The authors stress that the impact of patriarchy on women, along with issues of class and race, is significant. They view intersectionality as an aspect to consider when understanding oppression. By defining it as the connection between forms of discrimination like racism, sexism, and classism, they set the stage for their argument. They believe that looking at intersectionality offers an approach to addressing the hurdles black women encounter and stresses the need to consider various forms of oppression in fights for freedom. In their analysis, they show how intersectionality shapes their views on justice and feminist
In the article The Politics of Black Women’s Studies by Akasha Hull and Barbara Smith, Hull and Smith studiously literate the politics and controversy around the fundamentals of black women’s studies in the past and modern day. Furthermore, the ideology of the article falls under the premise that racism and prejudice are still current and prominent factors that affect the development of black women’s studies in the way it is taught in universities, and the role it takes upon the lives of black women. To begin, it is evident that the premise of the article is solely based on the pros and cons that derive from black women attempting to exist in a white man’s world by making a name for themselves in society. Hull and Smith state that “the necessity
Black women are one of the most oppressed groups in the world. Black women have to deal with discrimination because of their race, and then on top of that, their gender. There are many movements/ideologies involved with the oppression of women, but there is one that really speaks in the interests of women of African descent. In the article “Africana Womanism: The Flip Side of a Coin,” Clenora Hudson-Weems discusses what Africana womanism is and how it relates to feminism/black feminism/womanism, Black male/female relationships, and the Black family dynamic. Hudson-Weems argues that Africana womanism is not an addition to feminism, womanism, or Black feminism, but instead it is an ideology for women of African descent to follow.
Theoretical Critique: Shirley Chisholm's speech reflects feminist perspectives on equality and rights, aligning with theories that advocate for gender equality in all spheres of life. Chisholm argues for the ERA as a means to address systemic discrimination and inequality faced by women in society. Her advocacy for the ERA is grounded in feminist theory, which posits that gender equality is essential for the realization of human rights and social justice. Chisholm's speech also navigates the intersectionality of race and gender, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by Black women and other marginalized groups. By incorporating feminist theory into her arguments, Chisholm underscores the importance of addressing intersecting forms of oppression.
Davis, Angela Y. Women, Race, & Class. New York: Random House, 1981. Print. Kaba, Amadu Jacky. "Race, Gender And Progress: Are Black American Women
Because their politic started with an anti-racist and anti-sexist lens they expanded their understanding of the personal is political in order to value the most undervalued people in these current systems. The way they theorized the personal as political came from a realization that “the cultural and experiential nature of [their] oppression” has to be conceptualized in a way that not only focuses their experiences but one that doesn’t rely on the biological or ontological argument in order to build their politics. Therefore, by necessity they had to explicitly value black women and their experiences; They did so by building their politic around love and collective action. Their experience as being largely disregarded by both the black liberation movement and the women’s movement, either because of gender or race respectively, they felt they needed to create a new inclusive politic, a politic that could identify with the struggles of third world, women, and working class people.
Based on their ethnicity, gender, and economic situation, the characters in the book experience prejudice and marginalization. The experiences of black women, who confront particular difficulties because of their ethnicity and gender, are highlighted in the book. Black women still experience bias and discrimination in both the job and in their personal life, which is a problem
Morgan’s analysis is founded on the life of a black woman who lives in a complex world where her freedom is constrained. Feminist women have to have informal affairs so as to ensure that their freedom is not violated. Evidently, feminism has resulted in women realizing their freedom by bleaching the traditional
An intersectional examination of the challenges of African Americans reveals that there are various factors that aide in the oppression of this group. Race, gender, and sexuality are all interlocking aspects to the challenges face by Black men and women. Three scholarly pieces that examine these interconnected issues and the affect that they have are “The Combahee River Collective Statement”, Black Sexual Politics by Patricia Hill Collins, and “Hip-Hop Feminist” by Joan Morgan. Each of these text argue for an understanding of Black people, and specifically Black women, in a manner that does not put race before gender and sexuality. While “The Combahee River Collective Statement” and Black Sexual Politics both seek to examine gender and sexuality
As black women always conform under patriarchal principles, women are generally silenced and deprived of rights because men are entitled to control everything. Women are silenced in a way that they lose their confidence and hesitate to speak up due to the norms present in the society they live in. Hence, even if women have the confidence to try to speak, men wouldn’t bother to listen since men ought to believe that they are superior to women. In addition to that, women often live in a life cycle of repetitions due to patriarchal principles since women are established to fulfill the roles the society had given them. It is evidenced by Celie as she struggles to survive and to define oneself apart from the controlling, manipulative, and abusive men in her life.
It is crucial for feminism, specifically white feminists, to acknowledge the shortcomings of the movement. Kendall argues that white women must recognize their privilege and how it can be used to perpetuate oppression. She notes that white women are not just “passive beneficiaries” of racist oppression. Instead, they have actively participated in white supremacy and racism. Throughout history, the myth of white women lacking the power to oppress others has been perpetuated.
This statement provides an analysis of oppression and its intersections, spotlighting the experiences of black women and LGBTQ+ individuals within the liberation struggle. The statement emphasized the intertwinings of racism, sexism, classism, and other forms of oppression, asserting that any form of liberation must address the collective identities and experiences of marginalized communities that are within an already heavily marginalized world. They stated, "We believe that the most profound and potentially most radical politics come directly out of our own identity" (BlackPast, The Combahee River Collective Statement 1977). This quote best demonstrates the Collective's commitment to centering the voices and experiences of those most marginalized within society, rejecting mainstream feminism's failure to address the needs of black women and other marginalized groups. The women sought to include the forgotten, marginalized people in the journey toward liberation because no other movement ever saw them as a priority in the expansive trek of the civil rights movement.
Race and sexuality are sometimes perceived as exclusive of one another; a person has a racial identity and a separate sexual identity. In mainstream society, the default racial identity is White and the default sexual identity is heterosexual, while other racial and sexual identities are seen as marginal. This can be detrimental for individuals with intersecting marginalized identities, such as a lesbian Argentinian woman or a bisexual Black man. Although it is easier to view race and sexuality as separate concepts, race and sexuality are deeply connected to each other, and they influence one another as well. Racist ideologies shape the perceptions of the sexualities of different racial and ethnic groups, which in turn affect how individuals in these
Black women, for instance, have faced unique and often overlooked challenges in their struggle for equality, such as the intersecting forms of discrimination they encounter as both women and people of color. Learning about their experiences has deepened my understanding of the ways in which multiple forms of oppression can converge and shape people's lives. Black history has taught me important lessons about resilience, solidarity, intersectionality, and progress. It has also given me hope for the future, as Black Americans have made progress towards achieving equality in various spheres of American life. Through sharing my thoughts and experiences, I hope to inspire others to appreciate the significance of Black history and work towards creating a world where everyone can thrive, regardless of their race or social
In, this assignment I chose to examine Black Feminism and Critical Race Theory. The articles I chose gave me a voice to my thoughts. While, reading and studying these articles it reminded me of the reasons that I chose to pursue Higher Education. In reading the Mizra article, Decolonizing Higher Education: Black Feminism and the Intersectionality of Race and Gender the purpose of the paper is laid out clearly within the abstract. Stating the paper will be unearthing the intricacies of women of color in the world of higher education utilizing her experiences as well as historical data such as the Indian women suffragettes.
