Blog Post #5

Ain't I a Woman?

By Sojourner Truth

Sojourner's speech expressed frustration on the ideals of the world and how they don't match up with reality in that women are never treated even remotely equal to men and for what reason she asks.  People make women out to be so weak and needing so much help and guidance but she explains that she too is a woman and she is strong, she has been through everything a man has and in many cases more.  "Look at my arm! I have plowed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman?  I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well!  And ain't I a woman?"  She speaks on the inequalities that women and blacks faced at that time in America and uses her own life experiences to explain that she is a woman but has been through so much and in explaining why men are superior they use Christ but Sojourner comes right back with the fact that he came from God and a woman.  Men may be the head of a home or superior in certain aspects but women are superior in so many ways that men could never even fathom.  Giving birth being one explanation of this, no matter what men can do, there is probably a woman who can do it too but giving birth is one thing a man could never do.  I loved the day in class when we watched this speech on the video because it's just so powerful and everything she says holds true, she's not simply saying it for the purpose of arguing, she sincerely wants to know what people are thinking about when they say women can't do certain things she has done and she expresses, well I have done that and aren't I a woman?