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Gloria Steinem Intersectional Feminism

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Gloria Steinem: Female Activist Gloria Steinem rose to national fame as a feminist leader in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s for her work as a journalist, activist and political organizer. Her tireless efforts to lobby for social and economic equality allowed Gloria to emerge as an enduring symbol of female liberation. She advocates for intersectional feminism which examines the intersections where forms of oppression overlap and looks at the institutions and conditions hindering women from advancing as a whole. Gloria adapts her approach to issues as the social and political landscape transforms and she continues to promote an intersectional feminist agenda in a paradoxical world where many changes have occurred, but many issues remain. …show more content…

The focus of her advocacy has shifted throughout the years to keep up with the changing roles of women and the setbacks and advances that have occurred for women. Gloria follows the form of feminism modern feminist regard as “intersectional feminism”. This type of feminism acknowledges the intersections where forms of oppression for women including sexism, racism, transphobia, homophobia, islamophobia, and ableism coincide and intensify. Gloria recognizes various aspects of oppression intertwine, thus, she participates in social justice issues that are not intrinsically about gender, but affect many women. For example, Gloria and other women peace activists walked the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea advocating an end to the conflict between the two countries and militarism around the world (Costa-Roberts). Despite her many global travels and initiatives, Gloria continues to receive criticism from individuals both within and outside of the feminist movement. Many admonish her because she has not yet commented on the Syrian Crisis or the Palestinian occupation. Thus, many regard her feminism as western-elitist feminism or white feminism. She addressed these concerns by stating, "There is no such thing as white feminism. If you call it white, it's not feminism. It either includes all women, or it’s not feminism” (Makers). She frequently reminds individuals that it was disproportionately women of color, especially black women, who created the feminist movement. She contends that erasing black women’s integral contributions disgraces the founders of the movement and eradicates the efforts of feminism’s true founding

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