Women of Color and Feminism:

30 years later the problem is still the same

Audre Lorde

Mary Daly

 

 

Amanda Marcotte

 

Anthea Butler

In examining the writings of these four women, from 1979 and 2013, they are basically saying the same thing that both white women and black women are

actively involved in the feminist movement, but the struggles and issues are not the same.

In 1979, Audre Lorde,  wrote An Open Letter to Mary Daly. Both women consider themselves to be radical feminists; however, Lorde is a black Caribbean-American writer while Daly is a white American writer.  Lorde’s letter criticized Daly for dealing with mainly the view of white women regarding feminism. Lorde said, “As an African-American woman in white patriarchy, I am used to having my archetypal experience distorted and trivialized, but it is terribly painful to feel it being done by a woman whose knowledge so much touches my own.” Lorde discussed Daly’s exclusion of insight as to women of color in her analysis of the feminist movement. She stated that “the oppression of women knows no ethnic nor racial boundaries, true, but that does not mean it is identical within those differences.” She concludes her letter with the statement that “beyond sisterhood is still racism” indicating that white women, even with true beliefs in feministic values, do not understand the role of black women.

Almost 30 years later, black women are STILL telling white women that they are excluding the struggles of black women in their views on feminism. Amanda Marie Marcotte is a white American blogger best known for her writings on feminism.  Anthea Butler is an author of books on women, religion, and politics. Butler wrote a commentary that appeared in the RH Reality Check, a daily publication that provides a public forum for ideas and opinions. In July of 2013, Butler published a reply to Marcotte’s presentation at the Netroots Nation conference, not to bash Marcotte just as Lorde did not want to destroy her view of Daly, but to open her eyes to the reality of problems with the feminist movement and women of color. Butler discusses Marcotte’s avoidance of the importance of intersectionality. She also discusses that blacks must first consider race, racism, and economic and social injustices before they can simply focus on ‘women’s issues’ mentioned by Marcotte. 

Website references:

http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/lordeopenlettertomarydaly.html

http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/07/28/women-of-color-and-feminism-a-history-lesson-and-way-forward/

Race is a Feminist Issue

Women battle discrimination based on their sex for equal pay, equal benefits, and equal treatment. But women of color, regardless if they are black, Asian, Native American, or Vietnamese battle an intersectionality of sexism and racism. In the feminist movement for equal treatment, women must be color blind as they unite to help one another. The article titled, “Race is a Feminist Issue,” Shavon McKinstry discusses that feminism must remember that “not all women are white, heterosexual, able-bodied, and cis-gendered.” Feminism must also be intersectional.

The feminist movement is not only concerned about the wage gap and equality in the work place; issues of concern include abortion, domestic violence, rights to education, and sexual assault. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was left to expire by the Senate and House in 2011. The “sticking point has been new protections for three particularly vulnerable groups: undocumented immigrants, members of the LGBT community, and Native Americans.” Feminism must include all women if they are to work for change. Women regardless of their color come from all different backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, and cultures. Not all women have the same concerns, but without unity, the efforts toward change will be left to expire just like the VAWA.

Feminism is an issue for the equality of women around the world because women’s rights and human rights are interchangeable. It has become a global issue according to a 2013 issue published by the Association for Women’s Rights in Development. Jazeera states in his 2013 article that “tackling the gender inequalities and critical barriers that prevent women and girls from exercising their rights and empowering themselves must be at the heart of our efforts to create sustainable, prosperous and resilient societies.” Inequality slows economic growth and causes harm in all countries around the world.

It is time to unite to work together to end discrimination and inequality for all. 

Website reference:

http://www.sparksummit.com/2013/01/01/race-is-a-feminist-issue/

          http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/12/09/1167923/-Hey-House-GOP-How-many-Native-women-will-be-raped-today

http://www.awid.org/News-Analysis/Issues-and-Analysis/Women-s-rights-are-human-rights-now-more-than-ever

 

Who are 'Women of Color'?

Several of the women feminist writers discuss ‘women of color.’ Kimberle Crenshaw discusses intersectionality regarding women of color. Barbara Ehrenreich discusses the roles as household workers for ‘women of color.’     However, there is an interesting article by Lindsey Yoo that is title: Feminism and Race: Just Who Counts As a ‘Woman of Color’? Yoo discusses that Asian-American women are often overlooked when it comes to discussing the problems and issues affecting women of color. 

When a student asked her professor why a Japanese-American activist, Yuri Kochiyama, was not mentioned in the civil rights movements, according to this article, the professor answered that ‘bringing an Asian into the discussion on civil rights would just confuse people.’  This is exactly the same feelings expressed in the film, Iron Jawed Angels, about black women when they asked to be part of Alice Paul’s fight for the right to vote-that they would ‘confuse’ the issue.

Lindsey Yoo, Anthea Butler, Audre Lorde, and others argue that feminism must focus on more than just the issues that matter to privileged, white women.  Yoo states, “Our community needs conversations that explicitly demonstrate how the struggles of Asian, Latina, and other women who fall outside the black-white binary are inextricably linked with the oppression of others.” Just like black women, Asian, Latina, Vietnamese, and Native American women are oppressed because they are women and ‘persons of color.’ Lorde’s statement that, “beyond sisterhood there is still racism” applies to ALL women of color. Feminism is a movement for all women and there are different struggles for different races and ethnicities which must be considered to be effective in changing society’s discrimination against women.    

Website reference:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/09/12/221469077/feminism-and-race-just-who-counts-as-a-woman-of-color

                                   

Native American Feminism

Feminism is not the most important priority of the Native American Indian woman. According to Andrea Smith, “We are American Indian women, in that order. We are oppressed, first and foremost as American Indians, as peoples colonized by the United States of America, not as women.” Some of the oppressions that face these women include communities with high incidents of alcohol and drug abuse, violence, and mental health problems including suicide. 

American Indians have the highest rates of binge drinking, drunk driving, and alcohol-related fatal crashes. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is also a large problem in the American Indian community.  FAS is commonly found in many newborns causing learning, memory, communication, vision, and hearing problems as children grow older and is caused by mothers drinking alcohol during their pregnancy. Native American Women suffer violent crimes at a rate three and half times greater than the national average and suffer high rates of sexual abuse. In tribes that follow tribal rules, the husband is almost always awarded custody of the children so these women often remain in abusive relationships to keep their children. 

Native American women cannot turn to the federal legal system because of the tribal jurisdiction. However, the National Organization for Women (NOW) has donated $4 million dollars to help improve services for Native American women. 

Website references:

http://www.womenshealth.gov/minority-health/american-indians/alcoholism-drug-abuse.html

http://www.now.org/nnt/spring-2001/nativeamerican.html

     http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight-blog/2013/8/28/5-huge-native-americanhealthissuesyoudontknowabout.html