a black girl

Black Feminist Answers for "Ten Questions for Black Feminists Regarding the Lack of Public Discussion on the 2008 Democratic Primary Election"

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

As an afternote these answers are response to questions posted here.

1. Why does it take Second Wave White Women Feminist to provoke Black Feminist to respond “publicly” to issues race and gender in the 2008 Presidential Election? This is not to say that black feminists or other feminist of color are not responding to the identity politics at play in the primary season outside of second wave white feminist responses. Furthermore, this is not to say that black feminist and other feminist of color are only responding to second wave white feminist critiques only. But, it seems as if the most vocal “public” outcry from feminist of color comes when second wave white feminist weigh in such as Gloria Steinem and Robin Morgan.

The caveats for this question seem to cancel out the question entirely, but I will answer it just the same. In understanding how racism works, how sexism works we have to continually question what prompts us to ask chicken and egg questions about Black feminism vs. white feminism. We also have to consider how Black feminists have always been in dialogue with politics, and weigh in continuously and presently. Who are these ubiquitous Black feminists who are being heard before or after white feminists weigh in? I've been in discussion with Black feminists, academic, public, and none of the above and we have continued to dialogue about these issues. Angela Davis, in a recent speech noted that she will be voting for Cynthia McKinney (she's running on the green party ticket). I see no better answer than that--its complex. It questions the two party system that for whatever reason, we seem to be complicit with, it challenges the ready made hierarchy of race and gender that Black women have historically challenged. Furthermore, it challenges yet another issue that neither Obama, nor Hillary seem to touch adequately-- the equal rights of gays and lesbians.

2. Why do black feminist “publicly” only focus on the privileges of Hillary Clinton’s white supremacist gendered identity and ignore the privileges of Barack Obama’s racialized gendered identity among black people and black womyn?

I need some references here. See answer above.

4. Why aren’t we willing to “publicly” critique how Barack Obama’s candidacy is framed in very heteronormative terms?
One of the main responses I’ve received from Black people when I’ve critiqued Obama’s candidacy is this idea of what Obama’s presidency will mean for “the black family.” And I will paraphrase a comment that was sent to me, “having Obama and his family in the White House will be good for black America because they are such a strong couple and it would be good to have such images for young black people to see.” For many black people, Obama exemplifies the image of a responsible, successful, professional, heterosexual black man who’s married to a strong, successful, and professional black woman who “both” are raising two black girls. This in of itself is not a bad image, however, it becomes problematic when black people consciously or unconsciously juxtapose it against how white society and black people view black families as inherently deviant—no fathers, out of wedlock children, teen mothers, emasculated black men, sexually deviant black womyn, sexually deviant black men, down-low brothers, dead-beat dads—it is something we as black feminist should dialogue about.
Short answer: Yes.

Long answer:

We can also talk about how Hilary's campaign is based in similar heteronormative terms and how neither candidate is willing to ally with gays and lesbians on un-equivocated rights. I think this is something we (Black feminists) have been dialoguing about. Especially those of us who are lesbians and want to adopt, who want to be married to partners, and who wrestle with a homophobic society and community. We also must complicate this issue of heteronormalcy by also being willing to recognize how heteronormalcy is actually a privilege that we as Black folks haven't had in larger society for the reasons outlined in the very question.

To invoke Dubois, blackness is a problem-- thats its very definition. And by that meaning, Black existence is continually discussed as a negative. Image these horrors: the Black family, black eating habits, black sexual habits, black aesthetics, black art, black butts... Consider an example, this line of questioning: Why aren't Black feminists doing ________? I am often skeptical of this consistent approach Black people have in addressing themselves and their community-- no matter the intent.

5 and 7 (they seem to be the same question). Why is it that some black feminist fleetingly mention how misogyny is at play in the competition, but who then will write and email long in-depth critiques in response to second wave white feminist charges against Obama’s candidacy?

Again--who are these Black feminists?

My Black feminist answer I align with Angela Davis: Vote Cynthia McKinney.

Furthermore, Black feminists have in large numbers decidedly backed Hillary... again I don't know whose these Black feminists are that are not having in-depth critiques.

6. Why do we pat ourselves and our colleagues on the back for critiquing second wave white feminist who we know lack an analysis of race? Outside of publicly showing how they lack an intersectional understanding of oppression, how than does it become more constructive? What comes after the critique?

Our profound ass analysis. I've never encountered Black feminist scholarship that did not build upon a deeper understanding of WOC, of Black women of intersectional (shiver) positionalities. That did not expand upon themes such as historical approaches to lived experiences of women (i.e. Barkley Brown's "What Has Happened Here") that introduce entire approaches to theory and analysis (i.e. intersectionality, standpoint) that uncover forgotten territories of research and approach that are helpful to many disciplines (i.e. Bobo's Black Women as Cultural Readers). My book case is what comes before and after the critique.

8. Why aren’t we “publicly” critiquing the racialized gendered sexualized class-based meanings behind the tee shirts, internet slogans, video, and blogs dedicated to Obama Mommas, Obama Girls, and Bro’ (Obama) before Hoe’s (Clinton)?

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/politics/2008/01/26/whitfield.black.women.vote.cnn

Lets not also forget the essentialist drama over Obamas "blackness."

Or the fucked up narrative of Black buck and Black man hungry white women.

Let's talk about it all.

9. Why are some feminist of color saying that identity politics is overshadowing the real issues when the issues are definitely colored by the intersection of various social identities?

Who the fuck are these WOC? I'm glad I am not chilling with them.

10. Why is it when we ask these questions people assume we are white women and we are Hillary’s supporter?

Again, my vote: Cynthia McKinney.

My assumption: These are unfair questions that have assertions that don't really have historical footing, that are preemptive in assertions of a collective "Black feminist" consciousness.

uttered by a black girl at 10:30 PM. | 1 comments

1 Comments:

I love it. Excellent answers to some really strange and complex questions. I'm not too sure what happened to black women's voices. I don't know if we are talking in other places or if we are just being ignored.

By Professor Tracey, at 12:12 PM