Community Check-In #1

Hello and welcome back! Here is what has been happening in my ENC 3021 Course, Feminist Rhetoric. . .

Looking Outward. . .

Although we have only been in this course for two short weeks (almost three, but we had a "hurricane" mishap) I have learned a lot from both my professor and my classmates! Going into this course, I only had a little bit of knowledge about what rhetoric is because of all of the rhetorical analyses I had to write in high school. This course is taking a different approach to rhetoric, as there is a feminist lens and focus as we learn about rhetoric.

One topic that had caught my attention the most was paternal legacies. While we all have heard of Plato and Socrates and Aristotle, I had never heard the term "paternal legacies" prior to this day in class. One of my classmates, Gracie, talked about how rhetoric was seen as more of a way to "win arguments," rather than what we have learned it to be. By pointing this out, she helped me come to the realization that rhetoric had excluded women in the past and had been used in a weaponizing way against others. Women were pretty much silenced during this time period and they were not even considered citizens, nor did they hold many legal rights. Furthermore, there was not even a term for the word "woman" during the 5th Century. All of this to say that women were not only excluded from society, but they were further excluded when it came to rhetoric. In fact, rhetoric was exclusive to only white men in the upper class (Loraux & Ms. B). This information proves that it is vital for feminist rhetorics to have a say and space in the world of rhetoric and English. For thousands of years, women have been excluded from many spaces such as politics, business, law, education, and rhetoric due to those in power, many of which have been/are men. While society has progressed and opened up more doors for women to have a voice, there are still many barriers to overcome. There can always be more inclusivity for women, because even today men still hold a majority of power and make many of the laws.

In order to further support my understanding of the topic of rhetoric throughout the semester, Ms. B can continue having interactive lectures that allow us to contribute to the conversation. I think the breakout groups have been extremely helpful because it is easier to speak up in a group of smaller people rather than the entire class. The groups I have been in have taught me a lot about the topics we discuss each day, and my classmates provide me with alternative perspectives and ways to interpret the assignments!

Looking Inward. . .

A time that I have contributed in class is when we discussed Dorothy Allison's piece, "From Two or Three Things I Know For Sure." We were asked to write, on a shared Google Document, about our thoughts and feelings on the reading assignment. While this was not a verbal response, I shared my opinion. I discusses how Allison's writing was very emotional and impactful, and sharing her trauma allows the audience to share this vulnerable moment with her. In her writing, she alludes to her traumatic childhood that consisted of abuse. However, she took what had happened to her and turned it into a positive thing by ending her own cycle of abuse (Allison). I thought that was very special because it can be easier to take traumatic events and hold onto them. Healing and grief are very difficult journeys after trauma. However, Allison showed the audience that you can take something bad and use it for good no matter how difficult it may be.

I have contributed to this class both verbally and textually. Most of the time, I utilize the chat box or the Google Document to share my voice. For me, it is easier to type what I have to say rather than speak. Sometimes, it can be difficult to speak on other days due to feelings of tiredness or disengagement. Additionally, I can say more when I type. I enjoy this course and the way it is structured, and I truly feel valued and listened to by both my instructor and my classmates.

That is all for now! Thank you for tuning into another one of my blog posts! I am excited to see what the rest of this semester holds!

Abigail Merzel 🥰