The Beast of Times - June 15, 2013

D'LO and us on Saturday's show. <3

Now that finals have taken over my life, I am glad to have finally gotten some time to reassure my self-sanity and taken it upon myself to reward myself with a show that brought me nothing but consciousness and laughter; through the show, Beast of Times, written by Adelina Anthony. This play showcases the struggles of consciousness in an intersectional level while using animals and environmental justice to display the complexities of the human race. They also, “expose the human love of greed and the human greed for love.” There are a lot of parts in the show that highlighted the different institutional problems that people of color and other minority groups face. One of the ones that really stood out to me was the comparison of the treatment of animals too that of the Prison-Industrial Complex. In which Adelina makes a connection to the cruelty and inhuman treatment of the “colored chickens” in comparison to those that are made to be organic (signifying the humans that are white and don’t face the institutional problem of the corrupt prison system.) In itself we could also connect this idea to the fact that people of color who are often lower class are subject to eating meat that gets this treatment in the factories, whereas most privileged, upper class folks have the money and resources to invest in more healthy and nourished chickens, thus connecting to the health of people of color.

            In addition, there was another part in which I felt a sense of loss. Within the play Adelina connects the audience to the issue of the sterilization of womyn. She uses one of her characters “Catalina or Gatalina” to show her getting spayed which later leads to her rethinking all of the lives of multitude of mujeres that have been forced to undergo sterilization either through institutionalized oppression or secret and forceful tactics to ensure they no longer have the chance at procreation or more bluntly to commit another form of genocide within certain races. Through this play they also incorporate queerness and a multitude of queer alliances within the movement; however, they make a strong point to show the fact that within activism and social justice work many activists make the mistake of playing Oppression Olympics and justifying their own oppression by ranking their struggles and the struggles of others. This was connected to the dog in the play that was very privileged of having a home and owners to take care of her, whereas there are other animals that do not have that privilege and are usually targeted by all of society, which could be an allegory for the racial caste system or the idea of class privilege.

Overall this was a beautiful play that showcased the struggles that many of us face, many of which we discussed throughout class. I was pleased to have had the privilege of attending the event and would recommend it to anyone who seeks consciousness and laughter if the opportunity to see it ever arises. 

Extra Credit on Amazon

The Gilda Stories, is a novel by Jewell Gomez in which we follow the life of a young black girl escaping from slavery in 1850. A travel narrative, Gomez takes us along Gilda's journey in search for the meaning of life, and self discovery. Motherless, Gilda sets off to discover the country as her ambition of learning will not let her rest. Seeking love and a sense of belonging Gilda faces the harsh realities of being both mortal and immortal. As a black, lesbian vampire, Gilda is constantly faced with oppressive and restrictive roles in which her identity is challenged while living in a world that rejects her sexuality and identity. For two centuries, we meet many characters in various cities attributing to growth and empowerment against the social injustice Gilda constantly experiences regardless of moment in history.. Resisting forms of oppression, Gilda gathers the necessary tools along her journey, creating a toolbox allows for the navigation between social borders that both restrict and encourage her natural rhythm of self discovery. The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez contains many themes including those on sexuality, racism, power, morality, and environmental issues. On her path to self discovery, Gilda represents a female of empower thus this novel should be considered a read to everyone!

Extra Credit

Review Posted on Barnes & Nobes:  Sor Juana's Second

There is no better way to be introduced to Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz than with the book Sor Juana's Second Dream. Sor Juana is depicted as a strong, intelligent, and powerful woman who was able to find her true identity throughout the course of the book. Given that this genius was living in the 17^th century, Sor Juana had to embark in a life in the monastery to attain the little freedom given to women to practice intellectual readings and writings. Learning about the numerous hardships and struggles that this woman had to endure makes one embrace her as a true role model to women.

Alicia Gaspar de Alba did an amazing job in creating a book that unravels the life of Juana Inés de la Cruz. Not only was she able to bring the characters to life, however the style in which she wrote the scenes were brilliant. The reader is taken back to a journey in the 17^th century with Sor Juana and is able to feel the strong emotions that Sor Juana experienced throughout the book. Gaspar de Alba does an excellent job in unmasking the truth about the sexuality of Sor Juana and her passion and attraction towards women. Overall, I would recommend this reading to anyone who is willing to learn about a strong and intellectual young woman who goes through a journey of self-discovery. 

Clothesline Project: Extra Credit

Hey class!

I'm here to share some of my thoughts on the Clothesline Project. This is my first year at UCLA and first time ever seeing an installation like this! I think this is an overall successful call to action installation that raises awareness. I researched a bit about the project and learned that it originated to raise awareness on domestic violence amongst women. The Clothesline Project of UCLA does not describe the project as gender specific (I looked on their website and facebook) which I am really glad they made this change because having it remain gender specific made abusive and violent experiences of others, who do not claim identities as women, invisible. The project now concerns diversified, sexual AND gender violence issues. Survivors and memorials for victims of all identities now have a space to express their personal experiences. Involving all identities in the project allows for more success as a call to action piece than before, but there is still space for improvement for more success to be reached.

            The Clothesline Project creates a support system and collective community voicing out against injustices that continue to happen on a daily basis in people’s lives. The project is capable of providing more education and awareness to the public through small improvements such as identities to be voiced as well, leaving the installation up for a longer period of time and relocating so the project is viewed at the center of campus instead of the back. Overall the Clothesline Project is a successful call to action piece, working to heal and transform pain into beauty through art therapy and community outreach. 

            “Power is not love,” reads this red shirt signifying survivor(s) of rape/sexual assault, attempted rape/sexual assault, sexual battery. As an argumentative strategy, the survivor brings attention to authority and manipulation used in violent experiences. The message reminds everyone that another person trying to control you in any way is not a claim of care or love. It calls to action questioning, “What is power?” “What is love?” “Why am I being abused?” The individual adds messages of strength to move forward, and that life is possible after abuse to persuade survivors not to give up, and fight for a better life within themselves and others.

             

“Not only women, but men should speak up too.” This quote is found on a black shirt, signifying a survivor(s) of sexual harassment. The message raising awareness that violence happens to every gender, and every identity. “You have the power to prevent what happened to you from happening to others.” The individual argues that speaking out on sexual and gender violence works to influence and prevent such experiences from continuing to occur in people’s lives.

            Providing a feminist identity, a red shirt asks the question, followed by a statement, “Why can’t womyn be safe anywhere? We aren’t even safe in school!” The survivor voices the fact that violence is experienced everywhere, even school that is meant to be a safe space. Not only does the survivor expand one’s perspective of where violence occurs, they also voice their identity. The identity, “Womyn,” is a reclamation of an individual no longer under the possession of a patriarchal society. The identity no longer ends with “men.” Voicing one’s identity is powerful because not only is the survivor’s pain being recognized, but their beliefs and what they stand for are surfaced as well. Expressing identities is important because the viewer is no longer allowed to use their personal knowledge and perspective to assume an identity on a survivor. Because the project originated only for women’s voices, people reading the messages on the shirts may not fully be aware the extent that abuse happens everywhere to everyone, even beyond heteronormative experiences and within the LGBT community.

Overall really enjoyed walking through all the lines of t-shirts and hearing people's voices! <3 

-Olivia 

Fighting my Inner Demon

As I work on my paper I find myself stuck.It is thanks to you, the inner Dafne that doesnt think you can do it, that doesnt think youre worth it, the one that thinks youre not good enough. But you are. You know this stuff, you worked so hard all quarter because this class became your lifeline. If it wasn't for this class pushing you to your limit, pushing your ability as a writer, as a critical thinker, as an academic you wouldn't have survived this quarter. So many times your mind suffered, it weakened, you wanted to give up. But Dafne you didnt. Youre still alive and that counts for something. When the only thing you ever had to look forward to this whole quarter was this class, to be just in the same room as other people who have possibly suffered like you have, youre still alive. I say fuck you inner demon Dafne, you will not bring me down any longer. You can do this, and you will do this. Dont let this fucker stop you from doing your very best, because we both know your best is worth it, its good enough, and its within your reach.

If political humor and queer people of color consciousness had a baby...

If political humor and queer people of color consciousness had a baby, it would be the Beast Of Times. First off, I made the decision to not read any descriptions of the play not wanting to spoil anything. I only knew the genius herself, Adelina Anthony, wrote the play. Wanting everyone to get the same experience I did, I will not spoil major parts. The progressive play explored environmental and political issues through the characters of animal kingdom. There were times where I cried from laughter and times where the heart wrenching scenes would silence the audience.

Adelina’s character, an adorable kitten, speaks about the need of focusing on the “natural law of nature, instead of the arbitrary law of man.” I feel as though this quote really sums up the play and the meaning that Adelina and D’Lo want the audience to capture. I left the play feeling pain for those who have been victims to the arbitrary law of man as well as a newfound desire to promote and restore the natural law of nature.

During the Q&A, our very own Stephanie Zendejas asked about the amount of research Adelina must have done to portray such an honest depiction of issues regarding political, environmental, and ethnicity. Adelina replied that the process took about a year and everything she put into the play can be connected to an actual issue we have or are experiencing today.

Hurry! The last set of shows are this weekend! Your last chance to see it, don’t miss out!

-Katherine Batanero

The Beast of Times

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The Beast of Times, a play directed by Mark Valdez starring Adelina Anthony and D’Lo, was perhaps one of the most refreshing, hilarious, unpretentious, brilliant and painfully honest plays I have ever attended. The play examines political consciousness through animal characters that are personified as present day political activists (in the animal world). Issues such as conflicts within activist organizations and revolutions are brought to attention and the play made me think about the infinite complexities of society and how systems of oppression work in such intricate ways that make it difficult to reach definite conclusions for resolution.

How do we send out a universal message to the entire population of the world that is comprehensive and relatable for all? It seems impossible, because our identity politics are shaped through drastically different experiences as we all come from various environments, cultures, and families that give us different sets of challenges for each individual. Differences cause conflict oftentimes but, as philosophically cheesy as it sounds, I think the process of going through conflicts is what makes life a beautiful experience as we learn to understand things that we are first apprehensive about.

Being aware of the blatantly obvious forms of oppression and prejudice that the mass too often seems oblivious of can put one in a lonely and painful place, especially if the person experiences such prejudices directly as the victim of being a minority. For activists it may be incredibly frustrating, infuriating, and exhausting trying to fight for causes that never seem to be heard by the mass, but I think it’s important to remember that change takes time. The most we can do is continue to try our best by being the best person that we can be; by having our actions align with our core self and beliefs and setting examples for others. Each of our actions and beliefs count! After all, as Gloria Anzaldúa said (and as quoted in the play): “The revolution begins at home”.

treat each one like a short essay. Assign the readings to what informs that part of your identity. *

allow those free writes to happen, then step away, perhaps breathe, allow that  moment for yourself as well.
come back to it, then use the literature that you feel connects with your free write to expand into a solid 2 &1/2-3 pg essay!

*this idea came to me as i was spreading peanut butter onto a tortilla. pretty blessed i feel. for all those that would care to know:  apricot with sage honey & pistachio jam will go on top of the peanut butter, followed by  freshly sliced blackberries. Provecho!

Beast of Times

See it. It was as if someone took one of our class discussions, put everyone in animal costumes and added lights and music.

Adelina Anthony and D'Lo are the only two actors in, what is essentially, an ensemble character performance. Opening with Adelina and D'Lo as the pets of a lesbian couple in Berkely, it follows their personal journeys through the current political climate. Adelina's primary character is a kitten who is spayed before she has a chance to fully develop a sexual identity. D'Lo plays a blind dog who travels to "The Trial of the Century" (guess what that is.) The narrative breaks between those storylines with the testimony of other animals at the trial.

The performance was incredibly funny (see it for nothing other than Adelina's kitten riding the back of a tortoise on a skateboard to "Ridin' Dirty") and incredibly powerful. For me, the most difficult scene to watch was Adelina's kitten's soul memory recall, in which she recounts the hidden sexual violence inflicted upon women in the last 100 years. After, Adelina collapsed on the stage, coughing out tears, and I realized that I had gone from laughing myself into stitches to trying not to throw up and crying. Its through these emotional ambushes that The Beast of Times deconstructs issues of gender, race, privilege and sexuality.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll leave it here, but if you need a diversion or a date idea - go!

What Night Brings - Lingering Memories

Upon reading What Night Brings, written by Carla Trujillo, a lot of past experiences and lingering memories began to shed light once more. Through connecting the many themes within the novel to Gloria Anzaldua's book; Borderlands, La Frontera: The New Mestiza, I began to understand the importance of writing about our past traumas in order to rebel and combat our shadow beast. Through undergoing the process of eventually gaining that Mestiza Consciousness we so often seek, I've decided to write about the memories, the pain and the triggers that What Night Brings has sprouted. That being said, I share with you my lingering sentiments. I share the connections made with my mothers' agency and my own, living in an abusive household and the strength that has now been rooted in my existence. In addition, I connect this abuse to the capability of a mujer to regain her sexual agency regardless of the harm that was inflicted upon her due to abuse and violence. I stand in solidarity with those of you who have had similar experiences in an abusive household, one that is commonly rooted in the deeply entrenched machismo and patriarchy our parents may have been forced to deal with. Con amor y ternura.

I Moan Like My Mother

In the crevices of my soul, I find my mother. I find the womyn I aspire to become. My mother is one that has struggled through nearly every obstacle as a womyn; abuse, discrimination, sexism, pain and trauma. I am sorry for the pain he has caused you. I am sorry for the many times your father hit you, and I am most sorry that those hands that once caressed you, the hands of my father, have had the power to scar you.

I moan like my mother because her pain is mine. In the crevices of my soul, I feel her in me, because her strength is one I have learned to embody. I look back at my childhood and remember the way he hit us, and later asked for forgiveness. I look back at the times when she laid her body in front of us, to protect us from him and thus took his slaps and the bruises that were intended to be ours. The man he loves, the man he lives for.

I moan like my mother because just as she has taken ownership of her body, her worth and her existence, I will take ownership of mine. Through the bruises on her body and soul, she has enabled the healing of my own. I moan like my mother because I am a sexual being and will never let another man dictate my own worth, just as my mother moaned and groaned and cried to validate her own, I will do the same. I moan like my mother because I love foolishly, but no longer foolish enough to let another man hurt me.

Third Space Theory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh-ikrnYu9g


One of my Chicana/o studies TA said that this is a good video to watch which defines third space. I am interested on what you all think. Applying both of Emma Pérez's articles for this week, What do you all think about this video and his definition of third space?


Something to think about...

Because violence has been present in the literature that we have been discussing, I wanted to share this fundraiser video for a feature length film in which Adelina Anthonoy has taken a stage performance onto the screen. "It's one of the first feature length films to break silence on same-sex domestic violence and to begin to examine how our childhood traumas shape us as lovers."

chekal@!

http://igg.me/p/417075

Blood Stained Hands ...Sor Juana

Dearest Juana, she reread la Condesa’s letter, you have no idea how I ache to see you, what I would give to be close to you again and touch your ink-stained hands and look into the dark inkwells of your eyes to read the words that you pen no longer writes to me” (Gaspar de Alba, 379).

                                

After checking out the Clothesline Project last week. I saw this shirt and thought about Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz right away. I also thought about the Professor’s book, Sor Juana’s Second Dream. This shirt seems to represent Sor Juana after she was deprived from writing. This shirt made me think about how her uncle molested her and I thought that it represented her well. Some of the phrases on this shirt are words she would have told her uncle. I really wish the shirt was a different color. In the Clothesline Project the shirts colors represent the different categories of survivors and the yellow represents survivors of dating/domestic violence. So I wish it would have been another color. Unfortunately, I didn’t think the Clothesline Project had shirt colors to represent the different types of violence in Sor Juana’s life so the closest shirt color that would fit her from the categories of the Clothesline Project would probably be purple which represents survivors of gender/ sexuality-based sexual violence (keeping the context of Sor Juana’s Second Dream).

            I added the quote to this picture because I think that her “ink stained hands” made me think of her blood stained signature—“Sor Juana: la peor que hubó/la peor de todas.” Also, because I felt the quote represented the picture since I feel that is how Sor Juana felt after she read the Condesa’s words. After having to give up her right to be with the person she loved and then having to give up her love for writing I think that she symbolically felt a knife to her heart. ..This shirt is so powerful! 

About the Gilda Stories,

in reference to when 

we discussed the essence of "family" 

                                                          within their

'coven' (for lack

of knowing what they would rather be 

referred to/as...

perhaps "family")

An        e     way

We didn't get to discuss how "family"

is used in queer communities!

                                       i.e.         **studying at the library**    

                                  gay boi:"hey you know what? I've been really diggin that cute boi over there that                                                              works on the third floor, but

i just dont know if he's gay."

                              young lesbian: "oh that one dude? oh yea, he's family."

Two lesbians, mid-twenties, sitting at a cafe in Oakland on Piedmont Ave

"oh man, did you see that chick that just walked in? I'd be so down

to go ask for her number, but it be embarrassing if she wasn't family."

"nah man, look at that beanie! i say you go for it." 

I think its important to note

that the reference to family in both

the LGBT and Vampire communities 

is a queer reality!

as immortals, reproduction is imposible

for it takes a living heart beat to 

maintain 

                              the one 

growing 

                   inside

the womb.

And vampires just ain't got a heart beat.

Many LGBT (and all those in that very wide spectrum to which i don't know all the letters to) community members

decide not to have children

and so create a family of friendship

of trust

caranala/os from another mother

perhaps from my

 other mother

There is a very deep rooted ceremony 

in recognizing that 

both parties are searching for a place to belong

and so 

     

they/we give birth to one another 

through the gifts of love

that they/we bestow

upon each other

CLOTHESLINE PROJECT Extra Credit Paper

I first found out about the Clothesline Project when I was attending my local community college. I was part of the Feminist Club and helped organize the event by making sign up sheets and gathering information from volunteers on campus but I didn’t participate in the actual process of hanging the shirts nor did I make a shirt myself. I couldn’t participate further because I was busy with my job, but subconsciously I think I was avoiding being surrounded by reminders of such horrific events that happen to people. I try my best to compartmentalize my emotions when I'm on campus.

I saw the shirts for the Clothesline Project being hung earlier this week on campus at UCLA, and I had to pass by the shirts on my way to class everyday this week. When I pass by I look straight ahead and avoid reading what’s written on those shirts because the idea of all these people who are hurt by violence makes my heart ache so much that I wouldn’t be able to compose myself in public if I took the time to read what’s written on the shirts. But for the sake of extra credit I decided to walk by the clotheslines to take a look at some of the shirts.

The themes were recurring: loss of voice, loss of self, loss of dignity, and loss of power through another person’s domination. What struck me the most though was the concurring message of all the shirts that the perpetrators were always men; it’s the men who are committing these horrific acts against women. Even the shirts that didn’t have a “he” pronoun to point out that a man committed the treachery most people assume that it’s always the woman who is a victim of a man. I tried searching for a shirt that indicated that a woman violated a man, or even a man violating another man, but couldn’t find any. It certainly happens, men are violated too in this world (I’ve sure been told some terrible personal stories from my male friends who have been raped) but where are the shirts made by men? I went on The Clothesline Project website online and of course I had stoopidly forgotten that this was a project started to address the issue of “violence against women” (as the website states). Ohhhhkay that’s why I didn’t see any shirts made by men!

Violence against women is one of the most talked about social issues today and it’s certainly relieving to hear about all these new projects, organizations, movements happening to support equality and dignity for women in this patriarchal world! But what about the men? Why don’t we talk extensively about how masculinity affects men? How it constrains and limits men from reaching their full potential? Or rather, why aren’t men speaking up about this? Even if there were a Clothesline Project for men who have been victims of violence would men participate?

Before today’s class I was in my Gender 185 Sex and Money course and we were speaking about how masculinity affects men in harmful ways, and again I notice that most of the people in the classroom were females talking about this issue and how the few men in the class rarely participate in discussions. I would love to see more men come forward to speak about their issues. I would love to see a society where we are accepting of the idea that men too are affected negatively by patriarchy, so that men can feel safe about sharing their vulnerability. Like I said, it’s so wonderful to see that discrimination against women is starting to be taken as a very serious topic that needs attention and resolution but women can’t tackle this problem on their own. Men need to see how patriarchy also harms men and stand up with women to make spiritual and social progress.

The divine masculine has been perverted into patriarchy and I think it’s finally time that men take on the courage to rebel against this atrocity that has been going on for too long.

On a side note… Quote of the moment: "If the 19th century was about ending slavery, and the 20th century was about ending totalitarianism, the 21st century is about ending the pervasive discrimination and degradation of women and fulfilling their full rights." –Hillary Rodham Clinton

And also, check out this article about sex trafficked boys The Forgotten Many: Sex-Trafficked Boys:

http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/social-justice-sex-trafficking-boys/

-Stephanie