Someone asked me why feminism tends to be exclusive. Short answer: privilege. White women were able to advocate for their own rights without fear of being lynched. Women of color who were outspoken for womens rights were ignored. Middle-class women had the time and money to do it. Lesbians and trans women were generally not able to be out for their own safety. The same prejudices that we face today existed then, but to an even more marginalizing degree. Privilege also includes/included having their opinions held in higher esteem BECAUSE they are/were white, cishet, and middle-class. It isnt that no WoC, poor, disabled, lesbian, or trans women were speaking about the issue, its that those women were silenced and ignored by feminists and mainstream culture because of who they were. Throughout the decades, that privilege has remained and become ingrained, even though it is a movement for equality. Without accepting our privilege and working to change the attitudes that govern feminism, we cant hope to become a more inclusive movement. Were blind to the need for intersectionality because were blind to our privilege and the harm were doing. We, as feminists, need to not only ask what society can do better, but what WE as activists and advocates can do better. We are not exempt from bigotry and prejudice. Without owning and working against that, there is no hope for any of us to overthrow the norms and systems that oppress us all.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:59:08 +0000