Morals and Human Sexuality Pt. 2

“Sexuality is one of the ways we become enlightened, actually because it leads us to self-knowledge,” –Alice Walker

There are children who are opting to please parents when it comes to forging their own path. There are civil wars going on within between the conscience and the soul. In defining yourself you have accepted your truth and not the fallacy. It is to know every intricate aspect of personality and mirroring it so the masses can see what you perceive.

The explanation of how morals affect human sexuality results in ambiguity. There will always be a personal answer to the question yet no correct answer. Morality is what shapes our personality and the decisions we make. Adding the factor of sexuality and our choices of sexual freedom we tend to choose based on taught values. People define their sexuality based on societal ways of thinking. Recently people are starting to recognize and embrace their truth, leading to personal revolutions.

“Sexuality is fluid. It moves freely in and out of the universe. It’s contingent upon energy and character. Sexuality isn’t based on gender or orientation. I’m queer, always have been. I was taught that there was a binary gender paradigm but I do not adhere to that. I don’t believe that sexuality is a binary concept, but a spectrum. I choose not to adhere to a hetero-normative lifestyle or society.”

“Sexuality isn’t something to be figured out. It is something that grows with you and manifests itself in your being in the most comfortable way. Sexuality is stage that one embraces naturally when they are ready to open up that part of themselves. I can’t say wholeheartedly that my environment per say had shaped my views on sexuality but my morals most definitely. My morals shape my life, how I ought to function and how I treat myself and others. I guess in regards to my sexuality, my morals has led me to create an energy in myself that attracts like souls to explore in the most healthy and respectable way. The universe allows it so that I am able to learn every lesson that comes my way.”

In regards to opposition, sexual revolutions are distasteful if not in the right accordance. In the article, “When Sexuality Goes Feral,” by Bill Muehlenberg he states, “The disastrous consequences of the sexual revolution continue to unfold and be fully displayed to a world losing the ability to even be shocked anymore.” He continues, “Everyone is harmed by this massive social experiment, but it is often our children who are the biggest losers. The destruction of this sexual tsunami shows no signs of aborting and it will only likely get much worse in the days ahead.” Muehlenberg even touches on a person’s personal choice of who to love. “Of course much of this is driven by the militant homosexual lobby and their efforts to destroy marriage and family and even the very idea of biological sexuality. For them one’s sex is purely a matter of social construction and biology has nothing to do with who we are as sexual beings.”

Feral is defined as having returned to an untamed state from domestication or existing in a wild or untamed state. Why does anything need to be tamed in the first place and who is authorized to do such? To define sexuality based on opinion of ignorance is an injustice. People are more inclined to private revolutions in fear of public shaming rather than embrace the essence of who they truly are.

The stigma of having sexual freedom is from those who have fear of doing the same. Although we try to be people who are unfazed by judgment, the responses from others dictate our doings either way. In elaboration, the need for labels and categories for those who are inclined to go against what is deemed normal. Here in fact is where morality and values are the prominent players. These two indicators are what shape the personality of the judged and ones doing the judging.

“For me, sexuality is ever evolving. I’m right in the middle of living this right now and the evolution of my morals through a changing environment is crucial to that. I’ve come to understand they go hand in hand. Sexuality is a really complex and beautiful thing.”

“Sexuality for me is the foundation of life (love, happiness, artistic expression, etc.) and all creations there in. it is the most possibly powerful interaction between individuals with the correct composition of compatibility with one another. Media influence, irresponsibility and ignorance have torn from the genuine eroticism of the natural and explorative act itself, but when between people who respect it and the power it yields; it is the closest physically spiritual experience you can share with someone.”

It is by any means a personal choice and preference of how we choose to explore and display our sexuality individually. Some find strength within discovering what frees them and others are quite as comfortable. There will always be opposition in every situation that involves a choice. How can we permeate right from wrong when there isn’t an ultimate answer? How do the choices of someone else affect how you live your life? These questions should be asked when judging others on their decisions and choices. Everyone has their own set morals in place, let’s respect their decisions and love one another unconditionally.

My Brief Opinion on Women's History Month

Women’s history isn’t taught as a part of history in our general education endeavors. There are the few women we have stumbled across like, Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth and maybe a little of Joan of Ark. Although there is a plethora of history propagated to women, we haven’t heard the whole story.

Women’s rights were always to be fought for regardless of time. As stated on Wikipedia, in regards to Women’s History, “History was written mainly by men and about men's activities in the public sphere—war, politics, diplomacy and administration. Women are usually excluded and, when mentioned, are usually portrayed in sex-stereotypical roles, such as wives, mothers, daughters and mistresses.” In the Bible, the Old Testament, we have the book of Ruth where Ruth is shown to be submissive and playing the role a woman should. Her sister is seen as a rebel to the traditional role of a woman and is shunned by the men.

There aren’t many advertisements honoring Women’s History in the month of March. It’s as though women gracing the cover of magazines and being the main characters, besides the product, in commercials is enough and their isn’t a need for just a bit more for the month. We need better education on the history of women and more motivation to create history for future women to thrive better. The majority of people don’t know about the existence of Women’s History Month. I know, as individuals, we have our own personal problems to worry about but we are affected by social issues as a whole.

Action needs to be taken. We spend our downtime complaining about the pitfalls of our day but don’t think of a solution. What will be your solution when women are no longer able to be seen as equal counterparts? As a woman, know your history. You must know the victories as to how you arrived where you are today. Know the history of how women gained acknowledgement in male-dominated workplaces. Know the history of the women that endured the worst parts of the movement so the women we are today is the best woman we can be or even better.

I’m still learning about everything that I possibly can, especially on women. I know enough to know that I don’t know everything but I have some type of knowledge. This is my brief opinion on Women’s History Month and my continued call to women to uplift each other and become a collective. Knowing your history will give one the ability to forge a greater future. “I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.” –Audre Lorde

Black Feminism

Feminism as a whole is denounced. Black feminism shouldn’t exist. The latter sentiment is implied to the youth. To be a woman in America today is to be the same second class citizen of yesterday. We have shattered glass ceilings only to have them replaced with something stronger. The challenge is to show strength in numbers, unite and overpower the oppressors. Women have been conditioned to oppose unity and engage in like-minded separation. Audre Lorde wrote, “Without community there is no liberation.” The outlook of solidarity is usually met with non-compliance and impatience. What do we, as women, have to do in order to build an indestructible community?

There are so many factors that can cloud reality such as the capitalistic patriarchy, sexual glorification, watered down educational systems and oppressive propaganda. We need solutions with the hopes of a gradual change. This collectiveness is deemed dangerous and powerful so there are large obstacles to repress it. Women are enticed by what a man can do for them or the need to be independent. Places of employment are dismissing the strength of the matriarchy for the male norm. The evolution of the term, bitch, is used to describe a goal-oriented, motivated woman who exudes the same strengths of her male counterparts. Feminism is treated like profanity and plasters a look of disgust on faces. What can we change about this stigma? These questions come to me as I think of solutions. Questions lead to undiscovered answers and more queries.

Black feminism has a place among other civil rights issues. Religion plays a major role within the Black community. In church, women are told to be submissive and take care of the family. The men provide stability and leadership. Although the majority of Black households are single-parent homes, the woman is left to play both roles. Women cannot teach sons to be a man. Women can only teach a man to respect women. As for raising daughters to become successful and productive beings to society, women have to be positive role models. There are many obstacles raising daughters, the role of woman has become broader. Daughters have to learn the same lessons as sons.

Men tend to have more solidarity among themselves than women. A sisterhood is deemed intimidating. Women are inclined to be combative and steamroll over the weaker link. In some cases women in power have the “look-down” effect. In such “effect” women assume to the role of oppressor. Men from the other countries don’t care for the independence of American women. In a discussion with a male Haitian immigrant, he believed women needed managers. This man believed women weren’t capable of a maintaining a household on their own. His interactions with American women gave him reservations. Women are now seen as competition but inexperienced and unskilled workers. The strength of capable women workers are often dismissed because men are apt to cling to old ideas of gender standards.

Black women have an aggressive prejudice about them that men and other women preconceive. It is as if Black women are emotionless, cold, and heartless human beings. We are all made from the same genetic makeup thus we have emotions. We may not show our emotion publicly but behind closed doors our knees are rug-burned from countless prayers to God. Our eyes are desert dry because of the tears we shed every time our children leave the house. Our backs are hunched from working all day then having to take care of the household. Our pride is tucked in our bras because we have to show the children that being tired doesn’t exist.

Black feminism doesn’t seem to exist because it is eclipsed by the prejudice of aggression of the black woman. Unity between women of color is the elephant in the room of the White feminist. It seems we aren’t woman enough to unite against issues that affect the gender as a whole. We are already born with the stacks against us because we are black women. As black women we need to show that we can come together and fight for a cause. We have to magnify our humanity. Once we are given a platform we must shine brighter than the cameras.

There are a plethora of educated black women who can educate poor women of color to see that they are worth more than their environment. There is a world out there yet to be discovered because of glorified ignorance. The media has an absurd amount of effects on the minds of young women of color. We have to storm the gates of the media and flood it with the positive image of women.

We must learn to put differences and attitudes aside in order to uplift each other. Our unity shouldn’t be defined by affiliation or community. Feminist unity should be defined as a culture. We are a culture of women of color who have to merge as a whole to become an indestructible force.