I learned in a Latin Studies class (with a chill white dude professor) that when the Europeans first saw Aztec cities they were stunned by the grid. The Aztecs had city planning and that there was no rational lay out to European cities at the time. No organization.
When the Spanish first arrived in Tenochtitlan (now downtown mexico city) they thought they were dreaming. They had arrived from incredibly unsanitary medieval Europe to a city five times the size of that century’s london with a working sewage system, artificial “floating gardens” (chinampas), a grid system, and aqueducts providing fresh water. Which wasn’t even for drinking! Water from the aqueducts was used for washing and bathing- they preferred using nearby mountain springs for drinking. Hygiene was a huge part if their culture, most people bathed twice a day while the king bathed at least four times a day.
Located on an island in the middle of a lake, they used advanced causeways to allow access to the mainland that could be cut off to let canoes through or to defend the city. The Spanish saw their buildings and towers and thought they were rising out of the water. The city was one of the most advanced societies at the time.
Anyone who thinks that Native Americans were the savages instead of the filthy, disease ridden colonizers who appeared on their land is a damn fool.
Makes me happy to see people learn about the culture of my country 😀
Also, please remember that the idea of a nomadic or semi-nomadic culture being “less intelligent”, “less civilized” (and please unpack that word) was invented by people who wanted to make a graph where they were on the top.
Societies that functioned without 1) staying exclusively in one location or 2) having to make complicated, difficult-to-construct tools to go about their daily lives… were not somehow less valid than others.
In the most recent episode of MTV News: Decoded, a web series that breaks down issues of race and culture, host Franchesca Ramsey looks at racist costumes made for kids.
women refusing to wear anything but shoes that are comfortable and practical is a form of revolution tbh
when my parents made me go to their cultish christian group, i wore high heels –medium height, or close-toed stilettos if everything else about my outfit was sufficiently modest– three times a week for two hours. by the end of the night my feet were two grossly swollen flipper shaped bruises.
when i left my parent’s house i regretted losing practice. i wobble on high heels, balanceless, like i have an ear infection. fifteen minutes in the pain is so present that going out anywhere loses all its charm. they hurt walking on sidewalks and asphalt and cobblestones, they hurt less on hardwood floors, carpets are best because they muffle the sting.
i google “how to wear high heels.”
six hundred ninety six million results advice against taking them off when you sit down because your feet will swell up and they will hurt more when you inevitably have to strap them to your feet again. bustle says take small steps. stylecaster (How to Wear High Heels Without Pain: 8 Expert Tips That Work!) tells me to take breaks from walking. fashionmagazine says pop two painkillers before putting on the shoes. i have a pair of four inch chunky heels (start up heels, the sooner the better). i haven’t worn them once but i don’t sell them because maybe one day there’ll be an occasion that is worth being in pain for.
i think about ballerina feet. i think about the tape and gels sold in stores next to bra straps and sewing kits to make the torture more bearable. i think about how women take pride in taking the pain without flinching, how there’s high heel races, how it’s not impressive that female celebrities do entire, hours long choreographies in high heels, it’s just required. i want to be beyonce’s back-up dancers, doing backflips on ten inch needles.
it’s impressive, the same way learning to write with your right hand because in Catholic school they tied your left hand behind your back is impressive. you stop a woman from running by taking away her mobility and on top you tell her it’s beautiful.
tired: Having children so someone can give you a glass of water on your deathbed wired: Starting to work out right now and working out your entire life so you can get your deathbed water glass your damn fucking self with your 90 year old ripped arms
Im going to be the strongest old person at the nursery home and im going to bully and beat up all my neighbors. and the staff
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