Reflection #20

When it come to understanding what intersexuality is I believe its when either a male or female looks like it’s original origin sex but internally carries other organs that can pertain to another sex. I also have an understanding that this can happen in 1 out of a thousand people and there can be a wide selection of these types of intersexuality’s. After reading the stories on the different intersexual cases, I am pretty shocked to see how many cases there really are around the world. For example, the cases that really catch my attention was the one on Berdache Jordan. Bardache was born with two birth certificates. The parents gave it a female and a male name because they really couldn’t identify the right sex. As Berdache grow older was faced with the decision to choose whether to be male or female? Berdache’s choice was male. Although as a child he was abused and used for scientific matters he actually enjoined being the center of attention. However, all his life wasn’t that bad he in fact he was happily married twice to two good looking women. It’s nice to see how he didn’t let that fact that he was an intersexual affect his life in general. I personality don’t know what I would do if I was faced with this situation of having a child that was an intersexual. I guess I would have to say I would most probably wait until he or she was old enough to make the decision of who they want to be in life cause in reality who am I to choose for another.

On the other hand, my understanding of Tran-sexuality is that, it’s when an individual feels there sexuality is different than the one they really are. In result of this they dress as the other sex and act as the other sex. Some transsexuals actually go as far as surgery to enhance there appearance to the sex they deeply feel inside. In my opinion I believe that these individuals have the right to do whatever they feel, if they feel they want to be a female and not a male go for it. Everyone should have the freedom to do what he or she wants. I actually have met people who are transsexuals. Last year I celebrated my 21st birthday at a restaurant named Lips. Lips is a drag queen restaurant were all transsexuals go to dine. I honestly had a great time with these transsexuals, they made me feel great. I personality done judge these people for what they do, especially if it’s something that makes them feel good inside. Overall, I give props to have the courage to come out and face the world no matter what.

Reflection #19

To begin with, the articles on Homosexuality were very educational. I really liked the way it was broken down to give you a better understanding on varies types of sexual orientations. The different sexual orientations like Homosexuality, Lesbianism and Bisexuality are now starting to be common fashion around the world. Now a days our environment has become open to these different sexual orientations. More and more homosexual, lesbian and bisexuals are coming out of the closet as we say. However, I personality believe these individuals are born this drive of being homosexuals or lesbian, etc.

When I was in high school, my school was infamous for having a lot of Homosexual, lesbian and bisexuals. I remember going down the halls and I’d see girls kissing girls and vise versa. I also remember these kids being discriminated against and called names like Lesbo and fagot. I don’t know how these kids even had the bravery to be public about there different sexual preference. The problem is that even though they are coming out society is still being discriminative towards these Homosexuals. I honestly don’t know how these individuals have the courage to still want to be gay under the circumstances going on in our society. Not only are there a number of prejudices going on but, people not accepting these different sexual preferences. Overall, what this causes is a these homosexuals to be uncomfortable under these circumstances and in result they fall into depression which can lead to suicide. This is why we should not judge anyone.

In conclusion, I personality try not to judge these individuals who have a different sexual favoritism than the one I do. Everyone should be treated equality whether they are homosexual, bisexual, black or white. We are all created to be equal in this world. I believe everyone has the right to choose what they want to be and who they want to be with, it whatever make them happy. What our society needs to do is stop discriminating against these individual that just want to be who they are without getting discriminated. I honestly hope that in the near future this situation gets solves so that everyone gets the chance to be free and pleased with who they really are.

Survey Reflection

The surveys were very attention-grabbing. While filling them out I personality learned a lot of things I never really thought of but it also may my question a few things I did know. The first survey on mind, body and spirit was one that really made me think deeper. This survey ask things base on your opinion of the mind, body and spirit. This was one that really puzzled me with how the body is compared to a piece of matter and how the mind can be an unplanned product of biochemistry like if we were some type of science project. The next survey on the way we were raised and what we have learned from our parents was also interesting. It made me think back to when I was young and how my parents use to tell me right from wrong and what to believe in. For example, my parents raised me to be Catholic yet as an adult I no longer am Catholic I’m a Christian now.

In addition when it comes to the surveys on the beliefs towards men and women I have to say I enjoyed toughs. However, in my opinion the questioned asked all depends on the reader. For instance, if a woman reads the one on men they would most likely agree to everything on the survey as well for a man answering the one towards a woman. The reason for this is because of there perspective towards he or she. By that said I don’t think that these surveys in particular would be answer fairly. On the other hand, the survey on sex and gender was one’s that totally entertained me. They ask the weirdest things on homosexuality and transsexuals but in the same token I find amusing. This survey reminds me of things I see on a daily based. Now a day’s its ok to be gay or lesbian it’s our freedom rights. The survey in which I found the most Controversial was the one on race. Of course it mentions discrimination and racism. It questions us on the different racial groups and different social classes. Lastly, the one on political typology was on where we fit in the political world. I personality am not very into the government but after taking it I fit into the Disaffected, which means I am deeply cynical about government and I take financial pressure personally. We are also concerned with immigration and environmental policies and are not really interested in the news. Overall I guess I can agree to what they say it’s pretty true.

In Conclusion, these surveys really opened my eyes in certain things I had in question myself. I also learned things I never even knew about. I find these surveys helpful and believe that everyone should take them, you might learn something you never knew.

Reflection #18

The article on the tale of two islands was very interesting. Although this article was controversial, I learned about the Haitian and Cuban rights. In the article you discover how Cuba and Haiti were once a free country. I personality feel that the immigration policies in the United States are totally incorrect. The policy states that Haitian citizens aren’t allowed the same rights as Cuban citizens. That is being discriminative toward the Haitian people. The two islands are catch up in a geographical issue. For example, if a Cuban citizen and come to America you are allowed to stay here which is known as the “Dry foot, Wet foot” yet if you are Haitian you would be transported back to Haiti. To my understanding the United States has an agreement with Cuba, but it’s not fair to have an agreement with Cuba and not Haiti. I feel that we should be equally fair with the Haitian citizens as well. After all they all come here for the same reasons, to be free. The sad part is that many Cuban as well as Haitian die on there voyage towards freedom. Honestly how can the United States be so callous towards Haitians?An event that took place during this whole Cuban release was the Mariel boat lift. I remember some my family coming on these boats and they told me that is was dangerous. The whole issue was that Fidel was giving the freedom to Cubans who no longer want to stay in Cuba and let them leave at there on risk. However, the Mariel boat lift was composed of prisoners, criminals and people again the Revolution. Therefore, he really wasn’t making a fair deal; what he really was doing was sending all the bad criminals to the United States. I wish that one day in the future all these immigration issue change for the better. Maybe in the near future we can all be equivalent to one another.
In conclusion, there shouldn’t be any type of preference towards a particular nationality. Everyone should be treated equally and fair. In general what it boils down to is that there will always be some type of discrimination and racism happening. At the end of the day what we don’t want is to have these events happen again in time.

Extra Credit Emmett til

To start off the story on Emmett Til, has to be the cruelest case I have ever read. This is a story that really has impacted my life, especially because of the violence done to such a young harmless child. Despite the fact that Mississippi was such a segregated state, I feel that the Supreme Court could of handle this case differently. Emmett was just a young boy who wasn’t aware of the rules of Mississippi. Even though, it was rude for a black person to make any type of gesture towards a white women or man I believe what was done to him was uncalled for and inhumane. The murders known as Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam should have just warned Emmett due to the fact of him being a child. However, since they were so racist they couldn’t hold back and decided to brutally murder him. They felt that this would serve as a message to all black folks.

The way Emmett was killed was totally vindictive. How can these men have the nerve to harm a child the way they did. By that said I strongly disagree in the way the murders were trialed in this case. The court let them out as not guilty, in which I feel they failed to seek real justice for Emmett Till’s Murder. But then again the court was made up of white Caucasian so they were on the killers side what else can you expect.

In addition, I have total respect for Emmett’s mother. She had the will power to have an open casket so that the whole world would be able to see what had been done to her son. This takes a lot of courage for a mother to see her son like this. Yet her purpose was to let people know how brutally they murdered her child and so that it wouldn’t occur to anyone else. By her doing this now the world was able to really see how bad racism really was.

In conclusion, this case on Emmett Til was one that will be remembered forever. In which made a difference in the world. Emmett wasn’t the first of his kind to be murdered but was the first to be announced publically. I think and feel as he died a hero!

Reflection # 17

After reading these articles on Race & Racism I am very impacted with the way this country acted and still act towards blacks. I still don’t understand why this country was so segregated due to racial issues, aren’t we all created equal. Does it really make a difference the color of a person skin? The word race is a self-identification in which represents your ethnicity whether you are Hispanic, American or of other origin. Race plays a big part in racial discrimination and leads to prejudice. Looking back to events and indents that took place due to racism you can see how it affected our society. The event that really has impacted me the most has to be the case of Emmet Til. Emmet was just a young black boy that just for whistling at a white woman was brutally tortured and killing. After seeing the way these white men persecuted this young black boy I was shocked not only by the way they murdered him but by the way the court didn’t prosecute these men as guilty. How can a person be capable of murdering someone in this cruel way, and not be sentenced to death, was it necessarily?

In addition, he was not the only one who was exterminated by white prejudice folks. Mack Parker was a victim who was lynching. He was accused of raping a white woman. On the other hand, because of these events rights were passed and segregation was somewhat stopped. I honestly look up to the black people to gave there lives to make a difference in this society. For example, the famous black leader Martin Luther King who was shot to death for trying to make a difference through the American civil rights movement. Rosa Parks also played a part in this civil rights movement by not wanting to sit in the back of the bus. She was tried of not standing up for what was right and decided to sit in the front and make a difference.

In conclusion, the events that occurred in this point in time have to be the most inhumane things that happened but due to them society has change in a way. Even though this society might seem to be united we still have people who still discriminate our and who are racist against blacks. In my opinion everyone needs to stop being so racist and learn on how to be united and not segregated. But we first need to start by understanding that there are different cultural groups out there.

Reflection # 16

I honestly didn't enjoy reading about the articles on Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide. I felt like the article's really didn't catch my attention. Eventhough the articles deal with extermination of people occuring around the world. I feel that the events taking place are extremely inhuman and brutal. Do you really think us humans should have to be put through such torture? What I gained from reading these articles is the pattern of Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in these places like Rwanda, Bosnia, and darfur are unnecessary practices. If you think abot\ut it why do they do these things to humans how can people be so cruel in this world. It's like poeple rather fight for money than stoping all these killings going on in the world. It's funny what people can do for money as it is. The love for money can really influence a person.
In addition, as a read I feel that Rwanda and Dalfar are countries in which didn't recieve help due to the fact that the country was made up of colored people. It was the segregation and discrimination going on at the time. The government was the first to not care of all the murders happening to these African American. All the white folks guilty for these acts would not even be charged. However, this started changing once African American put there foot down and started standing up for there rights. For instance, they began protesting against bus services not letting them sit in the front of the bus, also boycotting against the school system for the segragation. Once the government saw what was happening they decided to pass laws so that everyone is equal, which changed society. By that said white American weren't to happy yet they had no choose rather than to have to become united.
In conclusion, all these article show us the discrimination and segregation as well as racism happening all over the world. It exist everywhere not just in the America's and the most popular places are were they African American's are located. I'm glad that eventhough there is still racism and dricrimination going on in this world African American are as equal as white folks and that is one thing they need to understand so that we can form a united nation.

Reflection # 14

Well I would like to start off by saying how so far I have never read articles so strong and deep regarding prejudice. All these articles have beyond a doubt influenced me on how there is so much negative behavior towards colored people. Discrimination has to be the most malicious form of treating someone however, prejudice people don’t care about the harm they cause because they go by what they believe in. In my opinion all the killings due to race, color of there skin or just because there are not accepted in a community is inhumane. For example, after watching the movie of Emmet Til, I gain knowledge of how segregated we were back then. The fact that blacks were not allowed to do certain things as well as go certain places white forks could. I honesty feel the prejudice that was done to the young boy Emmet was the most brutal act anyone can receive. How can people even do such a thing to a young boy just being a kid? The whole problem here was that he was black therefore; they had to do what they were though to do which was to kill any black person who didn’t follow certain rules.

I remember when I went on vacation to North Carolina and there were white American forks looking at me like if I was not from here as if I didn’t belong. I felt a little wired around them and I asked my step mom which was from there why were they looking at me in such a way. She told me that to them I was considered an outsider and they don’t like the fact they you are not like them. I respond to her and said but how? I was born in America doesn’t that make me American just like them and she said yes but the color of your skin is not as fair as theirs is and they consider you to be of Hispanic descent. I was in shock to see how still after everything and all the rights that have passed and still these people are discriminating instead of trying to be a united nation.

As we know prejudice is learned through our parents and the education we receive. Our parents play an important part in what they teach us to believe and go by. For that reason, we need to make sure that all parents are aware of all the cultural differences. Now a day’s kids are more aware of the types of cultures due to a diverse classroom. Overall I have to agree with Jim Cole and what he has to say. He believes that we need a change in society and in our education to help reduce this prejudice behavior going on in the world. As a result, in order to stop the discrimination happening, we need to reorganize the way our society thinks towards different cultural backgrounds.