“The root of the word “oppression” is the element “press”… Something pressed is something caught between or among forces and barriers which are so elated to each other that jointly the restrain, restrict or prevent the thing’s motion or mobility” (Frye, 84-85). Oppression is something felt by many different social groups in societies around the world. The feminist movement is one that sets out to dismantle sexist oppression. Marilyn Frye describes an oppression that she believes is common to all women despite ethnic or racial differences. Kimberlé Crenshaw, in her Tedtalk, however, argues that there is a common experience between females of different social groups due to certain constructs in society, and Audre Lorde discusses how crucial it …show more content…
To explain this Kimberlé Crenshaw, in her TedTalk, “The Urgancy of Intersectionality,” suggests the idea of intersectionality, which is: the overlapping of social justice problems that create many degrees of social injustice (Crenshaw). Her particular studies hinge of the fact that the intersectionality of being African American and a woman leaves women of color to often “fall through the cracks” of both the feminist and anti-racism movements (Crenshaw). In her article, “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color”, in the Stanford Law Review, Crenshaw describes a time she was trying to get statistics of domestic violence arrests from the LAPD but she was unable to see the data because activist, on both sides, thought the data would be used undermine their respective causes; for feminists, it could be interpreted that domestic violence is a minority issue thus not an issue to address as aggressively, and to anti-racists the data would paint men of minorities as more violent therefore reinforcing stereotypes of men of color (Crenshaw, 1252-1253). This demonstrates the underrepresentation of women of color on the feminist and anti-racist front, demonstrating Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality. Also in contest to Frye’s …show more content…
Though Frye does attribute the “subjective experience” to the diversity of women as a social group, trying to generealize the struggle across races, identities, etc. is not a reality that is reasonable (Frye, 88). Rather than there being a commonality I believe that the commonality instead is an illusion that white feminist have convinced their selves of. This occurred to me after reading Crenshaw’s article and her explaining the underrepresentation of women of color in the media and the feminist movement. By nature, with the underrepresentation of women of color in the feminist movement it would be understandable that their movement does not understand it is under representing those women; understandable, but not acceptable. Seeing as the oppressed experience is so different by way of gender based oppression in relation to a man but also in relation to everyday needs, such as getting a job as seen in the example of Ms. DeGraffenreid, there is no way to separate the differences between women from their oppressed experience. Likewise, in light of Lorde’s argument that not acknowledging these differences is one of the main issues facing the feminist movement I would agree. Anyone who has ever been a part of a teamwork exercise know that each part of the team plays an important role in reaching a goal.
Marilyn Frye, a feminist philosopher, discusses the idea of oppression and how it conforms people into gender roles. She claims that it is based upon membership in a group which leads to shaping, pressing, and molding individuals, both women and men.
Feminisms Matter: Debates, Theories, Activism, is a book that analyzes gender studies and theories among the ages and relates it to towards the issues that occur in everyday life. Chapter four of the text is seen to draw heavily on the issue of intersectionality and how it creates binary categories that defy the complexities of human beings . Society integrates many identities that work to categorize people into certain groups. These certain groups is what dictate the actions and view of the people within. However, this outdated use of segregating people is the main problem in terms of in terms of intersectionality as it is a form of discrimination . Victoria L. Bromley, the author of Feminism Matter, discusses the use of intersectionality
Joan L. Griscom outlines the struggles of oppression faced by the couple Sharon Kowalski and Karen Thompson in her article “The Case of Kowalski and Thompson: Ableism, Heterosexism, and Sexism”. The injustices these women faced were due to exactly that: ableism, heterosexism, and sexism. With Karen Thompson’s help, her and Sharon’s story is brought to light and shows that fighting the system can lead to making things right. Ableism was the first mode of oppression the women faced.
The theory of intersectionality is one put forth by the feminist theorist known as Kimberlé Crenshaw. Crenshaw developed this theory as a critique to what she called a single-axis framework. A single-axis framework is one that considers an issue, be it feminist or otherwise, as a product of a single aspect. To be clearer, and to provide an example, a single-axis framework would consider the experiences of a woman of colour as either those experienced by an individual of colour, or those experienced by a woman. Crenshaw introduced the concept of intersectionality to explain that some experiences are unique to those who fall under a combination of these categories. In her article, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex”, Crenshaw describes intersectionality as “the combined effects of practices which discriminate on the basis of race and on the basis of sex” (385).
“Imagine living in a world where there is no domination, where females and males are not alike or even always equal, but where a vision of mutuality is the ethos shaping our interaction. Imagine living in a world where we can all be who we are, a world of peace and possibility.” (Feminism is for everybody, page 8). This particular quote from the assigned reading really spoke to me. How amazing would it be to live in a world where no one group dominates another, or more importantly no one group discriminates one another. Obviously, just as bell hooks’ said following this quote, the feminist movement cannot do all of this alone. There are so many other things going on in the world that need attention as well, such as racism, class exclusivity, and imperialism. Over the past few years I have become more informed on the feminist movement and the assigned reading only heightened my
According to feminist Victoria L. Bromley, if feminism is about combating all forms of inequalities, including oppression, towards all social groups, then feminists must study how masculinity oppresses both men and women. Patriarchy, men’s powers and dominance, hegemonic masculinity, the idea that the “dominant group” in society is most powerful, and hyper masculinity, the exaggeration of the emphasis on male characteristics, all lead to oppression through multiple forms: privileges and unearned privileges, hierarchies of power and exclusion. Bromley argues that the feminist approach towards eliminating oppression, is to use an intersectional analysis, a theoretical tool used for understanding how multiple identities are connected and how systems
In the U.S., feminism is understood as the rights of women (usually affluent white women) to share the spoils of capitalism, and imperial power. By refusing to fully confront the exclusions of non-whites, foreigners, and other marginalized groups from this vision, liberal feminists miss a crucial opportunity to create a more inclusive and more powerful movement. Feminist movements within the U.S. and internationally have long since accepted that, for them, feminism entails the communal confrontation of not only patriarchy, but capitalism, imperialism, white supremacy, and other forms of oppressions that combine together and reinforce their struggle. It means the fighting for the replacement of a system in which their rights are negated in the quest for corporate and political profit. It includes fighting so that all people anywhere on the gender, sexual, and body spectrum are allowed to enjoy basic rights like food, housing, healthcare, and control of their labor.
The way humans look externally and feel internally has been a barrier and the kernel to many of America’s social conflicts. Audre Lorde’s essay, “Eye to Eye: Black Women, Hatred, and Anger,” attempts to answer why Black women feel contempt among one another. It resonates that Black women, in lieu of their hatred for each other, should replace it by bonding together because they share the same experiences of being women and Black. In the essay titled, “Colorblind Intersectionality,” penned by, Devon W. Carbado seeks to expand the definition of “intersectionality,” which is a theory Professor Crenshaw initially introduced as a, “Drawing explicitly on Black feminist criticism,” (Carbado 811). Carbado is able to provide other forms of intersections by
In almost every society women have been oppressed at some point. Although things gave gotten better on women oppression by men is still there. In American society today, women do not make as much as men in the workplace but feminists still seek to be equal to me in every way. “The Yellow Wallpaper”, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “A Rose for Emily”, by William Faulkner, both give social critiques of the male dominated society that they are living in. While their critiques have both differences and similarities, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, not only gave this critique before “ A Rose for Emily”, but more effectively as well.
Elsa Barkley Brown focuses on the intersectionality of being a black woman in America, in “What Has Happened Here?”. Black women experience different forms of oppression simultaneously. Indeed, racism, sexism, classism, as well as heterosexism, intertwine and form layers of oppression.
To start off this essay, it is important to note what is meant when using oppression in the terms and context of a sociologist. Oppression causes certain groups of people to be or advantaged in a political system whereas other groups of people are considered to be subordinate (Glasberg, pg. 1) One of the major groups that has been oppressed Universally are women (there are exceptions, but not many). Women have typically had not had the rights, privileges, or participation as it relates to political
Patricia Hill Collins outlines the existence of three different dimensions of gender oppression: institutional, symbolic, and individual. The institutional dimension consists of systemic relationship of domination structured through social institutions, such as government, the workplace or education institutions. In other words, this dimension explains “who has the power”. This is completely related to a patriarchal society. Patriarchy is the manifestation and institutionalism of male dominance. This means that men hold power in all institutions, while women are denied the access to this power. The symbolic dimension of oppression is based on widespread socially sanctioned ideologies used to justify relations of domination. It reflects inequality
The term “feminism” tends to have a negative connotation in today’s culture. Feminism is now focusing on female dominance and male disrespect. Women are fighting for equality, yet using personal bias to define equality, claiming identical rights for all will produce an equal culture. The mainstream feminist movement is using this corrupted view of equality to force rights of women. Contrary to popular belief, true feminism fights for true equality for women, as well as other people groups. The false view of feminism causes women to distort gender roles, dishonor themselves, and degrade men.
In just a few decades The Women’s Liberation Movement has changed typical gender roles that once were never challenged or questioned. As women, those of us who identified as feminist have rebelled against the status quo and redefined what it means to be a strong and powerful woman. But at...
Among the many subjects covered in this book are the three classes of oppression: gender, race and class in addition to the ways in which they intersect. As well as the importance of the movement being all-inclusive, advocating the idea that feminism is in fact for everybody. The author also touches upon education, parenting and violence. She begins her book with her key argument, stating that feminist theory and the movement are mainly led by high class white women who disregarded the circumstances of underprivileged non-white women.