Friday, May 1, 2009

Art or Misogyny? - A Discussion with Dr. Kandace Harris



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3 comments:

hargrovehottie said...

I have often wondered about the significance of this conversation in our community. Why do the choices that these women make have to reflect badly on all women? Why do we assume that most men/people can't separate a "loose" woman from someone who is "tighter." I just think that these women or men who participate in this kind of art are making personal choices. That's it. Let it stop there. I agree that all parents should monitor the images that their children see. Its inevitable that they will see the kind of images we are talking about, so please make sure they see pics of women who are fully clothed also. Balance brings an open mind.

- Good job to the good doctors. Well done.

Jane Doe said...

Basically, this is a mental shackle. Eric, what you said denoting the validity of the hatred that women feel towards men is so true. Many times we could be hating someone for things that someone else has done to us. To many time we have taken someone else through the troughs of bad times that someone else has taken us through and it simply just is not fair. However, intelligence is key in knowing how or when to take a few steps back a reevaluate the entire situation. Often times as well, there is the case of sexuality vs compatibility. One may think he and she are right for each other because of the level on which they are functioning, but once outside of the bedroom, there is nothing more to be desired, then that may cause a conflict of the sort of this discussion.

I just wonder what message you were trying to impart with the slideshow of the half dressed women playing during a discussion such as this.

Unknown said...

Sex sells! I'm young, female, and atractive. Did I exploit myself in this way at one time in order to get paid? Absolutely. I would do whatever I had to in order to get a man alone for a while, even if I had to wait for him to fall asleep so I could rob him. Would I do that today? No, of course not. But my values and attitude about life has changed.

It's all about individual choices. But even though these young black women and men make their own choices, I still believe the problem is environmental.

A lot of young black males and females that get mixed up in the game are from low income or poor backgrounds. Let's face it, poverty breeds crime, violence, and exploitation of women for benefit of men. If this weren't true, then there would be little reason for prostitution. And a LOT of young prostitutes are black women, who come from unspeakable family situations.

I have seen first hand what happens when you are from these poor neighborhoods. It's very despairing to see, and live. And you have this feeling of hopelessness.

These young black people already have a low self-worth and self-esteem, which has a lot to do with why a lot of them get mixed up in the game. When I was out there, a lot of it was because I had a very low self-worth/self-esteem, and I thrived on that attention from men. And I wanted that fast, easy money. And the behaviors are learned, thorugh media, inner-city schools, and so forth.

It seems natural that any American would want the "American dream" but it's hard for most of us who have not been in a situation of desperation to understand why crime is so prevalent in ghettos. It's not hard to get an idea to rob someone or exploit yourself, when you are unemployed,bored, and you need some cash.

With that said, I feel education is the key. In fact, it might be the only way to get a message of concern across to future generations of young black Americans. I truly believe that if tax monies were dispersed a little differently, and some of the inner city schools were cleaned up, they had teachers that actually wanted to be there for the kids, if the kids had new desks, textbooks, and playground equipment, (I could go on, but you get the idea)you would see some changes in the attitudes of young black Americans.

ANYONE WHO FEELS THEY HAVE A REASON TO LIVE, AND FEEL NEEDED BY OTHERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY WILL THRIVE, AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES.

If I had been given a reason to feel important, at an early age, I believe it would have made a difference in how I viewed the world through adolescent eyes, and into my ealry adulthood.

I'm from the punk rock culture, which is basically synonymous with the hip hop culture, a lot of punk rockers are frowned upon too, in some of the same ways. I'm also white, but growing up, my environment let me know that I'm not immune to getting my ass kicked out there in the game.

At some point I HAD to take personal responsibility for myself. But that DID NOT happen for me, until I gain the confidence, strength, and self-worth to do so. Oh, and it took other people being involved with that for me to see it for myself, A LOT of other people. Ironically, 98% of my strong, male and female friends who help boost my esteem are African American.

Tami Hull