Responses (Approx. 150 words):
please post a thoughtful response to a Reading Reflection initiated by a classmate. Your response may expand upon, amplify, constructively and collegially challenge, or otherwise engage with your classmate’s post. I encour age you to use these response posts as an opportunity to deepen your own understanding of the concept.
Discussion 1: When reading this chapter and reflecting on the self and what that means in relation to psychology and relationships— I think it’s important to note that our perception of self is not always what we actually are. For instance, growing up I would have bouts of anxiety that would make it hard for me to interact socially, and would influence the way that I thought I was being perceived. my perception of self was slanted because of this. Realistically, I think that the self results from our emotions, experienced trauma and events, as well as personality and interests. I say experience plays a big part in the self, because it shapes the things about us that we react to such as triggers and events that cause change in our lives.
I think that its important to recognize our view of self versus what may be realistically perceived (I just started Social Psychology and we just finished talking about how our self develops as a result of others around us). I wonder how I would have developed if I had not had anxiety or was so nervous as a kid. I like to think I still would have been shy and liked some of the same things, but would I have been more bold? Would I have tried things that I never had before? Its definitely interesting to note and think about.
Discussion 2: We are often distracted by the racism that takes place within other aspects and fail to realize the racism that takes place throughout motherhood. This article explained how racism and patriarchy interacts in the social construction of motherhood. Racism and patriarchy goes hand in hand with one another. Whereas white motherhood is ideologically valorized, black motherhood is devalued and discouraged. Black mothers are always labeled as being a “bad mom.”
The racist patriarchy of America began during the time of slavery. Social order was established by slave owners through the dehumanization based on race and having control of women’s sexuality and reproduction. An element of oppression was compulsory childbirth. Racism and patriarchy intersected with poverty, drug use, and the notions of deservingness of motherhood. White women were respected by white patriarchs while the black women was not. Due to the ideal motherhood being white, black mothers could never attain the ideal image of motherhood. Black mothers were denied moral authority over their children.
This lesson has taught me lots of new information. I always knew that there was racism throughout many aspects of life, but I never knew how heavily it impacted motherhood for black mothers in America. Motherhood played a critical role in women’s subordination by men.
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