for the October, 17th marches and meet up in Times Square.  Friday Night the GA had a discussion about how often Occupy Wall St was represented almost solely by white men when they interacted with outside media and that the working groups should endeavor to make sure they were equally represented by women and people of color.  This was purposed by a black woman.  The next two hours were filled with white guys saying this would equal silencing them, or attempting to go off on unrelated tangents about Israel and Palestine. One white guy went off about how there is "no black or white, we're all people of color." Many seemed to feel that acknowledging and representing the differences among the members wouldn't help the cause, and in fact, that doing so would hurt Occupy and silence the male members. 
Similar attitudes can be found in a variety of social movements, or with people who interact with such movements with calls for humanitarianism and all joining together instead of focusing on one group or oppression.  Some feel that even naming or identifying the differences is "segregationist" and hurts the cause. And I can only wonder at their understanding of history and oppressions. 

Part of the actions of an oppressive group is erasing the identities and existence of the oppressed.  It Others people who are differently abled, of color, women, queer.  And it does so by ignoring their existance, or by treating them (us) as some different entity, less normal/human than the Kyriarchal ideal. It ignores and silecnes us. It's incredibly shortsighted for activist groups to further this oppression by branding discussion of differences within group as "divisive".  To say that differences like race, gender, ability, and sexuality shouldn't be addressed or named because it detracts from the central focus. When the "central focus" isn't informed by the differences (and different avis of oppression that people experience) than it only addresses the concerns of the most privileged members of the group.  All while demanding the effort and support of the people that they ignore and thus further oppress.  
History has proved this time and again within various groups. 
Feminists only address the concerns of white/middle class/ cis women. Gay rights activists only address the concerns of white gay cis men. Black rights activists only address the concerns of straight men. As said, Occupy has an issue with sexism and racism.

To be fully revolutionary, to be fully about social justice an activist and/or group must be aware of intersectionality and the differences of people.  Because those differences change the experience of oppression, and oppression cannot be dealt with unless it's manifestations and the various causes for it are understood.  Differences and how those affect the oppression people experience can only be addressed if they are named. We cannot speak about what we cannot name. And we can't address or attack an oppression if the people it oppresses cannot even identity themselves.
And if people are treated differently (and they are) than those differences must be addressed as they are. Not under some banner that erases such differences.

Furthermore, these "divisive" elements are people, their identities, their experiences, their lives.  To treat this as "divisive" and distracting/less important is to treat them (us) as "divisive" and distracting and less important.  And there's nothing revolutionary or just about that, it's simply a continuation of the Kyriarchy.  And a social justice advocate/group cannot be Kyriarchal and just.

In Queer US News

By: Liberate Zealot

In Maryland, which became the 8th state to legalize same-sex marriage in March, The Maryland Marriage Alliance (heterosexist group) has officially gotten enough signatures on their petition to bring the law to the public ballot, in fact they've far exceeded it. Which is such wonderful news to get at 12:30 am when you're getting ready for bed, as I did last night.  Also, absolutely great that this was so perfectly timed with PRIDE. So another reason to make sure you're registered and go to vote in Maryland. 

Speaking of same-sex marriage being something straight people get to decide, Gay Marriage is back on the ballot for Maine.  This is three years after they voted it down, and local advocates feel there has been enough of a shift on public opinion that there's reason to believe it will pass this time around.  Hopefully so, and if you're in Maine, remember to vote.

The vote on same sex marriage was also a focus for the Seattle, Washington PRIDE. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn joined the 300 "get engaged" marchers. Washington Gov. Chris Gregiore, who earlier this year signed a bill into law that legalized gay marriage, was grand marshal of the parade. 

In honor of PRIDE, Oreo came out with a Rainbow Oreo on Monday.  So far it's only a picture on their Facebook Page, but people are already asking them to make this cookie a reality.  Personally, if they do make this something people can buy, I hope the proceeds would go to help queer people. Anyway, I hope Oreo's support is more than one statement and a potential product targeted to queer people. 

Apparently Entertainment Weekly thinks Merida, the princess from Brave is a lesbian. Because she's a tomboy you know? Chris Heller from the Atlantic has a nice response about the possibilities (after all she could be queer, straight, or asexual) and what those mean. 

Laura Flanders writes in the Nation, Queer Issues are Class Issues, about how the LGBTQ movement needs to become more exclusive.  Specifically in regards to class issues and how the homomentum isn't happening for queer people living in or near poverty. 

(Content Warning - Violence, Holocaust)

The BFD (Big Fucking Dictionary) of Activism and Inclusion

By: Liberate Zealot

An evolving dictionary/glossery of words and terms used by the Hivemind.
*If I've missed any or you know of alternative definitions please let me know!

*I'm trying to be as gender neutral as possible, for a list of gender neutral pronouns see here.

• Ableism - Prejudiced thoughts/speech/actions against people with mental/physical/emotional disabilities (differing abilities). 
• Accesibility - The extent to which a place (often but not always a location) is accessible to everyone, generally, but not always refers to people with disabilities. 
• Advocate - A person who speaks for hirself, hir community, and/or a disadvantaged community.  See self-advocate. 
• Ally - A person from one (normally privileged) group who stands up with and supports members of an oppressed group.
• Androgyn* (e, ous, y) - A person whose biological sex and/or gender is not readily aparent, and/or identifies between the two main genders, who presents as both masculine and feminine, and/or has cast of gender/gender roles completely.
• Appropriation - Specifically cultural appropriation is as aspect of racism where people from a dominant group take on a part of the culture from an oppressed group that they continue to marginalize. Different from cultural appreciation, but it's a thin line. http://www.racialicious.com/2008/09/18/cultural-appropriation-homage-or-insult/
• Aromantic - A person who does not feel romantic attraction/feelings for others. Sometimes, but not always related to being asexual.  
• Asexual - A person who does not feel sexual attraction to others. It can be, but not always is related to being aromantic. 
• Benevolent Sexism - A type of sexism that is based on protecting/caring for men.  Often confused for chivalry and/or female privilege. 
• Bias - Prejudice, an inclination, world view, or preference that limits understanding and impartiality.  Everyone has some biases.
• Bigotry - Intolerant prejudice which glorifies ones own group and denigrates people of other groups/identities. 
• Biphobia - Fear, dislike, hatred of people who are bisexual.
• Bisexual - People who are sexually and or romantically attracted to people of at least two genders. Often is used interchangablely with pansexual. 
• Cis*(gender/sexual/man/woman) - A prefix that means on the same side as. A person (man/male, women/female) whose sex and gender are the same as what they were assigned at birth. 
• Cissexism - Discrimination and prejudice against trans* people. 
• Classism - Discrimination/prejudice against people of different classes, often used specifically for when done by upper-class people against low-classes.  
• Color Blind - The idea of treating everyone "equally" by ignoring (not "seeing") differences.  First used in regards to race, but the idea is used in other areas of inequality/oppression.  Has sense been proved to actually increase/support racism http://www.blogher.com/new-study-finds-links-between-colorblind-ideology-and-racism
• Disability - A physical/mental/emotional "impairment" that results in special needs.  One can be born with, or gain a disability. Some people with disabilities prefer the term differently abled. When discussing disabilities remember to use person first language (person with Autism) and/or the terms/language prefered by the person/group with the disability.
• Discrimination - Prejudiced treatement or people/groups.
• Dominant Culture - The cultural values, practices, and beliefs that is considered the most common, mainstream, influential within a society. Very tied into the white, straight, (Christian), able bodied, able minded, cismale, masculine identity (though this can/does change between cultures and sub-groups). 
• Empower(ed/ment) - When oppressed group members take/feel power, often by refusing to accept the dominant/oppressive culture.  Very tied to choice and liberal feminism. 
• Ethnic(ity) - Divides people into smaller groups based on culture and/or country of origin.  I'm some places it's tied very closely to race in other's it is more seperate. 
• F to M/FtM/F2M - Female to male.An abbreviation used to signify a type sex/gender change, normally used by transsexual men. 
• FAAB - Female assigned at birth. Used in trans* and genderqueer communities to describe the sex/gender doctors/parents assigned/believed one to be.  Can be used by cis/trans/genderqueer people.  
• Female - A sex identification, seperate from gender.  It's based on genitals, genetics, and mental sex. 
• Feminism - "The radical notion that women are people". The belief that women deserve equality and the actions taken to ensure this. A large theory with many subgroups. 
• Gaslighting - Emotional/mental manipulation or policing used to control discredit people who are disagreeing/challenging the gaslighter.http://thecurrentconscience.com/blog/2011/09/12/a-message-to-women-from-a-man-you-are-not-%E2%80%9Ccrazy%E2%80%9D/ 
• Gender - The idea of women and men, sometimes considered to be a social construct, very assosiated with presentation - feminine/masculine and gender roles.  Depending of the person these things are seen as all the same or seperate but informed by each other. 
• Gendered - Assosiated/Having to do with a gender, often tied to presentation or gender roles. Ex. pink and blue are gendered colors. 
• Gender and Sexual Minorities - People who are not heterosexual or cis*. Normally used as an umbrella term, generally not used as an idenity. 
• Genderqueer - People who identity as both/inbetween/neither men and women and or male and female or is in anyway gender noncomformist.  Both an umbrella term and an identity.
• Hate Crime - A crime motivated by the actual or percieved race, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, country of origin, gender, gender identity, or disability of the victim.  Different states and countries protect different groups under hate crime laws (if they classify crimes as hate crimes or offer any protections/punishments for hate crimes). 
• Heterocentric - Placing heterosexuality as the dominant culture. 
• Heterosexism - The belief that everyone is or should be heterosexual.  growing to replace the word homophobic. 
• Heterosexual - A person who is attracted to the opposite sex, specifically refers to male/female, but can refer to to people who care more about gender and less about genitals. 
• Homophobia - Fear/hatred of people who are homosexual (and other non-heterosexual people). Some people dislike assosiating this is phobias which are a legitimate medical problem. Heterosexism is replacing this word in some spaces.  
• Homosexual - A person who is attracted to other's of the same sex.  Sometimes used by people who feel an attraction to only the same gender, but don't care about genitals. 
• Inclusive - Open to and accessible to all peoples (or at least as much as is possible).
• -Ism - A word that means prejudice + power.  Ex. racism can only be down to people of color, sexism can only be done to women.  Not everyone uses this defition and they will probably use insitutional/cultural when discussing this dynamic.  
• Internalized * (Racism/Sexism/Heterosexism) - When an oppressed group has bought into the oppressive ideas/actions and supports the dominance and supremacy of the dominant group.
• Intersectional(ity) - The connecting/relating/intersecting oppressions faced by people who are some combination of non white/straight/cis/male/Christian/wealthy/ablebodied/ableminded/and more). Also refers to the belief/understanding/action based on intersecting oppressions. FAR Intersectionality, http://tigerbeatdown.com/2011/10/10/my-feminism-will-be-intersectional-or-it-will-be-bullshit/
• Intersex - A person who with born biologically intermediate between male and female.  Refers to gentials and genetics.  Can also refer to ambiguous genitals but only one time of sex tissue/organs/genes. 
• Kyriarchy - A continuation of Patriarchy theory that addresses Intersectional oppression/structures. On Archy.
• Lesbian - A woman who is attracted to other women. 
• LGBT - The most mainstream acronym that addresses GSM people. Stands of Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans. It critiqued for lack of inclusion, and also that many communities that call themselves LGBT are less accepting of Bi and Trans people. 
• LGBTQIAQAT - Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Questioning, Androgynous, Two-Spirit. An acronym that lists more types of GSM people. It's rare that all of these will be used at once. 
• M to F/MtF/M2F - Male to Female. An abreviation used to refer to a type of sex/gender change.  Mainly used by transexual women.
• MAAB - Male assigned at birth. Used in trans* and genderqueer communities to describe the sex/gender doctors/parents assigned/believed one to be.  Can be used by cis/trans/genderqueer people.
• Mansplain - The act of a man condecendingly explaining things to a women, speficially about things she knows more of.  Often related to feminism, sexism and/or a woman/female experience. 'Splain is used for the same attitude/dynamic when it does not involve a man 'splaining to a woman. 
• Marginalized - Excluded or ignored opressed people/groups. 
• Misogyny - Hatred of women.  Seeing them as less than and Other.
• MRA - Men's Right Activists. Classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. See http://manboobz.com/ for info on their beliefs/rhetoric. 
• Multiplicity - The quality of having multiple and simultanious social identities. Unlike intersectionality it is not always assosiated with oppression. 
• Naming - "When we articulate a thought that has normally not been discussed." Can refer to the culture and/or individual. 
• Oppression - The systematic and pervasive inequality that results from institutional privilege and power where one group benefits at the expense of another. 
• Othering - An oppressive and kyriarchal/patriarchal method of stereotyping characteristics/roles onto groups as a way to explain oppression. Results in Us and Other categories with Other, naturally, getting the short end of the stick. 
• Pansexual - The attraction to people are various/all types of sex, gender, and presentation. Some people use this interchangably with bisexual, other's see them as distinct sexualities. 
• Patriarchy - The system of oppression that favors men and results in the Othering and oppression of women. On Archy.
• People of Color - A collecting term for people who are of Asian, African, Latin, Middle Eastern, and/or Native/Aboriginal backgrounds.  As opposed to white people from a European background. 
• Polyamory - The practice of having multiple open and honest love/romantic relationships. 
• Prejudice - A, usually negative, bias or preconcieved belief/judgement about a person or group of people.
• Privilege - A right, license, and/or excemption that only some people have access or avialability to because of group memberships. 
• Queer - An umbrella term and/or identity for anyone who is a GSM. 
• Questioning - Someone who is uncertain of hir sexuality/gender identity.
• Racism - Discrimination and/or prejudice against people based on their real or percieved race.  Usually refers to the actions/thoughts of white people against people of color. Can manifest in many ways. 
• Religion - A system of spiritual beliefs, often tied to culture, and normally of an organized variety. 
• Safe Space - And area/location where people are free of oppression and feel able to honestly and openly express their feelings and experiences.
• Self-Advocate - A person who advocates for themselves.  This differentiation from advocate is mainly used amongst disability activists.  
• Sex - The biological classification of male, female, intersex that is based on genetics and or physiological features. 
• Sexism - Discrimination and prejudice based on sex and/or gender, usually by men against women. Can manifest in many ways. 
• Sexual Orientation - A person's sexual/romantic preference/attraction/interest in others. 
• Silencing - The intentional or accidental process in which the voices and participation of people of oppressed groups are ignored, discredited, excluded, and/or inhibited. 
• Social Justice - A term for actions intended to increase the equality/fairness/justice for all oppressed peoples. 
• Stereotype - Blanket beliefs/views about people from different groups. Ex. Blonds are dumb, black people are lazy. 
• System of Oppression - The conscious and un-conscious, organized, insitutionalized discrimination, prejudice, and exploitation of oppressed peoples. 
• Tolerance - Acceptance of the differences of others, does not always mean agreement or support and so is not always the prefered term of activists/advocates. 
• Transphobia - Fear/hatred of people who are and/or are perceived to be trans.  Has the same critiques as the term homophobia and expresses the same ideas as cissexism. 
• Trans* - an umbrella term that includes as variety of people who defy/change their sex/gender.  Normally used to refer to people who are transgender and/or transexual.  Can also refer to drag queens/kings, cross-dressers, and anyone who is any type of genderqueer.
• Transgender - People who identify as a gender different than the one which they were assigned at birth. 
• Transmisogyny - Misogyny as experienced by trans women.  Specifically the increased attention/fear/hatred/violence they experience compared to other trans people. http://juliaserano.blogspot.com/2012/04/trans-misogyny-primer.html
• Transexual - A person who identifies as a different gender and sex than the one they where assigned at birth.  Can refer to people who have had genital reconstuctive surgery and/or those those have not had any surgeries. 
• Two - Spirit - A Native American/First Nations term with no exact English relation.  Best translations assosiate it with the word queer, and/or people who are both men and women.  Can be used to describe several types of GSM identities.
  
  Main Resource 

Sailor Moon: Feminism and Gender

By: g33k and destroy

              For those of you that don’t know, Sailor Moon (known as Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon in Japan) is a TV series based on the manga created by Naoko Takeuchi. The story follows Usagi Tsukino (Serena/Bunny in English translations) who transforms into Sailor Moon, defender of love and justice. She is also the Moon Princess, royalty from a now defunct kingdom on the Moon during a time called the ‘Silver Millennium’, where the moon resided over the rest of the planets in our solar system is peaceful harmony. Her allies are soldiers who represent each of the other planets in the Solar System, as well as ex-villains, beings from other dimensions/times as well as her daughter from the future. Sailor Moon is one of the most successful series of all time, being translated, published and broadcast in many countries all over the world. Sailor Moon was an enormous part of my childhood. It wasn’t until I become interested in feminist thought and became more mature that I viewed the franchise with a new appreciation.  I will be focusing on the Sailor Moon television series and later in the year, I will write a follow up criticism of the Sailor Moon manga which is currently being re-released in North America. (Which I purchase religiously bi-monthly.) For now, I will be focusing on Sailor Moon and its elements pertaining to feminism and gender.

              One of my absolutely favourite things about Sailor Moon is the characterization of the female characters as fully-developed and complicated human beings.  The gender of each character is inconsequential to their personality and actions. Each female sailor solider is written as a hero with characteristics and traits which fall within and outside the typical gender boundaries of ‘girls’.  For example, Ami Mizuno (Amy/Sailor Mercury) is often described as the ‘genius girl’, regularly getting the top score in tests and practice entrance exams. She is not just the best among her female peers but among the entire school and even Japan. Ami excels at mathematics, science, and computers; domains which are typically expected to be the speciality of males.  She is even the junior champion of chess. Ami embodies many qualities which are often associated with the ‘masculine’; intelligence, a scientific-mind, analytical, courage, calm and reservation. But she also embodies many other characters which are more typical of the ‘feminine’; modesty, passiveness and compassion. The juxtaposition of these gender characteristics within one female character blurs the concept of what qualities we often associate to males and females.  By presenting all of these traits within one character of a specific gender and sex, the show presents these qualities which are often depicted as heavily segregated between the sexes as traits which both genders readily possess. Another excellent example is Haruko Tenoe (Amara/Sailor Uranus.) Haruko first enters the series dressed as a boy and is thought to be male by both Usagi and Minako. Haruko is very charming and flirtatious but she is also incredibly aggressive. She is confrontational and often engages in physical fights throughout the series. She drives a sports car, a motorcycle and dreams of being a race car driver. While Haruko has many typical ‘masculine’ qualities, she also has typical ‘feminine’ qualities. She is selfless, nurturing, compassionate and incredibly emotional. Each character within the Sailor Moon universe is built of conflicting masculine and feminine traits. Makoto (Lita/Sailor Jupiter) is the physically strongest amongst the original five soldiers and an aggressive tomboy to boot, but she is also an amazing cook, a master of cleaning and a hopeless romantic. Ami, Haruko and Makoto are the strongest examples of characters with stereotypical masculine qualities; however these characters are portrayed as normal, adolescent girls. Within the universe of Sailor Moon, it is normal for these qualities to be seen in women and thus it is never portrayed as strange or exemplary. Sailor Moon puts forward the very modern ideal of feminism, that men and women are the same. Sailor Moon puts forward the idea that one group does not have a preoccupation with certain traits over another. Men and women in this universe commonly embody characteristics from both gender spectrums which we normally assign according to gender.
              Friendship is an enormously important part of the Sailor Moon series, both within the television series and the manga. Friendship is arguably the core theme of the series. The strength of the soldiers comes from their bond with one another and their loved ones. The friendship portrayed in Sailor Moon dispels common social myths about female friendship; women can’t be friend with women and women can’t be friends with men. The friendship between women is often thought of as superficial, shallow and vulnerable. Women will inevitably lie to eachother, talk behind each other’s back, get jealous, have competition and generally be unable to maintain friendships with other women.  If not these factors, women will stop being friends with eachother over a man or another shallow conflict of interest. And of course, women can’t be friends with men, because women and men are only interested in the opposite gender for relationships of various sorts. Sailor Moon portrays female friendship in an incredibly positive light, free of these negative stereotypes. The girls in this series obviously have their conflicts – Arguments, fights, disagreements, competition and at times, jealousy. The difference is that these conflicts are portrayed as normal parts of friendship that just serve to make the relationship stronger. The girls all support and love eachother unconditionally, encouraging eachother in their goals and dreams. There are various times in the series where a man is the object of affection between the girls. Minako and Usagi are competitive over Haruko when they first believe he is a boy. Makoto and Minako are competitive over Motoki. Even Usagi and Rei are competitive over Mamoru for a while, but none of these conflicts destroy or even impact their friendships, as these are their most treasured relationships. The girls are always supportive, honest and trustworthy. It is a great portrayal of female relationships and the important role they can play in the roles of young girls.

              Gender is also an important topic in the universe of Sailor Moon. To be clear, in this section I will be discussing gender, not sex. Gender will be defined as a range of characteristics typically used to distinguish males and females as in feminine and masculine characters. In many ways, the portrayal of gender is very progressive in Sailor Moon. No character only embodies one side of the gender spectrum and all of the characters are very developed as I earlier discussed. Sailor Moon brings an interesting take to the concept of the ‘hero’. Sailor Moon is the most powerful of the soldiers but not because of her physical strength or even supernatural abilities. Her strength comes from her capacity to love others and offer understanding. Most cartoons depict heroes defeating villains with physical strength or superior fighting skills. Sailor Moon draws her strength from her capacity for compassion, a trait which we almost constantly associate with women. To have a cartoon aimed directly at children and young adults that puts forth a female superhero who uses a stereotypical feminine trait to defeat enemies, which is shown to be even stronger than stereotypical masculine traits such as aggression and violence, is a very positive message in my eyes. Sailor Moon is a perfect example of a pacifist superhero. She always seeks peaceful resolutions whenever they are possible. This isn’t to say that she is incapable of defeating a villain outside of her abilities to love; there are times in the series where Sailor Moon must destroy a villain with her supernatural powers. However, she is absolutely in her conviction to find a peaceful resolution before resorting to irreversible decisions regarding life and death.
              This isn’t to say that the soldiers only draw their strength from their capacity to care for one another and their galaxy. The soldiers all excel in different areas of combat. Soldiers like Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto have the most amount of power, respectively being the Guardian of Time and the Soldier of Death and Silence. Sailor Mars and Sailor Neptune are both very intuitive individuals who are able to see through illusions and sense the future. Sailor Mars is even able to dispel evil spirits. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Uranus are the physically strongest amongst the soldiers and excel in various fighting styles. Sailor Venus is the most athletic and Sailor Mercury is the most calculating in her attack strategies. Sailor Moon would not seem nearly as feminist to me if the series put forth the idea that all the girls derive their power from typical female characteristics. The instinct to be protective of others is often thought of as an instinctual male characteristic, as we often associate that males by their very nature protect females. Sailor Moon creates a new universe where girls and women are the ones that step forward to protect the world. The male hero, Tuxedo Mask, is rescued various times throughout the series by Sailor Moon and the soldiers. The series symbolizes that gender is not the final indicator in how you can act and what you are capable of.
              Sailor Moon also teaches valuable lessons on self-acceptance in a variety of areas, from self esteem to sexuality. Mamoru (Tuxedo Mask) is a man who feels personal pain at his inability to remember his past. Haruka (Sailor Uranus) is a girl who dresses in a male school uniform and is often mistaken for a boy. Haruka is also in a romantic relationship with Michiru (Sailor Neptune). These characters are never met with ridicule or hostility. Mamoru is never mocked for his emotional states or judged on his masculinity. Haruka is never judged for her penchant for cross-dressing and neither is her relationship with Michiru.  Additionally, it portrays same-sex relationships between various characters. Haruka and Michiru are the first lesbian couple we meet in the series. They are actually my favourite romantic couple within the entire television series. The romantic scenes we see between Haruka and Michiru are the most imtimate and moving moments we enjoy in the series. Their relationship is arguably portrayed to be the strongest in the entire series. They are a completely committed and loving couple, joined together by not only their feelings but by their dedication to their cause. This was the very first lesbian couple I had ever even learned about as a young girl! Seiya (Sailor Star Fighter) is a Sailor Solider who is a female in his ‘true form’, and she has romantic feelings for Usagi. Kunzite and Zoisite are two male villains within the first season of Sailor Moon in a romantic relationship. The 'Sailor Star Lights' in the fifth and final season of Sailor Moon are female sailor soldiers that transform into men in their civilian identities, which was my very first exposure to the idea of transpeople. Additionally, the villain ‘Fish-Eye’ in season three is portrayed as a homosexual male. Different sexualities and orientations are presented as normal and to be celebrated within the Sailor Moon universe.

              Of course, there are many things I could dissect about Sailor Moon that I feel need improvement. But overall, I think the series sends an overwhelmingly positive message to girls of all ages. Sailor Moon is about self acceptance, self discovery and courage. I used to often wonder how I turned out to be a left-leaning political feminist type, as my parents are generally quite conservative. It wasn’t until I started thinking about all the media I obsessively consumed as a child that I realized that a majority of the shows I watched featured amazing female characters. So really, I feel that I owe Naoko Takeuchi quite a lot of thanks for what she showed me as a young girl.

Buffet Feminism

By: Liberate Zealot

There's a lot of jargon when it comes to feminism (just like any area that has had extensive thought and writing) and what types of feminists there were/are.  There's the waves: first, second, third, forth, fifth? (which are we in now?).  And then the different feminist theories about where oppression (either sexist or otherwise) springs from, and how best to combat it.

• Radical feminism where the belief is sexism and other oppressions come from the Patriarchy and unequal relationships between women and men.  Lots of discussion about gender roles/stereotypes/norms and gender as a performance/construct and what the meaning of gender (women/men) means and how it relates to sexism.  
• Socialist feminism believes that sexism is aided and abetted by capitalism (which profits off the free labor provided for by women) and posits that to end discrimination against women we must also end capitalism.  
• Liberal feminism focuses on individualism and legal battles to overcome sexism.   
• Difference feminism believes in men and women being ontologically different versions of the human being, and is apparently more popular among Catholics who are feminists, or interested in gender theories. 
• Sex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, sex-radical feminism, or sexually liberal feminism focuses on sexual freedom, and embraces various sexual minority groups. They oppose legal and social efforts to control sex between consenting adults.  They often see attempts to control or curtail sex as an attempt to control women.
• Libertarian feminism conceives of people as self-owners and therefore as entitled to freedom from coercive interference.
• Separatist feminism, which is often conflated with rad fem (and can easily go along with it) focuses solely on women and girls, and doesn't believe that men can positively contribute to feminism.  Some separatists believe in a physical separation, while other's focus on political/intellectual separation.  This form isn't very friendly to straight relationships.  
• Anarcha-feminists believe that class struggle and anarchy against government require struggling against Patriarchy, which comes from involuntary hierarchy.
• Black/PostColonial feminism seeks to distinguish itself from and challenge other forms of feminism, which often focused on, and were lead, by white/western women. There's a lot of different branches and approaches within this large branch of feminism. 

And there are other forms of feminism and feminist theory besides these!  Also, all of these types of feminism have various branches and off-shoots.  For example, radical feminism has given birth to separatist and sex-positive approaches to feminism.  This often leads to confusion within (and outside of) feminist groups about what someone means when they identify as a certain type of feminist, or a feminist in general.  Sometimes it leads to feminists telling others that they can't be x type of feminist for whatever reason.


There's also the fact that different approaches and theories are more practical for different situations.  When I'm discussing child rearing/education or rape and rape culture I make use of radical feminism.  When fighting against the US War on Women I focus on legal battles and freedom of choice, so liberal feminism is the best to employ.  When fighting for queer rights my focus is on sex-positive feminism. Since I believe in intersectionality and try to stand for all women I try to follow and practice black/PostColonial feminism (though in this case it's following the thought of others who experience racism and the effects of imperialism/colonialism).  When I fight against economic inequality (which does effect women differently then men) I make use of socialist feminism. 


And maybe it's because I've been raised Catholic by a cultural/agnostic Catholic, but this cafeteria style approach seems normal to me.  I can't follow every tenant of every feminist theory, and sometimes one is more applicable then another.  And so I'm a Buffet Feminist.  I pick and chose what's best for the circumstances I see.  The different systems of oppression (patriarchy, racism, colonialism, classism, heterocentrism) all intersect and overlap, and so does my feminism and feminist approaches.  


There are dozens of feminist approaches and theories, each with their different side dishes and flavors.  So I'll pick and chose from the established theories and find the combination that best suits my life and views.  And as I learn and grow I'll try new dishes, my tastes will change, as will my precise feminist identity, but I'll always be a Buffet Feminist.

On Intersectionality and the Impossibility of Separating Identity

By: Liberate Zealot

Intersectionality in the identity of people is

"an analogy to traffic in an intersection, coming and going in all four directions. Discrimination, like traffic through an intersection, may flow in one direction, and it may flow in another. If an accident happens in an intersection, it can be caused by cars traveling from any number of directions and, sometimes, from all of them. Similarly, if a Black woman is harmed because she is in an intersection, her injury could result from sex discrimination or race discrimination […] But it is not always easy to reconstruct an accident: Sometimes the skid marks and the injuries simply indicate that they occurred simultaneously, frustrating efforts to determine which driver caused the harm (Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, 1989. P149).

I'm extremely lucky to be as privileged as I am.  I have white, class, able bodied, and cis-gendered privilege.  And these privileges (along with the privilege of caring, active, and informed parents) have made the areas I'm not privileged (the intersection of roads of discrimination that I inhabit) much easier to bear.  The accidents happen less frequently, have less serious consequences, or are repaired quicker than if I didn't have all these other privileges.  However, the accidents do happen, and the roads of discrimination exist and intersect in ways impossible to untangle.