Why Feminism?
I somehow fell into feminism when I was about 12. I’m not exactly sure what was the inciting incident, but I one day found myself hyper-aware of injustices and disrespect towards women. Not long thereafter, I read about a soon to be released book by a young sister by the name of Joan Morgan: When Chickenheads Come Home To Roost: My Life As A Hip-Hop Feminist. It sounded almost too good to be true; by this point, I was a straight-up New York-obsessed wannabe b-girl and I had gotten real comfortable using the “feminist” label for myself. And somebody out there had put my two loves together in a book? I was at Barnes and Noble the day it dropped.
While Morgan wrestled with accepting herself as a feminist (and, to some extent, because she did so publicly), I never thought twice about the idea of calling myself that. I never thought about the consequences and challenges I would face from my brothers and sisters. Coming from a Black Nationalist family, my thoughts and views had always been a bit more radical than most of my peers. Adding feminism to the mix just confirmed my place in the ‘militant’ box.
So many of the thoughts and feelings I had about gender during my pubescent exploration of feminism have become the reality of my adult life. Things I suspected have been confirmed and I’m not hardly happy to have been right.
The misogyny and sexism in the Black community is so thick, it frightens me. Over and over again, the Black woman is blamed for the shortcomings of our people and she is portrayed in the media as emasculating, hateful and bitter. I think a feminist paradigm shift would do us so much good, but I think the likelihood of that happening is somewhere in between “Black people getting reparations” and “Black folks ceasing to use the N-word”.
Many of the brothers I speak to presume feminism to be some sort of anti-male crusade designed to bring them down. The irony here is that they believe that feminism would oppress them somehow, but would not use the term “oppressed” to describe the conditions of women in society. But these brothers seem totally convinced that pro-female is inherently anti-male.
What most of our people fail to understand is that both Black men and women would benefit greatly from a intra-cultural feminist movement. Black women by and large have done a lot to lead our people: in some instances, in conjunction with Black male leadership and in others, in lieu of. Black women have proven that we are no less capable of our male counterparts of leading professionally, in the academy, in the pulpit and in the home. And yet, there still seems to be a great deal of sentiment that Black men should somehow restore their ‘rightful’ place at the head of our homes and communities. It simply isn’t so. I believe our men and women should be side by side, leading together.
Why feminism? I have a host of reasons and here are a few of them:
1. The continued insistence that the Black man is the true and rightful leader of the Black community, it’s major institutions (churches, schools, political spaces, etc) and it’s households is contradicted by the historical leadership of Black women. Feminism doesn’t advocate placing Black women at the head of the table alone, but instead, allowing both genders to serve as leaders.
2. One of feminism’s big fights is over the sexual freedom of women: the autonomy to choose lovers as we see fit without the judgment of the community and to travel the world safely without the fear of rape. Many Black men (and women) have embraced a double standard for the sexual behavior of the two genders. The irony here is that men would probably enjoy better sex lives if women felt free to say “yes” or “no” as they truly wanted. Sexually confident and self-possessed women make better lovers, because they aren’t pandering to the whims of a man or repressing their own desires in order to appear “wifeable”. The abandonment of our archaic attitudes about female sexuality could also lead to more open and honest conversations about sex, which could improve our sexual health and cut down on the number of unplanned pregnancies.
3. Feminism in its purest form advocates for gender equality, not simply the promotion of female specific interests. So while feminism rallies against wage gaps and sexist hiring practices, its truest practitioner are also interested in ending gender inequalities that hurt men: disparities in custody and visitation rights, creating a space where men are empowered to be a part of the decision whether or not to become fathers in the first place, addressing the systematic disparities in education that negatively impact Black boys, etc. Feminism is not pro-woman so much as it is pro-equality. We advocate for women’s rights in the spirit of creating equality for all.
4. The Black matriarch is owed a debt of gratitude for being the backbone of the our households when our men were not willing or able to do so. A community-wide feminist consciousness raising would require us to abandon the bitter feelings and sometimes misplaced blame we have toward Black women who raised so many of us on their own. While there are certainly women who have separated good men from their children and others who made criminally unwise choices in the men they chose to mate with, that does not negate the fact that most of us would not be here without the love and support of a Black mother or grandmother.
5. Black men and women are at our best when we are working together for the promotion of our common interests, one of which continues to be the fight against racism. The circumstances of our arrival on these shores and the complicated sister/brother/lover dichotomy have found us too often at odds with one another. If we were able to address and destroy internal conflicts between us, we would be in a better position to fight for racial justice.
As a Black feminist, I have the survival and betterment of the Black man, woman and child as my primary interest. I seek to eradicate bias, violence and other manifestations of hatred towards women. I wish to see the men and women of our race working together, loving and respecting one another. Equal does not mean ‘the same’; feminism doesn’t pretend that men and women are the same. Rather, it poses that our differences, our shortcomings and our gifts are are worth one another.
If the word ‘feminism’ turns you off, focus on the concepts instead: freedom, balance, equality. If that’s up your alley, let’s get it.
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I can truly relate to this article. Often, when people find out that I’m a feminist (and have also been since adolescence) they smirk or get defensive.
Yet we live in a world where men are being programmed to hate women. Hate is a strong term, but you just have to look at the porn and sex (and even media & pop) industry to realise that what men really are being sold is an escape where they can hate and disrespect women.
To me feminism is not about being angry, it’s about healing. All this hate is not benefiting either sex and to be honest it has gone too far and it frightens me too.
I love this. I hate telling people I’m a feminist sometimes because they start to make a bunch of crazy ass assumptions. I don’t even like discussing with people b/c I usually can’t get a word in edgewise. This is the fourth article I’ve seen on feminism in the past couple of weeks and I love it. There are conversations that need to be had and myths that need to be busted. Good work.
because yall women get to have an organized gang full of ABW and society is cool with it. If me and my boys did that, we’re gang bangin like the crips. SMH
As a brother needing a real partner, I appreciate a feminist perspective. Check me out below (see link in name) to see just how much.
I enjoyed your article…I also agree that there should be a two income household…Folks just need to keep in mind that when they start to have kids, it takes away from your funds as well as your alone time with your husband. When I get married, in a land far far away, I don’t want kids until after 3-5 years of just my husband & I…I would actually be content with not having any!
I appreciate you reading Miss Jae. Partnership is very important in my opinion, unfortunately that’s not very “traditional.”
I think your decision is a good move to enjoy your husband before starting a family. Unfortunately just enjoying my wife (whenever she’s revealed) without kids isn’t an option for me. So I’m gonna just have to figure out a way to enjoy her with the kids. :)
I definitely understand where you’re coming from. I think that’s why I’m a fan of having one child (in the future…I have no kids…thank God!…LOL). That way it doesn’t get too stressful & hubby & wifey can still enjoy each other’s company in the company of their child :-)
I love this! And I honestly never gave it much thought before, but it was well written and very positive!
RIGHT ONNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I appreciate this article greatly. Glad to see a black woman not afraid to call themselves the “F-word” all because they fear the wrath of the men.
I enjoyed this article! Thanks for the well written insightful info!
I took Women’s Studies in undergrad, read most of the greats and found feminism does not appeal to me and never will.
I’m progressive, yet traditional, and feminism is a box that doesn’t speak to who/what I am and I don’t find it necessary (as a movement or descriptor) to stand for what I believe or advocate for the equal rights of all.
I’m live and let live but, far too often, *some* of feminism’s tenets bump right into the walls of common damn sense, logic, basic biology, characteristics of successful communities etc.
@Jamilah
Thank you for writing this.
As a Black woman, a Feminist and a Blogger, I take the ways in which White folks treat Black folks and the ways that Black men treat Black women Very seriously.
My Post on Black women and Street harassment has 114 comments on Racialicious.
http://bit.ly/96kNWm
Our work, this writing about Black people, power + sex + race serves to broaden the conversation on what Feminism looks like.
I appreciate what you have said, it is clear and to the point.
Keep writing.
~Renina
Beautiful. As a Black feminist, I gobbled up every word with glee. The funny thing is, just a few days ago, after having had yet another argument with a Black man about why feminism is so important, I pondered giving up feminism via a status update on Facebook. Another feminist stopped me cold, reminding me of why it’s so important to stay in the fight for equality. Your article has done the same. Feminists need each other. The world needs feminism. I am so glad to find more and more Black women standing up for the word–and the ideal.
Thank you for this post.
It was a good article but I have found what feminists say they stand for like many political groups rarely matches their actions. I think the white women feminists instructors I had in college are the some of the worst racists I’ve ever dealt with in my life. it was like they tried to avenge Miss Celie from the sacred text the Color Purple on us or something. We all saw Gloria Steinem and Geraldine Ferraro in action during the Presidential campaign. On the other hand I totally love and respect Melissa Lacewell Harris. That is an incredible woman.
“The Black matriarch is owed a debt of gratitude for being the backbone of the our households when our men were not willing or able to do so”
lol.
The Black Matriarch is the laughingstock of the world. In 40 short years she destroyed her whole community and her own mens goodwill for State/Government Bribes/Sole Mother Custody from Family Courts. Ended up with worst family results for all that marching and is still dumb enough to cheerlead the results and push for more (as the above author). smh.
Holding the hold community back in a plethora of single mother where none of the men, married or otherwise, have no rights to their kids unless she and the Family Courts SAY SO. What a tyrant! It’s a Matriarchy. Holding the whole community hostage for your sad movement. Right on Sistas-Bang-Up Job!
As with the above, the reason so many people are rejecting feminism, are because they are dislikable. And the things they say about men has informed men everything they need to know about its adherents and as such men are avoiding it’s members. Feminist are just mad that men were paying attention. I mean come on, to sit there and BRAG about one of the worst catastrophies to hit our families in decades with it’s coordinate miserable no#s, applaud and “more please”?
The Black Matriarch is an EMBARRASSMENT! but fortunately due to her PRIDE in her wreakage, men are better able to see what to avoid. If Marriage and Family/kids are important to you, it’s important to practice it with those less prone to kidnap you from all of the above. Cause after all, this IS what Feminism looks like, -mini-confetti-.
I don’t know if you truly believe this, or if you’re just trolling. I hope you brought your flame shield, you’re about to catch it.
It’s OK, I understand. Feminist are warbed and insanely tyrannical. They will come erase you.
“Dorsey,
I don’t know what Black women have done to you personally that would warrant such a harsh response, but I hope you heal love,because what you wrote above was just awful to read and imagine.”
Oh please, If Black Matriarchs show the black community any more “love” where going to have to put Lo-Jacks on our homes. Noo, we’re familiar with what black feminist have been really DOING in these Family Courts. Scandalous behavoir. I’ve been able to avoid such a terrible fate as what black women have been doing. No bad experiences or women for the most part (knock on wood). Then I started reading…Oh I’m definitely avoiding the black matriarch now. Too have ACTUAL pride about what she destroyed? All for state/family court bribes and baubles? smh. (You know this is kinda easy stuff to look up, right?) And men are instinctively avoiding them due to this fine experiment in destroying the black family and I’m proud our men who can “sense” something ain’t right w/o knowing exactly what. I Do! We know the LAWS women, that’s were your handiwork happens. It’s like a community kidnapping scheme. Men aren’t allowed to be fathers because feminist and black matriarchs have effectively LEGISLATED it away from em’. It’s a real sneaky scheme that’s why it took so long to see it. Women do NOT want it discussed, believe me. Ya’ll see what happened to the black community? But you gotta go look at the laws to see what women have actually did. It’s just shameful.
Feminism as a group no longer exists. When people point out how they don’t agree with what feminists say, they need to remeber that not all feminists think the same, being a feminist is a very broad term. I think alot has change since many of you have taken gender courses. Feminism is simply understanding that there is gender inequality and wanting to change it. I myself understand why many people dislike feminism. You have Media giants depicting feminists as middle class-white-female- irrational man-hating bra burners.
But here are the facts: Feminism in the 1960s/ 70s (the 2nd wave of feminism) was started by the civil rights movement. Most of it was composed of middle class white women but they did not burn their bras. Women of color did join of course. Not all of these women hated men but all wanted equality. It was in the 80s when Feminism feel apart or better yet when “was hyjacted by the man” as my Men and Masculinities instructuer said. When a leading feminist partnered with conservatives to take down the porn industry.
Personally I view myself as a womanist which is just a category under the larger umberella of Feminism. I do see it as important for both mena nd women to understand that Feminism isn’t just some white woman thing or a woman thing. Feminism is something that concerns all of this especially the black community. Many of whom, including my self and my cousins were raised by single black women. The black communinity isn’t tarnished because black women are raising many of the the children. The black community is weakened because mothers must endure sexism and racism from with in the community and outside of it.
“Feminism as a group no longer exists. When people point out how they don’t agree with what feminists say, they need to remember that not all feminists think the same, being a feminist is a very broad term.”
Yet none of these invisible, wacky sounding different feminisms have stopped their constant put-downs of men and don’t even bother to stop the more virulent ones (psych, that was a joke, their all virulent) from their obvious misandry. Which brand of feminism is that! It’s a hate movement with State/Family court-enforced kidnapping racket. Very loud and mean ring of thieves too.
“You have Media giants depicting feminists as middle class-white-female- irrational man-hating bra burners.”
Yeah right, they almost all are supportive of the effort and speak of it loving tones. Which is WHY they’ve never bothered to discuss the damage Black Women are actually doing in the family courts or the subject of the Mother Sole Custody bias on this country since roughly 73′ Ain’t no one making ya’ll look bad but YALL! and your tattered family structure. Ya’ll pretty much had media endorsements. who are you talking too Silly?. Go back to school.
” The black community isn’t tarnished because black women are raising many of the the children. The black community is weakened because mothers must endure sexism and racism from with in the community and outside of it.”
Good grief, the mind-numbing blah that started of the second part of your post is ridiculous. You have historical depiction but as with all feminist, you make the destruction of our community sound nice. You should do Real Estate. All that equality and women just can’t seem to get to the point of actually sharing custody of the kids, thus dooming us to the “It Takes a Village” wholesale kidnapping of the mens children while they PAY for the treatment. Guess which branch of feminism is upset that women win sole custody roughly 85perc of the time? Psych -another joke. Joint Custody? What a Joke! What have ya’ll done? Scandalous. The Black Community has been weakened because millions of Black Mothers divorced and left Black Fathers for bribes beginning in the 70′s and they’ve been teaching the same tired methods to their daughters, throw in the corrupt family court bias against men and fathers and you get what we have now. Then they turned and for PR purposes, told everybody (and the kids too-have ya’ll NO SHAME)looking that is was actually the fault of men leaving them but they actually lead! lol.
Ahhh! apparently millions of Black Women trying to deflect from their actual Family Destroying activities over the last 40 yrs. is fashionable. Sweetheart, I know your movement (LOL) better than you. OHHH, ohhhhh…which kind of feminism is actually ashamed at what is happening in the Family Courts and to our community VIA women? ‘Nother joke, Sorry!
Dorsey,
I dont buy into the martyrdom of Black Matriach nonsense either, but I think it shows a lack of understanding of the overall big picture to lay the blame for the short comings of the black community at the feet of black womem, and a bit mean spirited to. The failures came about from a team effort. Black women didnt create the war on drugs or bring the drugs into the community that has led to an open season on men. She didnt create the family court laws or child support, she didnt request goverment welfare over jobs and education. It takes two to make a baby so both are at fault when he/she turns out to be a screw up.
There is enough blame to go around.
” Black women didnt create the war on drugs or bring the drugs into the community that has led to an open season on men. She didnt create the family court laws or child support, she didnt request goverment welfare over jobs and education. It takes two to make a baby so both are at fault when he/she turns out to be a screw up.”
Their not responsible for Drugs, there responsible for making sure the first generation to get really tossed by drugs were the generation of young black men who grew up without fathers AFTER THEY HAD ALREADY THROWN THE Fathers away 20 yrs previous. That’s there Bad. BW never defended black men from the Family Court biased laws and child support because they were too busy benefitting, which is why they STILL don’t discuss it now. Because they are compliant and if you touched these laws Black Women would lose their minds. No, there were responsible. I look for the party who has benefitted yet manages to avoid warning men or trying to change it. For most sane people that’s all you need. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. They know what they’re doing so they’re down with it. Period. And YES Black women DID request these laws, where YOU been? Are you really examining the campaign and staff of these administrators? I have. Go check it out. They’ve been there from jump street requesting welfare, jobs and education. Go check the staff of NOW or there member list. I must say that was very poorly done on your part. smh. It may take 2 to make a Baby, Only onje to kill it. Black Women know what they’ve done. It’s not our Bad! I’m not putting their mistakes on my back after all the negatives things they’ve said and still say about black men they threw away? pppftt. Forget it, Please. I know our male mistakes, one was trusting those so easily bribed to throw away the stability of our community. That’s why they rarely speak on it AND you’ll find some dude always willing to defend their 40 yr garbage. That’s changing and the no#s show it. Uh screwed up big time! That’s why they cab’t discuss it. Nice Job Black Women. Viva la Matriarchy. Viva le Kidnap!
What an Embarrassment!
” Black women didnt create the war on drugs or bring the drugs into the community that has led to an open season on men. She didnt create the family court laws or child support, she didnt request goverment welfare over jobs and education. It takes two to make a baby so both are at fault when he/she turns out to be a screw up.”
Their not responsible for Drugs, there responsible for making sure the first generation to get really tossed by drugs were the generation of young black men who grew up without fathers AFTER THEY HAD ALREADY THROWN THE Fathers away 20 yrs previous. Know your no#sThat’s there Bad. BW never defended black men from the Family Court biased laws and child support ((not even now) because they were too busy benefitting, which is why they STILL don’t discuss it now. Because they are compliant and if you touched these laws Black Women would lose their minds. No, there were responsible. I look for the party who has benefitted yet manages to avoid warning men or trying to change laws. For most sane people that’s all you need. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. And I’ve seen the numbers-It’s HOT. They know what they’re doing so they’re down with it. Period. Amazing what they usually very verbose Black Women CHOOSES to be quiet about, No? And YES Black women DID request these laws, where YOU been? Are you really examining the campaign and staff of these administrators? I have. Go check it out. They’ve been there from jump street requesting welfare, jobs and education. Go check the staff of NOW or there member list How about you check the staff of the Congressional Black Caucas. I must say that was very poorly done on your part. smh. It may take 2 to make a Baby, Only one to kill it-Bad Look black women indeed!. Black Women know what they’ve done. It’s not our Bad! I’m not putting their mistakes on my back after all the negatives things they’ve said and still say about black men they threw away? pppftt. Forget it, Please. I know our male mistakes, one was trusting those so easily bribed to throw away the stability of our community. That’s why they rarely speak on it AND you’ll find some dude always willing to defend their 40 yr garbage. That’s changing and the no#s show it. BW screwed up big time! That’s why they can’t discuss it. Nice Job Black Women. Viva la Matriarchy. Viva le Kidnap!
What an Embarrassment!
If a man abandons his child, he gets ordered to pay child support.
If a woman abandons her child, she gets arrested.
Black men have chosen not to participate in raising their children and yet you think that black women are to blame? You divorce your spouse, not your children.
Damn, homey. I don’t mean to assume anything but from what I’m reading you appear to have a LOT of bitterness and anger not only toward black women but black PEOPLE as a whole. If you do, there are some things that you should work out with yourself. If you are playing us all for a fool, then kudos to you in getting this discussion started.
Thanks for your responses Leesa and Twan.
“If a man abandons his child, he gets ordered to pay child support.
If a woman abandons her child, she gets arrested.
Black men have chosen not to participate in raising their children and yet you think that black women are to blame? You divorce your spouse, not your children.”
If a man abandons his child he qualifies to be penalized via child support/Debtors Jail/ Passport/Driver’s License revokement.
A women can abandon her child via Abortion,
Church Steps/Police Station/-It’s the VENUE Leesa, NOT the Act-No Restrooms- still..No Penalty
Thanks for your responses Leesa.
“If a man abandons his child, he gets ordered to pay child support.
If a woman abandons her child, she gets arrested.
Black men have chosen not to participate in raising their children and yet you think that black women are to blame? You divorce your spouse, not your children.”
If a man abandons his child he qualifies to be penalized via Child support/Debtors Jail/ Passport/Driver’s License revokement/Garnishment…
A women can abandon her child via Abortion/Doctors Office/Hospital,
Church Steps/Police Station/-It’s the VENUE Leesa,
NOT the Act
-No Restrooms-
still..No Penalty.
Black Men haven’t chosen to NOT be a part of their children’s lives-Black WOMEN have chosen it FOR them via the the biased Family Courts. Black Women ARE TO BLAME. It’s also why WOMEN LEAD in Divorce. it’s a Scam! It’s the side which is getting penalized the LEAST which acts more irresponsibly and if you knew as a women you had a 87perc chance at Sole Mother Custody Bias of the Family Courts and his garnishment with NO promise of actual contact with said former? what would you do? Black Women are involved, for all intents and purposes in a “Snatch and Grab”. That’s why black matriarchs have kept the conversation on fathers because the no#s and laws say otherwise. It is only the DIALOGUE which stays focused on fathers (who barely win any significant custody across ALL economic strata, married or unmarried). It’s just diversionary, that’s the trick. And as a result now we have more single mother households in the Black Community than we’ve ever had before. Men have a plethora of Fathe-hating laws against them. Ya’ll? Pfft. The Black Matriarchs are pimping Mother Sole Custody Bias in the Black Community, believe it.
-Thanks for your response Twan.
“Damn, homey. I don’t mean to assume anything but from what I’m reading you appear to have a LOT of bitterness and anger not only toward black women but black PEOPLE as a whole. If you do, there are some things that you should work out with yourself. If you are playing us all for a fool, then kudos to you in getting this discussion started.”
I don’t feel our current situation is a reason to pull out Pom-Poms for Feminism, Eco-Feminism, Womanism or any of the others, No, Twan, No I don’t. I think this has been a disaster. I think the Black Matriarch is holding on to some PR to cover up a BAD experiment. I’m sorry, this ain’t been an applause situation. It’s a snatch and grab with constant good PR while the Black Matriarch simultaneously put-down black fathers who don’t even have rights to their own kids..this has been going on for 40 yrsssss. It’s a SCAM. I know where the Fathers are at…they’ve been legally shut-OUT. This isn’t applaudabe.
I’m not applauding failure. They shouldn’t of threw out our Fathers and encouraged the practice over the the next 40 yrs. Look into Family Law results and you’ll SEE what the black matriarch has been really pulling off. They ain’t sharing nothing..Thank you Feminism.
Passionate about the subject? Yes, Hater? No.
Learned?..Most Definitely.
Look at the Family Courts.. (Blows Smoke)
(dream sequence).. “The Family cooouurrtsss…” lol
[...] to check them out. Part three was linked at The Fresh Xpress and my Clutch feature for this week is “Why Feminism?”, a brief rundown of why I think our people need to embrace the concept and [...]
Jason,
I am actually studying a good deal of feminist/womanist theory as I write my thesis and I agree with some of what you are saying. I generally don’t choose social/political terms to describe myself and my “politics” because I am an ever evolving work in progress who may subscribe to one set of ideals one day and reject them the next. In other words, I’m wishy washy. Lol. However, I believe that what you discuss is one of the reasons that feminist theorist like Alice Walker chose to create and usher in the idea of womanism. As Audre Lorde often asserts, many White feminist are racists and for that reason the term feminism has been muddied for many Black women. I always prefer to say I “do gender”, much of the same way I “do race”. I study race and gender because I am a Black woman, and naturally I should. Now this doesn’t mean that I reject Black women who consider themselves feminists because at the core of the feminist movement lies the CHOICE of identification. It is a difficult space to navigate at times, but like everything in life we have to try and find the good in it.
Dorsey,
I don’t know what Black women have done to you personally that would warrant such a harsh response, but I hope you heal love,because what you wrote above was just awful to read and imagine.
Jamilah,
I appreciate this entire series. I hope that one day Black men (who do not already do so) can recognize that being pro woman doesn’t make us any more anti-man than being pro-black makes us anti white. What we seek as women is nothing short of a recognition of our full humanity. If one is a full human being and is not treated as such there will of course be anger and a fight to have that full humanity recognized. I am often astounded that this seems foreign to so many and that it is met with such bitterness and resentment.
I love this quote beloved:
“As a Black feminist, I have the survival and betterment of the Black man, woman and child as my primary interest.”
Thank you.
Jo Nubian,
I agree with most of what you said. Politically I don’t consider myself liberal or conservative because it’s issue by issue with me although I tend to vote democratic because they usual seem less hostile to the community. I’m definitely ‘pro woman’ how can I not be and consider myself community minded. But I admit the ‘F’ word carries a stigma.
I’m a womanist too. It seems like what Jamilah posted falls more in line with womanism than feminism. I hope more black women begin to embrace womanism, not necessarily in lieu of feminism in the beginning, but as a more robust worldview that addresses the double burden of race and gender. Good post!
I am a Black feminist and I actually majored in Women’s Studies in college and I also love Joan Morgan. Hopefully one day you guys will be reading my book. I love this article and I love feminism. Feminism allowed me to truly see the kinds of injustices that exists racially and sexually in our culture. I love men. I love everything about men, but lets be honest here, men have the tendency to oppress, undermine the intelligence, and exploit women daily. For me, feminism isn’t about hating men, but celebrating my womanhood! I respect myself and I respect those around me and feminism is about that mutual respect we all deserve on the basis that we are all just human beings.
i would definitely identify more as a womanist then a feminist because of problematic history of white feminists recognizing racialized gender discrimination and taking on the issues of women as color as major issues for the feminist movement to work on, as oppossed to pushing them to the backburner or not recognizing them as all. mainstream feminism also consistently has an issue with recognizing the issues of queer women. as a womanist, i simply want equity between women and men. i don’t have any general hostility towards men, i just want them to recognize how sexism has negatively impacted women and work WITH us on eradicating some of those issues.
There are so many treasures on this sight. This article is included. I think the problem with feminism is not the term itself, but rather what is associated with that term. When I thought of feminism, I always thought about white women fighting for equal rights with white men. When I read about it and investigated it, all the images I saw were of white women fighting for equal rights white men. To claim feminism was seen by the less knowledgeable was to disown your identity as a person of color. We must forget though that for years and to this day black women sacrificed their identity as women for the sake of the black community… aw hell, really for the sake of black men…. heterosexual black men. However, there is a new feminism philosophy out there that is trying to incorporate not only the struggles in identity for women but trying to understand that in a non-white context. This is the type of feminism I see the author trying to identify with. There is too much blame going on everywhere. All that energy can be put into forming coalitions, starting organizations, creating avenues for black women and black men to explore their gender AND sexual identities and work to positively uplift the community TOGETHER.
Articles like this always make me feel better, because I really couldn’t have written it any differently. And I got this little nugget:
I think a feminist paradigm shift would do us so much good, but I think the likelihood of that happening is somewhere in between “Black people getting reparations” and “Black folks ceasing to use the N-word”.
I choose the term feminist because I want people to understand that I “reps for the ladies”. Far too often in our community, Black women are expected to be Black first, female second – quick to call out the transgressions of “the man”, but letting “boys be boys”, when it comes to the brothers.
wow, i was just thinking of this topic because there is a show on TV One called Black Men Unplugged or some such nonsense and the segment that I saw was hateful. They were talking about why black men don’t call back after a date and basically threw up the same old tired played out tropes about black women being too demanding and desperate, and of course one dude was married and in an interracial relationship claiming cause he can’t handle black women’s attitudes.
i mean, those who even claimed to be happily married on the show were cosigning to this bs. It is one thing to describe your particular experience, but to ascribe characteristics to a whole swathe of people is just lazy and dumb, especially when your experience (being happily married) says otherwise. why can’t people be treated as individuals, instead of being misaligned due to the accuser’s baggage.
boo and double boo.
sorry, the man in the interracial relationship was single, and those claiming to be happily married said they were married to black women.
my frustration with that TV show caused me to write too hastily!