I am doing my film assignment on the Asexual documentary. The opening question led to responses that were related to biology, like asexual plants and amoebas, and its interesting that we learn about asexuality in bio class, but fail as a society to collectively agree the idea of asexuality in humans isn't that much different and very much exists.

In chapter 1 of "Feminism is Queer" it is shown how historical bias and narratives have shaped how we view sexuality and gender today. This idea also supports the book's notion that gender and sexuality are a social construct.

"Violence against Black women cannot truly be eliminated without addressing violence against Black transgender women." (Jordyne Blaise) As Blaise believes, we cannot achieve progression without solidarity and first realizing that we are not that different and experience the same prejudice and hardships. Violence against one community is violence against all

Stories like Sharmus' are important to show the reality for what it is like to be poor and trans in america for any sort of progression to be made. I have someone very close to me in my life that fits this reading's title description and have seen his struggles with trying to escape the cycle of poverty+navigating a society/job that discriminates against him

Mike Brake says, "sexual conduct is learned conduct" and I think that goes back to the idea of sex being interpersonal and not socially necessary, which contradicts what our society is built upon (the idea sex is a necessity and essential for a successful relationship or social understanding)

"The so-called anti-sex and pro-sex trends within feminism are not, in fact, necessarily opposed to each other, and it is important for feminist scholars to approach sexuality in a way that can account for and respond to rape and exuberantly chosen sexual ecstasy and that can create a world welcoming to both hypersexual kinky people and asexual people."

While reading "Feminist Debates" by Simone Levine, I found both sides of the argument to have genuine points that make sense to me, such as allowing women to freely express themselves in something that shouldnt be shamed, but also we as a society are not quite in a place where content like that can be made, put out and viewed innocently w/o change

Hartley's writing was very interesting to read as I appreciated the different perspective and the life story with it. As said in my previous plurk, the first amendment protects her right to interpret feminism in any way she chooses and act as such, and I agree we as a society need to be more accepting for those aspects of sexuality and femininity.

"Each of us has some idea or action that we hate but that is still protected by the First Amendment." (Hartley, page 2) This quote stuck out to me because its TRUE and its a hard pill to swallow to realize fighting for your freedoms means fighting for the freedoms of opposing opinions as well.

In "Men Are Stuck in Gender Roles" by Emily Reyes, I think the slow normalization of stay-at-home dads, especially with millenials and Gen z, both normalizes fathers being the most present caretaker and women valuing their career and being allowed to have both children and a career. And its one sign of our slow progression into a less gender-rigid society.