Jessica
Hometown: Fort Deposit, Alabama
Favorite writer: My favorite writer is Nella Larson, who is the author of my all-time favorite books Quicksand and Passing. I am also fond of Toni Morrison who wrote a brilliant novel that encompasses the intersections of race and feminism in the story of Sula.
Favorite sex scene from a movie/TV/book: N/A
Hidden Talent: A hidden talent that I have is lip syncing. The only downfall is being asked to add sound to this talent.
Posts By: Jessica Morgan
Virginity is a Myth
Virginity, a hymen, and purity. What do these things have in common? Exactly. Nothing. Virginity is a concept that mainly regards a woman who has had sex as disposable. This is especially apparent in the chewing gum analogy where a ‘chewed up’ piece of gum, or a woman who has had many sexual partners, should be discarded for a ‘fresh’ piece of gum. Society’s fixation on preserving virginity in women and eliminating virginity in men has essentially created false meanings when it comes to sexuality. Society has created the term “purity” as a state that mainly aligns itself to the female sex. In Jessica Valenti’s book “The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity Is Hurting Young Women,” she argues that chastity and abstinence-only rhetoric places a woman’s worth on… Read more »
The Anti-Choice Movement’s Harmful Rhetoric
Facts and propaganda are not synonymous with each other. I have felt the need to say that for quite some time given the constant anti-choice rhetoric that neglects to recognize the variety of abortion experiences. The pro-life stance is a position deeply rooted in religion, which highlights life rather than quality of life. Unlike the pro-choice stance which acknowledges a woman’s autonomy, the pro-life uses partial elements of religion and propaganda to erase the experiences that women who consider abortion take, with some of them being taken to drastic levels such as the picture below. Most of the rhetoric that the pro-life movement employs is used to punish women. This concept explores fetal rights vs. the pregnant person’s rights, which is two sets of rights that are granted to one body. An… Read more »
Betty Shelby & the Sacrificial Lamb
I usually start my day off by avoiding breaking news that reflects how far our nation still has to go on the road for social justice. Unlike white Americans, I don’t have the privilege of ignoring a threat to my human rights, since I have the dual jeopardy of being black and a woman. Whenever I scroll down my Facebook timeline, I see images of the black body either being dehumanized by being shot “on the spot” or, quite simply, criminalized for doing things that any normal person would do. A few days ago, my social media timelines erupted as news outlets reported that Terence Crutcher, a forty-year old black man who was waiting for roadside assistance, was shot and killed by a Tulsa police officer. A few days later, Betty Shelby’s name… Read more »
Is This My Land Too?
Body language. Facial expressions. Volume. All are irrefutable evidence of what makes respectability politics a core element demanded of black people. “Is this my land too?” periodically comes up in many conversations surrounding racial and civil liberties. We are constantly bombarded with scenarios that illustrate the hazards of being black and demanding basic human rights across America. Recently, Solange Knowles attended a concert in New Orleans called Kraftwerk, a German electronic and pop music band, to expose her eleven-year old son to new experiences. When her favorite song came on, she stood up to dance like any other person would whenever their song comes on at a music concert. However, her movement and passion in the atmosphere upset a group of white women who yelled and threw half-eaten limes at her…. Read more »
The Zika Virus, Disabilities, and Pro-Choice Activism
Earlier this month, a poll taken by Harvard officials indicated a slight shift in favor of abortions in response to the Zika virus. An estimated 59% of Americans favor abortion after 24 weeks if medical records indicate that the unborn fetus has the Zika virus and has a risk of developing major birth defects. As many medical professionals try to find a cure for the Zika virus, abortion politics and the prospect of disabilities from the virus are becoming interwoven. The fear that unborn fetuses will contract the Zika virus has produced a fear of abnormalities plaguing the human race. Disabilities usually causes a shift in public opinion since it questions the morality of what makes a person and whether people with disabilities are viable. While pro-choice people might want to… Read more »
