When I’m in a group with other feminists who share similar experiences, I find myself overly affirmative. Every fifth word that comes out of my mouth is “YAAAAAAS.”
These are my girls; they know what the f*** I’m talking about; and they’re into activism just as much as I am. I can’t help but feel comfortable enough to open up about my struggles through the oppression against my identity as a gay woman.
That being said, I also notice a lot of issues I have being a feminist.
1. My white feminist friends refuse to address race (or intersectionality).
Hi there, I’m white. I recognize that in almost every context, I have the power because of my skin color. I think it’s f***ing ridiculous and that’s why I’m a feminist
I am very aware of the discrepancies of access based on race and class. I am very aware that even as a white person talking about race, I can perpetuate white fragility or a white savior complex. I try my hardest not to. I’d like to see other feminists operating under the same standard of checking your privilege of every context you enter, especially in conversations about race.
If you’re a white person reading this and thinking to yourself, “well, I’ve never had an issue with my race as a feminist,” YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM. How about shutting up for a second and listening to someone else’s experiences? Feel free to click on all of the above article links on key words to learn more about actual feminism.
Believe me, the problem is systematic and it will take hard work/dedication to revise it. But if you consider yourself a feminist, make race a priority so that we can change the way the world looks at us and other people. Complacency is still oppression.
***To read the unsensored and complete version of this article, click here! Skyler will no longer be editor of Her Campus of Seattle University (she’s graduating), but you can still find and follow her content on her new blog, Seeing a Spectrum if you liked this article.***