“I have strong beliefs but the ones that matter most don’t require fitting you into a checklist. How you treat others, including yourself, matters most to me.”
(This is what’s most important to me in all interactions.)
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
the swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Men themselves have wondered
what they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Now you understand
just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
the need for my care.
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
Maya Angelou’s poem, “Phenomenal Woman”, is a compelling form of art. Angelou tends to write about topics that are often disregarded and unexplored by others. Her poem illustrates the love a woman has for herself even though she isn’t considered beautiful. The language and tone indicate that the speaker was abused. Her pride has risen from the torture and neglect she experienced. Instead of being ashamed and blaming herself, she has gained hope.
The scholarly essay by Kelly Holland Cecil analyzes the key concepts of the poem and notes Angelou’s inspiration and the general patterns that can be found throughout her poetry. Cecil notes the generalization of Angelou’s usage of personal experience and history, “Much of Angelou’s poetry, almost entirely short lyrics, expresses in strong, often jazzy rhythms, themes common to the life experiences of many American blacks – discrimination, exploitation, being on welfare. Other poems deal with social issues and problems which, though not unique to blacks, are explored from a black perspective.”
In my own analysis I discovered that Maya Angelou mostly writes from experience, and this poem falls perfectly in that category. She faced constant discrimination as a woman, particularly an African American woman. She also thought that she was never terribly pretty. She allowed this dissatisfaction to grow, but when she became older she killed it with the sense of pride she gained…….
http://majategr1.edublogs.org/2009/03/19/phenomenal-woman-analysis/
I wear makeup and nice clothes because I want to, thank you very much!
I thought I was the only one who wanted to destroy that fucking song.
Here is the thing, okay? Coming into a feminist conversation with, “Have you considered that sometimes women acquire free drinks at bars?” is like walking into graduate school during Philosophy finals and saying, “Have you considered that the color blue that I see may not be the color blue that you see?”
Imagine you are the guy who just walked into that Philosophy class and laid that shit down. Imagine the class full of students who have worked very hard and committed themselves and sacrificed to be here, students who have spent several years of their lives learning about this subject. Imagine now their feelings when you go to the head of the classroom with a smirk on your face and demand the professor give you an A for effort. Imagine now that they think you are a douchebag asshole, because they do, and because you are. You are a douchebag asshole because you are obviously so self-centered, arrogant, and completely ignorant of the world around you, that you thought you could walk into a high-level course with no background and no work and say something profoundly simplistic and totally unrelated and also everybody should congratulate you for having done this thing, so brave, so provocative.
[….]
You are not asking us a real question. You are simply illustrating, for all to see, your own ignorance. You are saying, “I have not considered the implications of the question I have just asked. I have not taken the time nor effort nor commitment to sit down and ask myself this question. Instead, I have come into your philosophy classroom/office/feminist blog and shat out my question with a smirk, because I believe that my two seconds of thought are worth more than your long-term analysis, because I believe I am worth more.”
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Fugivitus: A few things to consider when you find a feminist blog (via absolutely-spiffing) Exactly! This can also be applied to conversations other things as well(racism, trans* issues, etc.) Usually, the person asked has already lived (or living) the experience that you’re asking about. (via chasingdevon)
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Feminism
- Finally, A Feminism 101 Blog - Frequently Answered Questions
- Feminist Literature (Tumblr)
- Feminist texts written by women of color (Tumblr)
- fuckyeahfeminists (Tumblr)
- grrrlpower (Tumblr)
Racism, Race, & Culture
MY NEW READING LIST THANKS YANETT!
“The Way It Was”: Abortion in the US before Roe v. Wade.
I was thinking about this article and this is really one of my favourite articles ever. Really powerful.
Reblogging for the same reason ^
I want to print out this article and personally hand it to every “til abortion ends” loser giving up soda and candy bars until we WAHHH STOP KILLING BABIES. Abortion has always existed and will always exist.
Just finished watching the Motorcycle Diaries. I <3 it. I slightly detest the Spaniards/White Man a little further. Well it’s wrong to say that I just can’t stand the abuse of power and how it’s used to oppress.
Books & Authors to read:
Bell Hooks (2books I have in mind.)
The Wretched Earth
Pablo Neruda
Simone De Beauvoir (more on her because I love her.)
The Art of War
Communist Manifesto.
YEAAAAA
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kinda weird when your own writing shows up on your dash! (via cuntext) |
