In her address, “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House (1979), Audre Lorde exposes racism and classism within the feminist movement. As a result of feminists adopting the same method used by our patriarchal society of separating women by their differences, or ignoring them altogether, they were in reality perpetuating oppression and failing to promote and accomplish change. While Lorde’s analysis was correct at that time, today her vision “Define and conquer in our world must become define and empower” (p.27) is coming to fruition. If want to initiate change however, our focus needs to shift away from exploiting our past inadequacies and focus instead on our strides toward unity and inclusion.…
In “Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy,” Andrea Smith proposes that organizing efforts for women of color have been ineffective, as they fail to recognize the heteropatriarchy framework undermining their platform. This political and social framework creates a divisive environment of “oppressive Olympics,” where groups are vying for the title of most beleaguered (66). In addition, numerous efforts to organize have been plagued by the sentiment that all minorities have experienced the same subjugations and consequently, share similar objectives for liberation (67). However, as Ms. Smith, demonstrates “racism and white supremacy…is (not) enacted in a singular fashion; rather, white supremacy is constituted by separate and distinct, but interrelated logics” (67). This premise serves as the backdrop for the three pillars of white supremacy; Slavery/Capitalism, Genocide/Colonialism and Orientalism/War, which all address how women of color are victimized in diverse ways. The first pillar of slavery/capitalism is based on the historic value of blacks as slaves, which implies they were not part of humanity but rather a commodity, “nothing more than property” (67). Unfortunately, even though slavery was abolished, this logic remains imbedded in the patriarchal system and is most evident in the “prison industrial complex” (67). The second pillar of genocide/colonialism states that for colonialism to exist, it must procure the resources of…
Among all the justice related issues both Audre Lorde, author of “Sister Outsider,” and Alike, the protagonist from the movie Pariah address issues regarding sexual discrimination and racism. Both of these women are black, lesbian, females who operate as every other person but are seen as different due to their sexual orientation. Lorde expresses herself as being classified by others as deviant, inferior, or just plain wrong because she is lesbian (Pg. 114). Alike, as well as Lorde, endured the same dehumanizing language used against her by not only strangers but her own mother. All of this to show how similar and prevalent these women’s experiences still occur in the 21st century. Whether it be recognizing the issues of racism against blacks,…
Sara Ahmed’s critique of white studies centered itself around the problems that arise when white people attempt to critically evaluate the role their own complacency has played in propagating white privilege. Ahmed points out, through her six declarations on whiteness, that the main issue associated with white studies is that, in its attempt to present itself as not self-serving, most of what actually results serves to reinforce the dominance of whiteness and prioritize the feelings of white individuals over those that the writer, whether deliberately or inadvertently, has deemed as “other”. Ahmed would have focused on the self serving elements of Peggy McIntosh’s piece, deconstructing McIntosh “unpacking of [the] invisible knapsack”. In doing so, Ahmed would seek to reveal that despite how commendable McIntosh’s intentions may have first appeared, her piece is actually far more beneficial for her than it beneficial for actually resolving the problems of white privilege.…
Tolan, Fiona. Margaret Atwood: Feminism and fiction. Amsterdam; Rodopi, 2007.Johnson, Yvonne. The voices of African American Women. New York; Lang cop, 1998…
As the whole document is depicting of the women’s’ fight for their rights, it is clear that women will do anything to protect their interest and also that they are not completely powerless since they have the numbers and determination. The acts that the women did to protest against the taxation also shows that the women have the ability to protect their own interest. Adichie’s documentary makes me realize that there are two sides to everything and we should not let our prejudice and one sided stories told by someone else to judge a group of people. I like how she bring across these messages by using the examples of her life experiences of that just because Fidha is poor, it does not mean that they are not hardworking and not trying to have a better life. It also makes me reflect upon myself of how I view the Africans with sympathy and not empathy because of all the stories and images that…
The main problem being discussed in this reading is the effect of social conflict and the distinctive differences of minorities in society. This reading particularly points out the struggles that African American men and women face in society compared to Whites. The author’s reason for writing this is to exemplify how it is challenging for African-Americans to fuse their subculture with their overall American identity. The author also points out black feminism and how feminism as a whole is associated to various issues such as race and class and how the power of African-Americans, women in particular, are looked down upon. This is important to sociology because it brings a different perspective into the lives of African-Americans that some…
Taylor, Ula Y. "Women in the Black Radical Tradition." Reading Men and Nations (1999): 72-80. Print.…
Karenga, Malauna. Introduction to Black Studies. Los Angeles: University of Sankore Press –Third Edition, 2002.…
[6] Boris, E. (1994). Dialogue: Gender, Race, and Rights: Listening to Critical Race Theory. Journal of Women 's History, 6(2), 111. Retrieved from America: History & Life database.…
References: Collins, Patricia Hill. 1990. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. Routledge.…
According to Lindsey (2010), Patriarchy is perceived as the perpetuator of female subjugation and disadvantage within all societies (Institute of Economic Affairs, 2008). Globally, all social structures are male-dominated and uphold androcentric norms which favour men over women and define women’s oppression as being confined to unalterable biological determinants (Parpart, et al, 2008; Kishanger, 2007:3). This androcentric culture is particularly evident in the African history (Parpat et al, 2000). Women themselves deeply internalise and adhere to these norms and perceive themselves as being unsuitable for non-domestic roles. This explains the cross cultural perception that girls only end up in marriage and therefore any investments on them accrue to the benefits of their marital families upon marriage (Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), 2008). Thus the historical and global evidence of…
In The Combahee River Collective Statement, Zillah Eisenstein addresses intersectionality by describing how race, sex and class are interrelated and all causes of oppression. The author explains how a collection of Black feminists are fighting against heterosexual, class, racial and sexual oppression. As a Black feminist, Zillah Eisenstein sees Black feminism as a “logical political movement to combat the manifold and simultaneous oppressions that all women of color face” (Eisenstein 1).…
_I am Your Sister: Black Women Organizing Across Sexualities (Audre Lorde)_ - A Critical Reflection Paper - Personal Review…
Personal Narratives carry more authority than scholarly studies, because they are the voices of women varying in color, ethnicity, nationality, religion, and cultural background. The feminist movement operates on the assumption that experiences of upper-middle class white women represent a universal female identity. In order for the feminist movement to gain traction, we must recognize the systemic oppression faced by women with multiple dimensions to their identity, and embrace their stories, experiences, and views (Gillis, S. 2004).…