Rosen 2

Left out of John Lewis's Walking with the Wind was a disclosure of exactly how women were treated within SNCC. Lewis did discuss sex, drugs, and briefly discussed women's roles but made little issue of it. Rosen's take on the sex was more articulate. According to Rosen sex within the organization was very layered. For some interracial sex occurred for the thrill, some were interested for just crossing the taboo grounds. Other times, northern white women were told to keep sex quite as it would ruin the reputations of the black men within SNCC. There were other women who were told to be successful organizers they needed to sleep with the men in SNCC to show their devotion. This was a very common sexual occurrence. Unlike men women had to validate themselves sexually to prove their loyalty to the organization. I wonder why this never made Lewis's book?

Rosen 1

Women during the 1950's had different sexual roles than men. Women were supposed to have the meeker role while men were the acceptable aggressor. There was a standard that women were supposed to follow. The order went from men giving the pen, to the class ring, to the Varsity jacket, to the fraternity letters, then engagement..or something like that. This signified the steps of the relationship. During these stages physical activity went from holding hands, to kissing , to necking, and ended with "heavy petting." Each physical stage correlated with each symbolic gift that was received by the female. All this was a supposed LIE, but nonetheless the standard in which women were held to. Thank God, times have changed I never made varsity, never had a class ring, and never considered a fraternity.

Lewis 4

A sad ending to a fantastic book. It was disappointing to find that Lewis left SNCC, or more so SNCC had no more use of him. A man who was there from the beginning at sit-ins in local coffee shops to signing contracts with Rosa Parks, Dr. MLK Jr., and President Johnson, became an inconvenience for the organization which he helped found. His legacy he leaves behind is that any one can start a revolution. At any time, or any place it merely takes a small group of individuals to unite and over come injustice and despite the size of the obstacle, there is no barrier to high. And, it can all start with one.