Transcript
Stephanie Rodriguez
Professor Erin Kiley
ENC 1102-089
11 January 2018
Rough Draft
In the workday world, individuals connect through culture, media, and even modern fashion. In some cases, this could also take the wrong turn. One’s certain culture, media, and modern fashion can create issues between people who claim their idea of these characteristics are incorrect. For instance, society creates people who think they are inferior compared to others. After reading Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay, one can say that “essential feminism” can be defined as a way society has a right and wrong way of being a feminist. Gay highlights the idea that there is no in-between to society’s concept of feminism. In this passage, Gay provides a new understanding to why feminism in different communities are standards one has to live up to in the workaday world or you are considered a “bad feminist.” According to Gay, she quotes that essential feminism suggests “anger, humorlessness, militancy, unwavering principles, and a prescribed set of rules for how to be a proper feminist woman- hate pornography, unilaterally decry the objectification of women, don’t cater with to the male gaze, hate men, hate sex, focus on career, and don’t shave” (Gay 169). These issues go against what society have forced individuals to believe. Just like feminists, religion and political beliefs connect with society that employs “labels” to justify which beliefs are considered right or wrong in society’s perspective.
Furthermore, Feminism to Gay is what society allows and claims it to be rather that one’s true identity decides what feminism means to them. Although society’s understanding of feminism is completely opposed to Gay’s understanding of feminism, she still says she enjoys listen to rap that disrespects women by using degrading lyrics against women. She states “When I am driving to work I listen to thuggish rap at a very loud volume even though the lyrics are degrading to women and offend me to my core. The classic Ying Yang Twins song “Salt Shaker”? It’s amazing. “P poppin’ til you percolate/ First booty on duty no time to wait/ Make it work, with your wet T-shirt/ Bitch you gotta shake it till your calf muscle hurts” (Gay 173). Individuals who consider themselves good or bad feminist are often challenged by something as simple as music, which effects how society continues to view feminism. Personally, it is difficult to fully break down one’s identity. For instance, religion has always been important to my family. Being baptized, having communion, and being confirmation, we were very involved with the Church, Being born and raised in a Catholic and Hispanic household, religion was a way of life. Since religion always played an important role, my family and I were always attending Church on Sunday Mornings. But a particular sermon spoke out to me more than the others. The Priest said that parents should not allow their young children to watch The Harry Potter movies because they are considered to be “satanic” and “against the Roman Catholic Church.” This was odd. But this did not stop me from watching the films because my family and I did not feel that these movies made references to the anything satanic. Instead, my parents knew how much I enjoyed a film that opens a child’s imagination. Therefore, the main base of the film, magic. Although, I did try to understand the Priest’s side. For example, Harry Potter was a young wizard who survived a vicious attack by the dark “lord”, Voldemort, who murdered both his parents and left him as orphan who lived with his harsh side of his family. On Harry’s 11th birthday, he was eligible to attend Hogwarts, a school for witchcraft and wizardry. Through the years, Harry had to cope with Voldemort, who would always find a way to try to kill him. In this case, I can see why the Priest views these films as dark since it is clear that Voldemort and his followers are almost like a Devil to many in those fictional communities. To me, something as simple as a rap song to Gay and a movie to me, were set rules given to be allowed to let society take over one’s formation of identity starting at a young age.
In other cases, today, one’s political beliefs were more likely to be taken in a harsh way but there is not a correct way of supporting a specific part. Just like Gay’s understanding of essential feminism suggests only negative effects, so does the world on politics. Today, it is very difficult to have everyone on the same page since individuals are able to express themselves in ways that others may not like. Expressing oneself can create some form of anger towards what one believes. Personally, I have very democratic views on certain things rather my close friends felt the opposite. From argument to argument, it would create a different image of those specific friends. I began to believe that they were ignorant while they began to believe that I was naïve by stating things I believe. In society, individuals are entitled to their own opinions but it is difficult to understand when each person believe their opinions are always correct and a solution to the world’s issues. For instance, social media is platform that creates a way so individuals can interconnect with each other. Using social media to express one’s opinions was not always the best way. I often would get notifications on my phone of unknown people using derogatory claims to justify their own thoughts on why I was wrong. Overall, there will always be a tension between political beliefs and religion because as much as these individuals want society to change, it continues to be as it is.
Through religious and political experiences, issues like feminism often face similar issues since it does not fit in society’s norm. Today, people function in a way that does not let them express their identity or are afraid to express their identity. Although, some people may not be scared, they are still frowned upon by society. Society’s main goal is to create a barrier between what is considered right and wrong while ignoring the good and the bad. In a Bad Feminist, Gay claims “I am, therefore, a bad feminist. I would rather be a bad feminist than no feminist at all” (Gay 175). Furthermore, individuals want to be a part of a large communities of similar individuals rather than being part of derogatory categorizations.
Works cited
Gay, Roxane. Bad Feminist, Emerging, Third edition
Bryan Bellinetti Petz
Professor Erin Kiley
ENC 1102
January 18th 2018
Peer Review One
The purpose of this essay is to explain how there is no right or wrong way to believe in something. My overall take on the essay is that the author feels extremely connected to the argument Gay makes and can draw on personal examples. The author’s purpose of the essay is clear the first time reading the essay, especially in the first and last paragraphs.
The author’s main argument is extremely like that of Roxane Gay’s purpose of her own essay. However, I would like to see if I interpreted the author’s argument differently than what she intended it to stand for.
The essay extensively uses evidence to back up her argument. She has quotations directly from the assigned text in almost every single paragraph. However, she could improve on not using it in her introduction paragraph and instead saving it for a later paragraph.
For the most part, every single paragraph starts with a strong and concise topic sentence. However, the author of this essay starts off paragraph 3 with a weird transition from paragraph 2 that makes it seem like the two paragraphs should not have been separated.
The essay is written with a good sense of keeping the audience engaged as personal examples make the reader have a more emotional connection to the paper.
The essay is very compelling and makes the reader want to keep reading as suggested by the “Furthermore” in the final sentence, which gives the impression that the essay should continue. The personal examples make it seem like the author is breaking the “fourth wall” and speaking directly to the reader.
The conclusion paragraph does not contain any sentences that directly state the purpose of the essay.
There are minor grammatical errors due to the lack of commas and other punctuations. However, MLA format and Works Cited page are present.
The strongest moment in this essay would have to be the final paragraph. This is due to the author being able to wrap up all the main points of the essay throughout the last paragraph and gives a satisfying end to the essay.
The weakest moment in the essay would have to be the introduction paragraph as it is extremely drawn out. Also, a quote is a present in this paragraph before a thesis statement is ever made which can confuse the reader. It can be extremely easy to bore the reader in the first paragraph so making sure it is as short and to the point as possible will go a long way to elevating the overall level of the essay.
