Racism vs. Sexism -which effects you most?

Dr, Edonna asked me which I feel most in my life and I thought it was such an interesting question that we should see what others say about it too.

For myself, I think it is hard to separate it in my mind where I can know for sure whether it was because I was Indigenous or a female. I wrote in my journal of being born with a closeness to nature that was untaught by anyone, it just was. Where I could hear and feel Nature and how I think that is because I am Aleut ( VOF Week 4: Divinely Aleut ). What I didn't mention in that journal was where a lot of the abuse stemmed from because during that time was when they were still trying to wipe out our culture, especially is the children. I think I was lucky in that I had no idea back when I was little that woman are supposed to be virgins to be considered "Pure" so the sexual abuse never had the desired effect. I can remember many white men but really do not want to talk about that, ever really. Let their evil die in our hearts and minds and let us instead look forward is how I see it for to be strong we must not carry evil with us.

My mom had always taught me not to hate, to be good, to be strong, to believe in the power of my heart and mind, and that to be happy was my greatest strength of all. I think that is probably why I do not fit the usual profile of an emotionally abused woman and I bet many other native woman do not either, it would be interesting to see if this is true. So growing up it was definately because of being Indigenous but later on it gets a bit complicated I think. Where being both Indigenous and a woman was like a double whammy kind of thing. But it also had the boomerang effect where there were many programs created for us during this time too. So, I think for Alaskans living in Anchorage it is a bit different then ones living elsewhere and might not compare equally.

I would love to hear other woman's stories and see how mine does compare!

Maria