Hey White Women Episode 7 | The Undergarments of Control
The conversation explores the topic of underwear and its role in control and oppression. It delves into the societal expectations and policing of women's bodies, the arbitrary nature of professionalism, and the intersection of underwear with race and gender. The discussion also touches on the history of underwear, the influence of capitalism and consumerism, and the connection between underwear and abuse in cults. Overall, the conversation highlights the ways in which underwear is used as a tool for control and the need to challenge societal norms and expectations. The conversation explores various topics related to identity, race, and gender. It touches on issues such as colorism, body image, breastfeeding in public, and the challenges faced by women in the military. The speakers discuss the infantilization and sexualization of women, the pressure to conform to societal expectations, and the importance of understanding and acknowledging one's own privilege. They also highlight the need for white women to listen and learn from marginalized communities, rather than trying to prove their goodness or uniqueness. In this final part of the conversation, Rebecca and Daniella discuss the insidious nature of white supremacy and the need for white people to trust Black people's awareness of racism. They also explore the importance of questioning societal norms and expectations, such as appearance control and underwear requirements. They emphasize the need for white people to deconstruct white supremacy and opt out of the game, leading to true freedom, joy, and friendship.
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Uncultured by Daniella Mestyanek Young
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UnAMERICAN Videobook
Takeaways
- Underwear is often used as a tool for control and oppression, with societal expectations and policing of women's bodies.
- The concept of professionalism is arbitrary and can be used to marginalize and exclude certain individuals.
- The history of underwear reveals the influence of capitalism and consumerism, as well as the infantilization of sexuality in society. Underwear can be connected to abuse in cults, where it is used as a means of control and surveillance.
- Challenging societal norms and expectations around underwear is important for promoting body autonomy and dismantling oppressive systems. Colorism and body image issues are prevalent in society, leading to the infantilization and sexualization of women.
- Breastfeeding in public is still stigmatized, despite laws protecting a woman's right to do so.
- Women in the military face challenges related to uniform fit, gender expectations, and stereotypes.
- White women should listen and learn from marginalized communities, rather than trying to prove their goodness or uniqueness. White people need to trust Black people's awareness of racism and understand that they know more about racism than white people do.
- Questioning societal norms and expectations, such as appearance control and underwear requirements, is essential in deconstructing white supremacy.
- White people should opt out of the game of white supremacy and embrace true freedom, joy, and community.
- Deconstructing white supremacy takes time and ongoing work, and it is a continuous process of learning and unlearning.
- The goal is not to be obsessed as white people, but to challenge and dismantle white supremacy for a more equitable society.
Sound Bites
"The history of colonization is just white men going around the world and telling brown and black women to cover up their boobs." "Professionalism is not a real thing, right? Like right now, I'm here with a straight, like remains of a blowout, Rebecca has natural hair. Your hair is not more professional than my hair." "I know Victoria's Secret is like a dude made her up. But like how much have we all suffered because of that?" "That's another part that makes it more racist and more infantilized." "The death of these cults is the knowledge of them." "Every state in America, you are allowed to breastfeed your child in public." "You have to also trust black people's awareness of you more than your understanding of where you are and how they're perceived." "The way that you go make black friends is doing the work to come out of the cult of white supremacy." "We have been told for our entire culture that black men are the most likely to hurt us."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction: Moving Away from Bras and Pantyhose 06:39 The Control and Policing of Women's Bodies Through Underwear 10:29 The Discomfort and Privilege of Wearing Bras 13:33 Appearance Control and White Supremacy 17:38 The Arbitrary Nature of Professionalism 21:31 Underwear as a Tool of Control: Historical and Cultural Perspectives 25:31 Consumerism and Societal Expectations 30:40 Colorism, Body Image, and the Infantilization of Women 32:37 The Stigma of Breastfeeding in Public 36:41 The Need to Be Seen and Heard 39:39 The Dangers of Trying to Be the 'Special' White Person 44:28 Empathy, Inclusivity, and Recognizing Individual Experiences 01:00:30 Introduction and Latin Credentials 01:04:48 Conduct Standards and Appearance Control 01:06:49 Resistance and Opposition to the System 01:10:10 Identity vs. Anti-Identity 01:12:31 Underwear Control and Prescribing Behavior 01:16:44 The Game of Whiteness and Opting Out 01:19:49 Femininity and Masculinity 01:22:37 The Decade of Deconstruction 01:26:05 Questioning and Challenging Societal Norms 01:28:47 The Freedom of Breaking Free
Produced By: Haley Phillips