The biggest influence that these quotes had on me was that I felt these quotes best shows not only the influences that maintain the gendered roles reinforced within hip-hop, but also how it has encouraged women to be aware of their initial space within hip-hop and how to redefine and push for their space within hip-hop culture. Many women recognize that they will not be taken seriously within hip-hop spaces unless they present hyper masculine. Yet women within hip-hop have been more rewarded within the industry for presenting hyper-sexual in a very hetero normative way that reinforces gender roles and the idea of women being inferior to their male counterparts within the hip-hop industry. This presents a double bind, conflicting messages as to how these women are supposed to present themselves. They want to be taken seriously and be given recognition for the talent and contribution within hip-hop, but many women don’t want to have to sacrifice their identity as women within the space, but rather provide a positive association with that identity within it.
This fight for women to be included within these spaces also raises the question of whether or not what they do is feminist and resonates with feminist identity. This leads to the conclusion of having many women within hip-hop not putting an emphasis on identification and defining as feminist alone because for man of them it can be limiting to their experience, but rather focusing more on the act of “doing” and “being” within their space to be the powerful and positive forces that can support other women and contribute to a growing and lasting community of women within hip-hop. That is what will leave a lasting impact that will allow their contributions to be remember even when a time comes where they may no longer physically take space within hip-hop. Not only will their work exist in different forms, no longer in it’s original physical state but still remembered, it will also leave that physical space for new women to contribute within an growing community.
The lasting impact that these readings have left on me within this course is invaluable to me. It made me look at lasting historical, socioeconomic and cultural influences that society has taken to define heteronormative gender roles that present itself in toxic ways within media and art, and how it is reinforced by white centered captialism consuming other cultures. It’s encouraged me to re-evaluate my relationship with feminism and what it means to me. It’s encouraged me to put more of my emphasis in “doing” and put more effort outside of academia and to take a more proactive role in trying to find more ways to support other women and other’s within the lgbtqia+ community. It’s also encouraged me to support more women within performative platforms, whether they be masculine or feminine presenting.
