Racism, Sexism, Classism, and Homophobia in Organizing Black Feminists

     Black feminism is a movement that strives for gender equality and social justice by addressing all aspects of race, gender, class, and sexual orientation. However, even within the Black feminist movement, racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia continue, limiting Black feminists' potential to successfully organize and fight for their rights.

    Racism and sexism are stand-out issues that Black feminists face in their organizing pursuits. In How We Get Free it claims, “Many Black women have a good understanding of both sexism and racism, but, because of the everyday constrictions of their lives, cannot risk struggling against them both” (Taylor 2017, 23). When Black women speak up about these issues, they are seen as less desirable or labeled as the “Angry Black Woman” stereotype. In Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower it states, “Angry Black Women get dismissed all the time. We are told we are irrational, crazy, out of touch, entitled, disruptive, and not team players. The story goes that Angry Black Women scare babies, old people, and grown men” (Cooper 2018, 7). This might take the form of tokenism, in which Black women are only included in talks or events to meet diversity goals, but not exactly to be truly heard. This can create an unfriendly environment for Black feminists, decreasing their willingness to get involved in organizations.

    Classism is another challenge that Black feminists face in their fight for their rights. Socioeconomic ranking can influence someone's ability to get involved in activism and organizations, since financial constraints may prohibit them from participating in events or acquiring resources. How We Get Free states, “In the fall, when some members returned, we experienced several months of comparative inactivity and internal disagreements, which were first conceptualized as a lesbian-straight split but which were also the result of class and political differences” (Taylor 2017, 24). This can lead to a division within the movement, with Black feminists from disadvantaged communities feeling isolated or excluded from their more fortunate peers' organizations.

    Lastly, homophobia is another issue that Black feminists face in their organizing pursuits. Many people who are not feminists assume that feminists are mainly lesbians. Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower states, “On more than one occasion, I’ve had a male lover say to me, upon finding out I’m a feminist, “Are you a lesbian? Are you sure?” (Cooper 2018, 20). That said, many women who are straight and homophobic stray away from joining feminist groups to avoid being labeled a lesbian. I Am Your Sister: Black Women Organizing Across Sexualities states, “ You don't catch it like the common cold. Yet the one accusation that seems to render even the most vocal straight Black woman totally silent and ineffective is the suggestion that she might be a Black lesbian” (Lorde 1985, 5). Therefore, not only does homophobia create another divide between Black feminists, but ultimately discourages straight women from joining these groups, to begin with.

    To address these challenges, Black feminists must collaborate to establish a more welcoming and supportive atmosphere for all members of the movement. This requires openly opposing and eliminating oppressive structures within the movement, such as the addressed issues like racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia. Only by continuously confronting and eliminating oppressive structures will the Black feminist movement be able to effectively advocate for gender equality and social justice for all Black women.

References:

Cooper, Brittney C. Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower. First edition. New York, St. Martin's Press, 2018. 

Lorde, Audre. I Am Your Sister: Black Women Organizing Across Sexualities. New York, NY: Kitchen Table, Women of Color Press, 1985.

Taylor, Keeanga-Yamahtta. How We Get Free. [United States], Haymarket Books, 2017.