Sexuality

We have discussed the female body in my Gender and Pop Culture class along with "crossing over" into the mainstream.

The female body, especially a woman of color, is seen as grotesque to white women but is seen as exotic to men. Men fantasize about black and Latina women's bodies because they are seen as different than white women's. White women do not like their bodies because they are envious of them and only see them as threat. This was also seen in the time of slavery. The jealous mistress was popular among that time because the men would often sexually abuse their female slaves and make them pregnant. Often the women have no control over their own bodies.

Sarah Bartman was a perfect example of this. Sarah Bartman was put on display because her body was considered "abnormal." She had big breast and a big butt that was not considered normal to white female bodies. She was naked and put on display for everyone to look at. Even after she died her body parts were dissected and examined.

The theme of crossing over is prevalent among black and Latina women. When we talked about it in my other class, we talked about as if letting go of the differences and crossing over into the white mainstream. When the differences are let go, these women often transcend into the norm. Their differences are ignored and are not considered the norm in society. The white population has not accepted these women of color and see them as one of themselves. This is the only way for it to be okay for Latina and black women to make it in society. These women are not seen as a threat but as an equal.

What do you think about the whole process of crossing over into the mainstream and transcending? Do you think this is still prevalent in today's world?  Do women of color have to prove themselves and drop their differences to be part of the norm?