SPORTS

The Women’s March Excludes Women of Color

Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

In recent years many feminist movements and media from HBO’s “Girls” to Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” and most notably the Women’s March have gotten critiques for their largely homogenous nature or singular goal of advancing the rights of white cisgender women.

And for the most part, they have. So, when the society is asked whether the women’s march is still relevant because it’s not actively fighting racism or ableism or transphobia, many will say yes!

The claim is that white women making it into the workforce is allowing all women into the workforce or that the movement will be most effective when it focuses on one issue at a time. I ardently disagree and I believe Ruth Hopkins, a Native American writer and activist said it best. “We have to decide: Do we want equality and justice for a select group, or do we want it for everyone?”

The roots of feminism in America have always been about correcting a history of oppression and getting “it” right as we move forward. Feminism is supposed to give everyone the “tableau rassu” that the founding fathers had in mind. But if this blank slate is only being given to white women or is being prioritized to one marginalized group at a time, the message being sent is that white women matter more than Black women or Indian women or Latinas.

Therefore, a movement that is repeating the same mistakes of the 1700s rather than tackling the intersectional issues that plague women of color is just as obsolete as the implicitly racist visions and actions of the founding fathers. Each “and” that is applied to a woman’s identity in regards to sexual orientation, ethnicity, immigration status and numerous other factors brings “privileges due to their socially valued identity statuses and disadvantages due to their devalued identity statuses,” as the Conceptualizing Structures of Power puts it.

The core of feminism is all about validating the entire experiences women face and how these privileges or disadvantages impact them.

When we talk about domestic violence and calling the police, we have to talk about the ways Black women are disadvantaged in multiple ways with police officers who have a 40 percent abuse rate of their own wives, are less likely to believe sexual assault stories of women and more likely to harbor bias simply because she is Black.

When we talk about rape culture and the media, we cannot leave out the experiences of Native American women whose native clothing has become overly sexualized in the “aesthetics of Coachella” and Victoria Secret’s “Little Geisha” lingerie campaign and how this dehumanization contributes to one third of rapes of Native American women being committed by white men.

And as we discuss issues ranging from food insecurity to gun violence, we have to address the experiences of overlooked women - especially working-class women - in order to create a society that is truly equal.

Co-president of the Women’s March Board Tamika Mallory has said “We’re looking at all the communities that we seek to engage and work with, and we’re trying to figure out how to deepen those relationships and ensure all the stakeholders are at the table.

As a nation, I hope we continue to search for and address these blind spots within mainstream social movements.

Courtesy NBC News

18 Opinions Red & Black 9 October 2020 Hulu Show Review: Little Fires Everywhere

Akansha Das Red & Black Staff

Set in the typical 90s, suburban, homogenous town of Shaker, Ohio “Little Fires Everywhere” is an eightepisode mini-series following the lives of Elena Richardson (Reese Witherspoon), Mia Warren (Kerry Washington) and the events leading up to the mystery of a house burnt to the ground.

Adapted from a book with the same title by Celeste Ng, the series tackles everything from teenage dating issues to microaggressions to complex questions about race, class and motherhood. One of the most predominant themes throughout the series is “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Privilege and the idea of microaggressions are coming to the forefront of many people’s mind nowadays and “Little Fires Everywhere” perfectly encapsulates and defines what these terms mean. Elena truly believes that she is a good person in every action that she does. Her embodiment of the “white savior archetype” and the little comments she makes - whether it is assuming that the only two Black kids at Shaker Heights will have a lot in common because of their race or constantly saying that her mother was on the integration board and therefore she is not racist- build and culminate throughout the show setting “little fires everywhere.”

It ultimately proves the eerie point of the show: what can lead to destruction of a family, society, structure or person is often not one singular catastrophic event but the layering and compounding of multiple issues and irritations. Seeing the numerous contrasts and juxtapositions throughout the show, whether it is the capabilities of immigrant mother Bebe or privileged mother Linda, the parenting styles of Mia vs. Elena or the different privileges of the various children in the show - it was clear that no situation nor person was entirely right or wrong. It forces viewers to abandon an all too easy black-andwhite perspective and instead see in color the choices that working class and disadvantaged people are forced to make with a light of sympathy rather than judgement.From an objective standpoint, it is wrong to leave your baby at a gas station and unfair that a family that has developed an emotional attachment to this baby may have her taken away by the state.

What is even more unjust is that the biological mother was given no resources and support to care for the baby as a destitute immigrant and forced into the situation that she was. This is just an example of the numerous debates and questions the show poses.

In the end, they all really boil down to one fiery line delivered by Mia to Elena. “It’s not that Elena, as a white, affluent woman made good choices, but that she had good choices.” The privilege and complexity depicted within this line and every single scene in the show stuck with me far longer than the eight-hour binge that it took to watch it. I don’t know whether it’s the fact that it’s adapted from a book, that it was produced by two leading ladies with immense power in Hollywood, or the diverse writing room it had that gave “Little Fires Everywhere” it’s rare authenticity.

Its ability to naturally tackle so many societal issues while still managing to keep the plot progressing with depth and beauty was something that I had never seen before.

Courtesy Hulu

9 October 2020 Red & Black sports

NFL Hit Hard by Coronavirus in Week 4

Cam Newton is one of several NFL players to test positive for the Coronavirus.

Courtesy WGHP

Nick Krugh Red & Black Editor

In the past week the NFL has been hurt by the pandemic for the first time this season. Although players had tested positive earlier in the season and training camp, those players where isolated and quarantined until multiple negative tests. However, this past week the Tennessee Titans have 16 positive COVID-19 cases. All the positive cases on the Titans caused the NFL to adjust the schedule. The week 4 matchup between the 3-0 Pittsburgh Steelers and 3-0 Tennessee Titans was moved to week 7 which was originally scheduled to be their bye week.

The week 7 Steelers and Baltimore Ravens matchup was bumped back to week 8. Both teams where originally scheduled to have their bye week then, the Ravens will now have their bye week during week 7 and the Titans and Steelers have a forced early bye this past week.

The Steelers, who had no positive tests, are hurt the most by these changes. The Steelers now have to play 13 straight after losing their perfect week 8 bye. The Titans have had a few more positives again this week, causing the NFL to have to push the Titans versus Buffalo Bills game from Sunday to Tuesday.

The Bills are scheduled to take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night week 6 so the National Football League will have to move that game as well.

On a positive note, the Minnesota Vikings who faced the Titans week 3 still have yet to have any positive tests. This is encouraging because that means that nothing was missed leading up to that week 3 matchup. Also, the New England Patriots had one positive test, Quarterback Cam Newton, heading into week 4. Newton was quarantined and the Patriots where still able to play the Chiefs on Sunday night.

After that game the Patriots’ star cornerback Stephon Gilmore tested positive, but again no other positives on either team. It will be interesting to see if the NFL will make some adjustments to their rules and protocols they have in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

It will also be interesting to see if they reconsider the idea of a bubble for the playoffs after seeing these early issues.

20 Sports Red & Black 9 October 2020 Fantasy Football: Start Them or Sit Them

Start Them

Russell Wilson

Seattle Seahwaks QB Russell Wilson has been playing at MVP level this season. He has been torching defenses through the air and on the ground all year. The Seahawks square off against the Minnesota Vikings this week, whose defense has horrible thus far. The connection between D.K. Metcalf and Wilson has taken the leap and become one the top duos in the league. Wilson is going to continue his MVP performance again this week.

Cooper Kupp

Los Angeles Rams WR The Rams face off against the Washington Football Team Sunday afternoon. The Football Team has invested heavily in their defensive line, leaving their secondary much to be desired. Kupp has been dashing every secondary he has faced this year. Kupp is going to be very effective in the slot this week. I like him for a 20+ point performance. Sit Them

Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers QB Herbert has been a pleasant surprise so far this year under the circumstances of his starts. However, I don’t like Herbert to have a big game this Monday night against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are sitting at 2-2 this year, and they can’t afford to drop this game to the Chargers. The defense of the Saints is starting to hit their stride and the Chargers are going to be without Ekelar again. I think the lack of run game is going to hurt Herbert’s air attack.

Miles Sanders

Philadelphia Eagles HB The Eagles have the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, and I don’t like this match up for Sanders. The Steelers defense is amongst the best in the league against the run and the pass this year. This Philly offense has been off to a slow start already this year, so I don’t like that Sanders will be going up against the Steelers front seven. I think that Sanders will be held in check and the Steelers will make Carson Wentz beat them through the air.

Courtesy Pro Football Rumors