Why I Used To Detest Feminism And Why I Am A Feminist
I did not identify as a feminist long ago, in fact I would squirm, roll my eyes, groan and shoo away any mention of feminism with a simple wave of my hand. Feminism was a word I detested, that I deplored, that I viewed as nothing more than a means to strap myself boldly to the very mechanism which has for so long abused so many and prolonged the imperialist adventures across my land, and others. And why? Why would I have denounced feminism, whilst I now unashamedly hold it tightly in the palms of my hands?
A simple question which requires an answer riddled with complexity; because the mainstream voices of feminism are those of privilege; the ‘western voices’, the ‘modern’ and often-white and overwhelmingly orientalist voices, who for so long have lined their pockets with magazine covers drenched in black-face or in their obsession with the many variations of the Muslim veil (headscarf) which wreaks of white mans burden. This colonial feminism, which uses the sufferings of women in order to promote occupation, destruction and the wiping away of an entire people in order to sell the latest photograph of a destroyed, battle-scar covered woman, to sell their white faces and white hands clutching and caressing black children, to sell us stories of an Africa which can be fed with help from you, their loyal sponsors, for only $1 a day. This is the feminism that I saw. It was pounded into my head, that this was feminism. That those who regularly stand atop podiums and rail against the burqa or niqab as being “oppressive“, who deny a woman’s choice of dress, who belittled a woman’s choice of language or religion – I, like many, assumed that these were the sole examples of feminism. And I wanted nothing to do with this brand of feminism. I would spit and swear and rant and rave and refuse to join them in their crusades. And why would I? I want nothing to do with those who wish to profit off the suffering of the subjugated, nor do I want anything to do with those who use women as mere props in their propaganda campaigns – selling liberation behind white masks of occupation.
And for these reasons, and a laundry-list of others, for which I detested feminism astonishingly became reasons which lured me towards feminism. Post-colonial feminism. I am a woman of colour who is reclaiming her voice and telling her story so that aforementioned ‘western feminists’ will no longer own our narratives, so that they will not sell our flesh and market our faces for their so-called campaigns for ‘freedom’ – they will not be able to tread across our lands and lull so many into a deep slumber with their propaganda. No more.
It is enough that we are pawns in your game of liberation. It is enough that we are made inferior against your nakedness for choosing to cover our flesh or fawned over should we also decide not to. It is enough that our black and brown faces are plastered on your television screens, your books, your magazine covers: For $1 a day you can save this brown child. For $3.50 you can read more about this veiled woman appearing on our magazine. For less than $5.00 a week you can adopt an African child. Support our military endeavors and save Africa. Help us expand our drone bases across the Middle East-North Africa so we may free these distressed women.
Our flesh bought and sold for nothing more than feel-good campaigns, photoshopped of dignity and intentionally disassociated with the imperialism which caused the immeasurable suffering they are here to relieve us of.
And so, the boundless layers which describe my womanhood, and my humanity, will not be watered down and marketed for western audiences so that I may appear just-like-you, nor will they be hustled by western feminists, many of whom have built their entire carriers by breaking the backs of so many women of colour.
By refusing to submit to this brand of feminism I reclaimed my tongue, my identity and I reclaimed myself.
Post-colonial feminist authors worth mentioning, a select few of many:
Arundhati Roy
Gloria Anzaldúa
Chandra Talpade Mohanty
Audre Lorde
June Jordan
Suggested reading:
“Is Western Patriarchal Feminism Good For Third World/Minority Women?” By Azizah Al-Hibri (thanks to kawrage for the heads up regarding this must read analysis)
“Women and Gender in Islam” by Leila Ahmed
Reblogged this on The Red Plebeian and commented:
An excellent take on the issue that makes clear the need for the line drawn between liberal, white middle-class feminism, and real left-wing, revolutionary and post-colonial feminism.
It feels as if someone has managed to put into words the unformed ideas in my own head. Ideas that I myself could never have hoped to articulate so well. Thank you for sharing this.
my poetry professor just gave me a book of june jordan’s poetry and @hybridstates just gave me a book of her essays. very current.
Reblogged this on place and poetics and commented:
a post from http://frustratedarab.com/about/
Maybe I’m the only one left who feels this way but I found this SO whiny. Feeling empowered shouldn’t mean becoming anti-everything. Its like anything anyone has every tried to do, especially anyone in a position of privelege or *gasp* a white person, is automatically seen as insincere. Why do we need to discount the efforts of others to bolster our own sense of authenticity? Those white women the author’s berating here were pretty much the only ones standing up for the 3rd world when no one else was. If they missed the whole picture, so what? They were working within a certain context…as are contemporary women. Contexts are, by definition, limiting. No one EVER has the whole picture. Why don’t we try to compliment each other rather than tearing each other down?
It is telling that you find it commendable regardless of their “missing the picture” or not, seeing that colonial feminism has caused undeniable damage to feminism, though one may argue that this damage is not entirely irreversible.
Those who co-opt the voices of women of colour are doing so out of privilege, regardless of “intentions”; this fallacious argument, when applied to any other subject, falls apart – quickly.
NATO has used women’s rights in order to bolster their military campaigns, with help of Human Rights Watch. The invasion and destruction of Iraq was pushed forward by neo-imperialists by dint of “liberating Iraqi women” – so yes, it does matter, it is significant to respond to such movements.
If we are to simply accept all those who ‘mean well’, who brand themselves feminists, then what of those who manipulate feminism, who use feminism as a cloak of protection in order to further imperialism? Military strategies? Allegedly virtuous goals have created millions of victims of war, and so we should simply accept this because they may ‘mean well’? They were ‘well intentioned’?
It is time we move beyond the rhetoric of salvation and instead listen, closely, to those whose voices have been hushed – in whose name many are speaking.
I suggest reading ‘Women and Gender in Islam’ by Leila Ahmed for more on colonial feminism and imperialism; how colonial feminism helped and continues to further occupation, imperialism et al. and the disingenuous “good intentions” of those who use feminism, as I have mentioned above.
Also, “Is Western Patriarchal Feminism Good For Third World/Minority Women?” by Azizah Al-Hibri is another good read.
Also, an example of women of colour who denounce Western narratives re: native women and oppression would be RAWA: the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan, more on RAWA can be found here: http://www.rawa.org/index.php
I’m a white American woman living in an Arab country. From my 3 years living and teaching here, I’ve come to understand a little more about the complexities of diverse societies. You are exactly right: to think one is “right” or “best” or should be the lead voice (i.e., your example above about the scarf being “oppressive”) is ridiculous. There’s a foundational work from first-wave feminism by Karlyn Kohrs Campbell called _Man Cannot Speak for Her_, and I agree that white women should never presume to speak on behalf of other women either. There are even cultural differences within the diversity of EuroAmerican white cultures that must tolerate or even celebrate complexity–a “white” woman in a rural conservative town may be very different than a “white” woman living even 50 miles away in a large cosmopolitan area. The diverse symphony of voices, as well as an interest in exploring harmonies and discords among these voices is where we must go to value all perspectives. If you’re interested, bell hooks may be another author for your list. Looking forward to more of your blog.
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