"Once the Bleeding Begins, the Healing Can Begin"-Tori Amos www.welcometobarboados.com
Oppression is defined as the use of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel and unjust manner. When someone is physically and/or mentally oppressed for having a belief or belonging to an individual group, it can be individually demoralizing and degenerizing. Unfortunatly, The human race has been known to enforce their ability to oppress people through many avenues such as an individual belief in religion, a physical handicap or the way an individual may dress. However, for this essay, I have looked closely at specific females that were oppressed through unequality in specific to their individual race, social heirarchy of power, and sexuality.
Unequality between male and female has been seen all over the United States. For example, American females finally were given the right to vote in 1920. In a racial sense, whether male or female, black and white people were segregated in public up until the 1950s. Financial status determined your ranking on the social hierarchy of power granting an individual the ability to have a great influence or to f. dFinancial status was signifigant; higher amounts of incomes meant one had a strong influence in society and respect was demanded. All of which were based on the norms of the time. Currently The United States of America does enforce laws that restrict physical harm onto others and enacted an equal opportunity act, thus enabling all Americans regardless of gender, financial status or race to be treated equally. Although we have seen oppression decline publically, we still see it happening on a daily base through sexual oppression. For example, in the book, The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, she introduces the readers to the time around the 1930s when racial, gender, education, and financial oppression were a norm of society. An abused woman, Celie, whom was weakened by physical harm and mental anguish through rape, sexual and verbal abuse is the leading character. After a series of events, Celie develops the courage to come forward and speak about her abuse. She begins a healing process and finds strength through friendships, loyalty, family, and financial independence. Another example of a women faced with sexual oppression is Shannon, an acquaintance rape survivor. Shannon is now an independent, self-confident, and a powerful voice in speaking out against sexual oppression; she joins hands with the world and helps the healing process begin. Unlike Celie, Shannon is a real life person and her story is real. Sexual oppression is something that the victim had not signed up for. It is a violation of one’s individuality and is extremely harmful to all parties that become victim to the crime. Both women are warriors and any type of oppression should not be tolerated by anyone.
Shannon is a white woman, educated, financially stable, well spoken and has proven that sexual abuse is not limited to race, gender or educational background. Whether she is black, white, or Hispanic, she, Celie, and other woman have been physically and mentally violated. Oppression is not about color, it is about the oppressor enjoying a power position; many woman are not as strong as men and are more likely to be subjected to harmful situations involving one’s need to reveal their power over someone. Shannon seemed to be financially stable at the time of her rape at 15 years of age. She had parents that loved her and enjoyed a fruitful education in which money may have played a key role in her success. Although her education, race, financial status are different than Celie, they both suffered at a young age sexual oppression. Their situations were not handled fairly and many years of childhood happiness were taken away from their experiences. Today, Shannon is instrumental through public speaking, educational seminars, media interviews and her Tori Amos inspired website, www.Welcome to Barbados.com, all of which say to I am here, I’m a victim and let’s get through this together.
Celie, in book, The Color Purple, a then 14 year old black woman young whom also fell victim to sexual abuse is said to be in a slightly different situation than Shannon. This is due to her race, education, financial and time frame of her oppression. However; although Celie was a black female in a different time, oppression has no specific color. When someone hurts someone deliberately, it is oppression, regardless of who you are. In the book The Color Purple , because of the times, Celie was a person that had very little right to speaking out against the white man because being female and black. Without equal opportunity laws, she was subjected to hard labor conditions with little financial reimbursement, no education and forced to live as a low class individual because of limited education, finances and race. Like both woman, learning to overcome social oppression and speak out for their rights is a powerful force that helps begins the healing process. "Once the bleeding begins, the cleansing can begin", said Tori Amos, a rape victim and survivor.
During many circumstances both woman suffered social oppression that limited them from speaking out about their situations. For example, Celie had suffered many forms of sexual abuse. At the age of 14, she fell victim to rape by her stepfather. During this time, she was asked to not speak of the abuse because of the social frowning she would face. She suffered through 2 pregnancies in which, were fathered by her stepfather; both of which Celie believed the children were killed. She was told by her stepfather to not say anything since it would kill her mother; therefore, she retreated and adhered to her stepfather's request. Celie knew that by not saying anything is better than hurting the feelings of her dying mother. Although it was noted that her mother was suspicious of the children's father, it was never admitted by anyone. (Walker, p.3-11) She resisted oppression, because she was a young back woman, up against a strong black stepfather that was socially accepted based on his middle class financial status. Based on her external oppression, she sustained many self inflicted wounds that could only heal in time. The fact that she was a poor young, uneducated black woman took many years to fight back against the oppression.
Shannon had suffered an acquaintance rape that had burdened her with inner hate, self-doubt as well as emotional, physical, and spiritual pain. For many years, Shannon responded by internalizing her feelings. She hesitated by not coming forward about her situation because she felt tarnished, ashamed and the boys that did this to her insulted her to keep her from speaking about the rape. She reacted for many years as if she was alone and burdened with a weight that would not let up. The predators had won for a small amount of time, until she took her life back. After many years, Shannon came forward, began the healing. and has been said to carry little self-burden over time.
Both Celie and Shannon had their oppressors take their innocence and ran away like the devil was chasing them. The predators felt they had the upper hand because both women were young and vulnerable. For a predator, these are ideal conditions. Unfortunately, for the girls, their first time in a sexual encounter was violence, power, and hatred. But this did not hold these 2 women down. They both stood up to their oppressors and moved on being stronger woman. Celie found the peace she deserved through her ability to hold a business, own a home and endure her loved ones. Shannon went on to become a lawyer, married and an outspoken activist in sexual abuse education and helping others heal together as a whole. Oppression will never be destroyed for good, so the only thing to avoid it is joining hands, cleansing yourself of the pain and let the healing begin. Celie began being reborn into her own agency when she stuck up for herself (W. p. 199-205) and Shannon began healing when she came forward to talk about her painful past.
Both Celie and Shannon are an inspiration to many women that have fallen victim to similar situations.
In conclusion, after reading about Celie in The Color Purple and Shannon, on the website, www.WelcometoBarbados.com , I feel confident that I would be able to come forward to speak about a time of oppression and take back my life. Perhaps that is easier said than done when you are dealing with abusive people, but Celie and Shannon are an inspiration to me and their stories of overcoming oppression are overwhelmingly positive. For woman facing any kind of oppression, it is important to remember that they are human and have the same blood running through the veins as their oppressor. Ask yourself, why is it okay for him/her to treat me like this? Stand up and join hands with the many other women that have faced any demon. Without the circled bond between women of oppression, it may be difficult to heal.
"And my only way to heal, is to go for in"-Tori Amos