Comments on: On Feminism, Part 2

By: What’s in a name? « I’m Just Not Impressed

What’s in a name? « I’m Just Not Impressed — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:10:34 +0000

[...] out of our collective asses. We need to recognize that feminism – right now, today, in 2008 – reinforces white privilege. Feminists should know our history. We should know and acknowledge that [...]

By: danadocus

danadocus — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:24:57 +0000

just anyone who believes in equal rights for women.

different people mean different things when they say women, and i think it’s about more than rights – such as access to opportunity, resources, representation, equal respect, equal pay, elimination of sexual violence. you could frame a lot of that as “rights”, but they aren’t a part of any kind of human rights law that i know of.

By: hara

hara — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:35:20 +0000

I was going to comment again.

I was with a few friends and had a discussion over lunch today
about choosing womanism and feminism.
We pretty much agreed (after loudly discussing) that if we would like feminism to be inclusive- we have to claim it as such.
The definition is so simple-
just anyone who believes in equal rights for women.
Womanism is important to – it stands as a reminder that feminism is not yet inclusive.

BTW
T is also Hara (notice the same link to my journal.)

By: T

Wed, 14 May 2008 23:38:33 +0000

yes, yes, yes on many points.
And then I remember a when girl asked, “When black men got the vote, why didn’t black women get to vote too?”
of the many different ways that teacher could have answered, he decided to say,” Men take care of women and back then a man was voting for himself and a woman- so women didn’t need to vote.”

Can you imagine?
Of course you can.
I can’t number how many times I’ve heard people say, “stand behind your man, he’ll pave the way and take care of you.” It’s said in neighborhoods where many households are head by single mothers. It’s said in bourgie land. It’s said all over and it makes a great case for womanism.

By: Women by Women « Reading While Black

Women by Women « Reading While Black — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:50:33 +0000

[...] is dominated by women, there is a subconscious attitude that there is nothing to fight (that opens a whole ‘nother can of worms) and that the genre is feminist because it supposedly frees sexual shackles and gives women a safe [...]

By: Jarod HM

Jarod HM — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:46:50 +0000

I remember part I, all to well. Aaminah was not content with my attempt to provide reading material which I (and my Egyptian Muslim professor who assigned the reading in my grad class) thought could help others explore the world of Muslim feminist scholarship.

Gloria Steinem is the Al Sharpton of the feminist world. Every no and again she stumbles onto a tenable position, but most of the time she says things that perpetuates a whole host of stereotypes.

Back on my old, somewhat defunct blog, I wrote a piece about her sex negative actions, in not supporting the Sex Worker Rights Movement. I agree with isaidfeminist. Things in feminist will stay the same if there are not WoC, really PoC, queer folks, and other calling for change. We can’t wait for bell hooks or Barbara Smith to do all the work. We need call people like Steinem on their BS.

By: Danny

Danny — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:30:53 +0000

I’ve been having lots of thoughts swirling in my head lately (if I can get them collected properly I’ll start blogging on them) and this is one that has come recently.

I must admit that I did not see the constant barrage of white privilege coming from the feminist mainstream until recently (I think because I was blinded by the female privilege they refuse to acknowledge the existence of) and being a man of color I have to apologize.

I’ve noticed in the last year or so that the “Oppression Olympics” have been heating up. Obviously one of the big catalysts for this explosion is the fact that we are looking at having a non-white or a female Democratic candidate which could lead to having the first nonwhite or female president. The mainstream feminists have been on a very diligent watch over anything that could be interpreted as sexist towards Clinton (and there is no doubt such content is out there). They are paying attention to the racism Obama is dealing with but it seems to me that they are just “begging for a cookie”.

I just fell onto this site after following long series of links and so far it seems interesting.

By: Hope in Days of Silence « Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Hope in Days of Silence « Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:32:37 +0000

[...] is what left-wing activists, queer communities and sci-fi geeks sometimes share–imagining a wholly different kind of economy, and/or new and liberating [...]

By: Mid-Week Recommended Reading « don’t ya wish your girlfriend was smart like me?

Mon, 05 May 2008 09:32:20 +0000

[...] Angry Black Woman On Feminism [...]

By: Katie

Katie — Sun, 04 May 2008 23:48:08 +0000

Thanks, ABW, for voicing this important critique yet again. I’ve been seeing a lot of critiques of whiteness in blogland lately, though, which is encouraging.

Personally, I don’t care what we call it, as long as radical gender politics gets addressed. If some women organizing against patriarchy in South Africa as part of the movement to fight HIV/AIDS find “feminism” a useful term, great. If not, fine, and understandable. The point is the work, not the name.

Thanks again for your wisdom: this young feminist of color is much obliged.

ps: was a bit star-struck seeing you at the We B(e)lo(n)g of-color caucus at WAM. ;)