Blog Post #4

In Sojourner Truth's speech "Ain't I a Women", she emphasizes the struggle women face for equality among men. This powerful speech illustrates for it's listeners how strong women are as we face the brutalities of stereotypes towards our gender.

In her speech, Truth states "Look at my arm! I have plowed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me!" This line alone shows the the expectations men hold towards women in completing everyday tasks without complaining. During the time period that this poem was written (1851), women, especially blacks, were fighting to have their voices be heard. They endured countless lashings and verbal abuse because tasks were not completed to their [mens] expectation. Men put women on a pedastool because for centuries prior to feminism even existing, women performed to these expectations because it was our job as women to please men. This line in Truth's speech illustrates how we rose to please men, not only in the home, but in the work force as well.

Throughout the course of the semester, we have been discussing as a class the transformation of women over the course of history. Earlier in time, women had much less freedom as they do now. We have fought for our quality in todays society, and alongside men. In this speech, Truth emphasizes and shows its listeners how  oppressed women feel in a [man's] world. "We bare the lashes well." Everyday, women are continuing to persevere and emerge as strong, powerful women with a purpose. It is important to know and learn our history, to help us appreciate how far our gender has come in abolishing the stereotypes put on us. The brutalities of these stereotypes have only made us stronger in proceeding and dominating  the overshadowed male work force and job market. In the picture that I provided above is a copy of Sojourner Truth's signature. During that time, women and slaves were illiterate. This is a prime example how Truth adapted to the stereotypes and still made her thoughts and opinons matter through the use of her voice.

This is a video that I found on History Channel website of Kerry Washington presenting Sojourner Truths speech, " Ain't I a Women". Kerry Washington is an African American actress raised in the United States that has been influenced by the writings of Sojourner Truth.

http://www.history.com/topics/sojourner-truth/videos#aint-i-a-woman