Introduction Post Jennylee Parrales

Hello class, 

I am Jennylee Parrales, an Art Therapy major at NJCU. I am an American Ecuadorian woman from Hudson County. I don’t consider myself an activist, but I make sure to vote and inform others to vote in every election they can, to protect their rights and make changes in their communities. I am currently an ABA therapist and will complete my degree in Art Therapy this Spring. I want to continue creating art, create an income from Oracle reading, and eventually create a healing community art event. 

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Understanding Patriarchy

Quote ~ Although we were often confused, we knew one fact for certain we cannot be and act the way we wanted to doing what we felt like. It was clear to us that our behavior had to follow a predetermined gendered script. We both learned a word “patriarchy“ in our adult life when we learned that the script that had determined what we should be the identities we should make was a based on patriarchal values and beliefs about gender.

Response ~ Growing up in a time where "machismo" was normalized, I was definitely conflicted to be a girl, as it seemed men and women were all unhappy, but the ones who got the worst of it were women and children, either emotionally or physically. I am grateful to have seen many people in my immediate family challenge the patriarchal way of living and thinking. Ending these cycles have created a much more healthier community within my family.

Quote ~ Despite the many gains of contemporary feminist, movements, greater quality for women in the workforce, more tolerance for the relinquishing of rigid, gender roles, patriarchy as a system remains intact, and many people continue to believe that it is needed if humans are to survive as a species. This belief seems ironic, given the patriarchal methods of organizing nations, especially the insistence on violence as a means of social control, has actually led to the slaughter of millions of people on the planet.

Response ~  Unfortunately, as the rest of the reading said, patriarchy has already been embedded in our economy, our family structures, and our religions. The amount of places that patriarchy seeps through does not allow for human safety, and shows us we still have a long way to go before violence is no longer the immediate answer. 

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Memes Artsy

Quote ~ Through humor, memes incite a collective reaction to everyday life as well as reveling in it, in a format no less playful than it is political, decoding the murky structural screw-ups, paradoxes, and hypocrisies of our current political climate.

Response ~ At this point in my life, I try to be conscious about what kind of memes I consume, and what messages they have that can relate and be understood by my Community. Our literal existence is so quick and fleeting it really feels hard to keep up with the next crazy thing our political climate has us worry about. 

Quote ~ “Memes aren’t an innocent process—they carry serious political weight, and not always of the activist variety,” Wershler said, citing the website 4chan’s politics board and other alt-right cyber-communes where hate speech has festered in the form of memes.  

Response ~ As many memes as I’ve interacted with that align with my political views, and can be considered an activist variety of memes, there are many online forums and communities that promote the contrary, and support hate within their communities. Hearing 4Chan mentioned scared me because I have seen people discover extreme people and communities on sites like this. Videos of people demonstrating extremist hate towards a particular people or simply depravity existing in different areas of the world and the Internet.

Memes Vice 

Quote ~ The subjects of these activist memes, Jasper noted, are villains, and that’s a key part of protest art in general—in identifying social problems, the genre needs villains. “They’re an important step in arousing the anger or fear that can mobilize people,” he said. And in the Trump era, there’s no shortage of those.

Response ~ I think the point of identifying the social problems and the villains is necessary to hold said villains accountable for the injustices being done right in front of us, and to us. Striking emotions, such as fear or inspiration, backed with an informative meme brought to the consumer helps create a connection where every person can fight back, and does not have to feel helpless. 

Quote ~ Most people interact with these images in fleeting ways as they scroll through their feeds, but creating or consuming political memes that align with one’s point of view can be therapeutic. They reflect what’s happening in society, and help justify feelings of rage and fear while helping us feel less alone.

Response ~ I enjoy the daily scroll through my feed and being able to share and repost any political memes, I think my community should see. Knowing how easy it is to make them I’m now considering making my own at this point. Because just as much as there are ones that support causes, I know need to be heard, there are plenty more that do not, and create a negative community on social media.