Learning Tools
Nanci Joins Pacifica Radio Conversation on Reproductive Justice
On Tuesday, November 15, Nanci E. Luna Jiménez, LJIST Founder and President, and Lourdes Rivera, Senior Vice President, U.S. Programs at the Center for Reproductive Rights, were highlighted as leading forces in the Women’s Rights and Reproductive Justice Movements during the Pacifica Radio Archives National Broadcast. Hosted by María Elena Fernández and Victoria Fernández, their words…
Read MoreRacism is Not Possible without Sexism
Ending Sexism Together Series Introduction The system of racism could not have been established, institutionalized, and perpetuated without sexism and male domination. In our approach to ending racism, ending sexism isn’t an add-on or an “intersection,” it’s essential to achieving this goal. As a global community, we have been confused about what sexism is, how…
Read MoreEnding Sexism Together: Confusion 1
The Conflation of Sex and Gender To understand, heal from, and end sexism, we need to differentiate sex from gender.* The conflation of the words ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ has led to increased ineffectiveness in the fight to end both sexism and gender discrimination: the systematic and institutionalized mistreatment of people who do not rigidly perform…
Read MoreEnding Sexism Together: Confusion 2
The Myth that Sexism has Ended Despite important gains, the oppression of females persists. In the US we can celebrate specific historical and contemporary struggles where women have organized and won key rights, including suffrage, access to reproductive healthcare and reproductive autonomy, increased sexual freedom, and greater access to the paid work economy. Each of…
Read MoreEnding Sexism Together: Confusion 3
The Myth of Reverse Sexism Sexism targets females. Sexism, like any institutional oppression, is a linear power dynamic from the non-target group, the group with institutional power (males), against the target group (females). In other words, it can’t go in multiple or reverse directions. Females can, and do, mistreat, dislike, not prefer, act prejudice against,…
Read MoreDifferentiating People from Oppression
It’s not useful to confuse people with their oppression. At LJIST, we don’t use language like “oppressor” or “oppressed” or “perpetrator” or “victim.” People don’t want to be described or identified by their relationship to oppression. Instead, we use the language “target” and “non-target,” which describes people’s relationship to oppression rather than confusing or identifying…
Read MoreUnderstanding Institutional Oppression
We use an oppression lens because oppression acknowledges the role of institutional power. Institutional oppression is distinct from other forms of mistreatment, which are sometimes talked about as if they are interchangeable: Implicit Bias Prejudice Discrimination Implicit bias and prejudice are something that all human beings carry. Implicit bias and prejudice (thoughts) can play out…
Read MoreStopping the Cycle of Oppression: How Our Early Hurts Perpetuate Injustice
The Nature of Human Beings: Spontaneous Healing from Hurts As young people we experienced many hurts. Hurts can be intentional or accidental. They can happen consciously or unawarely. Perhaps, like me, when you hear the word “hurt” you think of physical hurts and those are included here. For example, an unintentional hurt is falling while…
Read MoreHappy 100th Birthday, Lolita Lebrón
Today would have been Puerto Rican independence activist Lolita Lebrón’s 100th birthday. She died on August 1, 2010 at the age of 90. During her life, Lebrón became a figure of Puerto Rican independence movement. Lebrón is widely known for leading a group of independence activists in a violent protest of the United States Congress…
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