The Apple

There are very few women I admire, and Josephine is one of them

Josephine Baker, born Freda Josephine McDonald, was an American-French dancer, actress and singer. She was given the nicknames "Black Venus," "Black Pearl" and "Creole Goddess." Although born American, she became a French citizen in 1937. she was the most successful American entertainer working in France—whereas in the U.S., she would have suffered from the racial prejudices common to the era. Ernest Hemingway called her "the most sensational woman anyone ever saw." She was so well-known and popular that even the Nazis, who occupied France during World War II were hesitant to cause her harm. In turn, this allowed Baker to show her loyalty to her adopted country by participating in the Underground. After the war, Baker was awarded the Croix de Guerre for her underground activity. Yet despite her popularity in France, she was never really able to obtain the same reputation at home. Upon a visit to the United States in 1936. she was allegedly at a dinner party and began to speak in French as well as English with a French accent. An African-American maid was reputed to tell her, "Honey, you is full of shit. Speak the way yo' mouth was born". She had the woman fired. In 1973, Josephine Baker opened at Carnegie Hall to a standing ovation. She wept openly onstage in response to the warm welcome. Though based in France, she supported the American Civil Rights Movement during the 1950s, and protested racism in her own unique way, adopting twelve multi-ethnic orphans, whom she called her "Rainbow Tribe." In 1963, she spoke at the March on Washington at the side of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Wearing her Free French uniform with her Legion of Honor decoration, she was the only woman to speak at the rally. On tours of the United States, she refused to perform in segregated nightclubs, and her insistence on mixed audiences helped to integrate shows in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nevertheless, her career was on a downturn and she was near bankruptcy until she was bailed out and given an apartment by her close friend, Princess Grace of Monaco, another expatriate American living in Europe. During her life, she was also a great figure of the French freemasonry, fighting for freedom, civil rights, equality and against racism in France and other countries.

-wikipedia

posted by Zaratrusta @ 1:17 PM 0 comments

According to the Catholic church and some fanatics, women are a disgrace of creation. We gave the apple from the tree of wisdom to Adam. Delilah- a woman- seduced Samson into his fall. Some men argue that we are caniving and not worthy of trust, and because of that it is only rightful that we be relegated to the "vice-something" positions at work. The "almost there" locus in which we find ourselves today is a clear sign that modern day feminists contribution to women's advancement is imperceptible. Modern day feminists are still hammering on the same issues early feminists took to the streets, when in fact not even my mother who is in her 50s feels as oppressed as the women who fought for our vote.

The suffragist did a great job. Back in the day we were burning braws and wearing shorts, started playing sports and attending school; everything was so radical. But I guess that in the battle between the smart women who put their lives on the line and the true deceiving and manipulating ones, the former ones have truly lost. Today's feminists can't make most women understand that what we have accomplished is a tiny drop in the bucket. It will take more than suffrage and affirmative action to inundate it.

Truth be told women can't keep fighting for teaspoons of equality if we're to go somewhere. Weren't feminists so concerned about lame issues, maybe not so many girls would be going wild and thus proving to the whole world that after all we, women are nothing but organic incubators and money spending devices.

It is finally time for everyone to understand that like men, all women are not alike; that like bright men, there are bright women out there; and like uninteresting men there are also a lot of female counterparts. And this is what this blog is about, it's for and about all the women who are upset at the fact that everyone expects women to look and behave in a certain way, and if you don't you are a lesbian, or a misfit. So come on over, and take a bite of the apple.

posted by Zaratrusta @ 11:26 AM 0 comments