Blog Assignment #3

In reading “To Veil or Not to Veil” I was shocked to see that the women of this society actually thought that the veil was “liberating.” To me it seems like not only an inconvenience, but a form of degradation. These women say that they have a “choice,” and yet they still wear the veils. Is this really a choice though? Or are these women simply trapped by the influence of their religion? I guess if they find satisfaction and purpose through wearing the veil then it’s alright, but to me it still seems bizarre. I’m sure I could never really understand what it’s like unless I was in their shoes.

In “Age, Race, Class, and Sex” I thought it was interesting to see how even though there are movements in support of women’s rights, that they don’t support the rights of ALL women. This really became apparent to me as I thought about it more and more. For instance, one of the goals for many feminist groups are to promote further equality in professional fields. This may help upper class women who are trying to become doctors, lawyers, or accountants- but what about lower class women? Truly there is inequality in groups that are trying to promote equality!

I guess situated knowledge can impede seeing the world clearly, but if you really think about it, there is nothing in the world that is “clear.” What each of us perceives to be true is our own reality, and that’s all that really matters. Who says Barack Obama’s view of the world is any more correct than a homeless man’s? The only “reality” that exists is our general consensus- which is all socially constructed anyway!