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"Report from the Bahamas"
[edit]In her 1982 classic personal essay, "Report from the Bahamas", June Jordan reflects on her travel experiences, various interactions, and encounters while in the Bahamas. Written in narrative form, Jordan boldly discusses both the possibilities and difficulties of coalition and self-identification on the basis of race, class, and gender identity. Although not widely recognized in its first appearance in 1982, this profound essay has gained much classroom status throughout the United States in Women's and gender studies, sociology, and anthropology. Jordan reveals several issues as well as important terms regarding race, class, and gender identity.
[edit]Key terms
[edit]Privilege
[edit]In essentially every one of Jordan's works, including her poems and essays, she repeatedly emphasizes the term or the idea of privilege when discussing issues of race, class, and gender identity. Jordan refuses to privilege oppressors who are similar to or more like certain people than other oppressors might be. There should be no thought of privilege because all oppression and oppressors should be viewed at an equal standpoint.
Consciousness of race, class, and gender identity
[edit]In Jordan's essay "Report from the Bahamas", she highlights how there is always this conscious feeling and awareness that we as human beings possess due to our race, class, and gender identity. While touring the Bahamas as a Black woman, this consciousness was constantly alluded to as it depicted an awareness of the fixed relations or rather fixed separation between Black women. These fixed relations lead to patterns of social stratification, social conflicts, and inequality, which Jordan believes is a huge problem that needs to be resolved in society. Due to this consciousness of race, class, and gender identity, we have the tendency to distance ourselves from forming and having any sort of connection with others and gaining a better understanding of the differences between us[1]. Additionally, due to this consciousness, there are times when these differences are ignored to make things seem better and non-problematic. These racial, class, and gender variances should not act as common enemy that continues to separate us, but rather should bring us together. Likewise, these differences should not be ignored as if they were non-existent, but we must encourage more openness, honest conversations, and make countless attempts to remove these rigid barriers. Jordan states "I am saying that the ultimate connection cannot be the enemy. The ultimate connection must be the need that we find between us"[1].
Common identity vs. individual identity
[edit]June Jordan firmly acknowledges and explains that we as human beings possess two very contrasting identities. The first identity is the common identity, which is the one that has been imposed on us[1] by a long history of societal standards, controlling images, pressure, a variety of stereotypes, and stratification. The second is the individual identity that we ourselves have chosen[1] once we are given the chance and feel are ready to expose our true selves.
- ^ a b c d "Report from the Bahamas, 1982 on JSTOR" (PDF). www.jstor.org. p. 14. Retrieved 2016-03-27.