Black Women : To Hell and Back: Confessions of a Black Feminist

Queenie

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Feb 9, 2001
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Why do some people have problems when a Black woman identifies herself as a "feminist"?

Should a Black woman only be concerned with racism and ignore sexism?

There are some who blame Black feminists for the demise of the Black family. They think being a feminist makes a Black woman too aggressive, less subservient to her man, sexually promiscuous, morally corrupt by promoting single-motherhood and unable to raise sons.

Some people think that to be a feminist means you're a lesbian and must hate men in order to fight sexism.

During the 60s and 70s, many Black women were already race-conscious but they also became gender-conscious as well. Many of these women were becoming prominent writers and activists in their own right.

Some say that all feminists are opposed to "catering" to their husbands or partners needs. If she does and her husband also caters to her needs, what does that make her?

Some women "sell" sex: prostitution, pornography, music videos, etc. Some say that these women create a stereotype and make it bad for all women. Do you blame the women, the men who participate, both, or none.

If a man opposes the oppression of sexism, is he a "feminist"?

Can a feminist also be a Christian, a Muslim or practice any other religious dogma?

A Black woman tells of her struggle to discover who she is and calls herself a feminist.

http://www.blackculturalstudies.org/wallace/hellandback.html
 
Originally posted by kemetstry
:cool:

Because racism for us is a much bigger problem than feminism. If the issue of racism is solved, both genders would have better financial lives and more respect.
:eek:

How do you weigh the difference between racism and sexism?

What makes you think that sexism is only about finances and respect?

So you, a Black man, has taken it upon yourself to conclude for ALL Black people, that how we're treated as Blacks is more important than how Black women are treated?

Why can't they both be important? So, what is the source of your information?

Peace
 
Keme...I think you're mixing things up a bit.

First of all, Civil Rights Laws includes race and gender. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race and gender, etc. The civil rights movement is not confined to race, but also includes gender, among other issues.

Sex discrimination is an act. Sexism is a combination of attitudes and treatment. Sexism is not just about equal pay for equal work for women. Your commentary is extremely narrow and I'm speaking of a much broader issue.

I agree affirmative action is still important although I do think it needs to be revisited and fine tuned. For admissions policies, there's no uniform way affirmative action is practiced and that's where institutions get into trouble. For employment, affirmative action standards are proscribed with a standard formula.

For Black women, I don't think addressing both "isms" is a waste of precious energy. In fact, I don't see how one can be successful without the other. Both deal with one's perception of rights to how people should be treated in a society. How can a Black woman feel complete if she has freedom as a Black person but not as a woman?
 
It's obvious I don't view sex discrimination and sexism the same as you. That's okay. I'm not sure that you understand where I'm coming from when I say that ALL "isms" are wrong and should be eradicated if they subject anyone to oppression and discrimination based on who people are which I consider superficial and biased reasoning.

Let me see if I can explain this one more time. Women, as a gender, as a group, are oppressed. In some societies more than others, women experience oppression of some sort because she's a woman.

Now, Black people are oppressed. In some societies more than others, Black people experience oppression in some form or another simply because of their origin and color of their skin.

As a Black woman, I'm in a dual dilemma, often referred to as a two-edged sword, for the reasons given above. Comparatively, men, overall, are not oppressed. BLACK men are however.

If anyone experiences oppression of any type, thinks it's wrong, suffers from the effects of it, and fights to do away with it, then they should understand why it shouldn't be tolerated in any form. How can a Black man want the freedom to "be" and not want the same for his woman in all aspects?

I don't think that I made an assumption that we can't gain freedom together. What I asked you was why you thought that addressing sexism was a waste of precious energy? I also stated my belief that unless a Black woman can be freed from sexist treatment, she will not fully experience what it truly means to be free.

MHO...of course.
 

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