What keeps resonating for me however, is what are White women saying when more than 50% of them vote for trump? How do they explain away even minuscule support for such a vile, racist and sexist person?
For those who have questioned over the years why I have always so firmly declared that I am NOT a feminist, now you know why. Can someone get me the damn t-shirt please? LOL!!! I have always been clear where Black women stood in the White feminist woman's struggle for respect and equality; firmly behind her. The vitriolic anti-Black man, therefore anti-Black woman, rhetoric and rants of susan b. anthony and other founders of the women's movement, made that sentiment perfectly clear when they raised their voices to object to even the possibility that their White brethren would dare give Black men the opportunity to vote before them. That is the premise upon which lies the very foundation of the women's/feminist movement. Black women, who are feminists by force of life, have always carried the banner of womanhood, even when we did not want to, have been mere pawns in and distracted by another struggle while we ignored, diluted, denied, failed to see and/or tend to our very own, very real and very persistent struggles...
I have always been clear that at the end of the day White women, who would have us believe that they too are "minorities" who share our struggles (they are minorities of and when it is convenient), who would have us believe that they too are oppressed by White men as are Black and other folks and therefore rightful beneficiaries to the rewards and gains achieved through the struggles for Black freedom and civil rights, ultimately these women are the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of the very white males whose behaviors dominate and control them and whose behaviors they condemn. Ultimately, they do not share our struggle... They are NOT minorities, numerically or otherwise. I am NOT a feminist.
Reason, anger, hurt, being disrespect or disappointed gives way to race for many of these women when such relationships give them access to and power, protection and privilege, access to all that being White entails; to not only include power, protection, privilege but unlimited opportunity and a solid footing and a firm standing.
I will spare you the acknowledgment that I enjoy very real and very healthy friendships with many White women and that my criticisms and judgment herein in no way extends to ALL White women, but to not question when more than 50% of them, some of whom I am sure I call "friend", vote for the offensive and deeply disturbing racist, xenophobic, sexist and vile message of trump, would be inexcusable...
I was fooled however by the obviously feigned outrage and level of offense taken when their candidate, their White brother, who is accused of raping even a 13 year old, was exposed for making such lewd remarks which pretty much reduced them and all other women to nothing more than a pu**y. I thought for sure that insulting women, white women, was the final nail in the orange one's coffin. Finally we had gotten a resounding answer to whose life mattered; White women of course! He had insulted every other possible group yet kept climbing or maintaining his standing in the polls. I foolishly thought that insulting White women was the kryptonite that would destroy him. Not withstanding the comey effect which was his last life line, not even degrading White women would be his destruction...
No one will ever convince me that we have not been jacked and that the election was handed to one rich white guy by the maneuverings, back room dealings and manipulations of other rich white guys. Even me however, a non-feminist, is disturbed by the level of complicity of white women. This vote suggests to me that White women do not respect or value themselves. No one of sane mind and self value plays Russian roulette (literally) with the safety and sanctity of not only their own existence and pleasures of thought and freedoms but that of the rest of the world as we know it. No one of sane and sound mind, dignity and self respect gives power to a racist, sexist and vile bully who has shown us his true colors, his true intent, his lack of respect and ill intentions affecting women and every one else imaginable. Self respecting people just don't do that...
So who are we, us Americans? What kind of America do we really live in? Who can we trust? What must/will Black folks and other people of minority persuasions do to protect ourselves, for ourselves, by ourselves? These are the post election questions I ponder... What is our response and how do we challenge those persons of financial, monetary and legal means (the Bloombergs, the Cubans, the Oprahs, the disgusted republicans) who so vociferously and publicly spoke out against this moron to now join forces, voices and resources to diffuse the orange one's power and long range, long term and irreversible detrimental effects? These people too can wheel and deal and engage in back room manipulations. I'm Just Sayin... Make it happen!
Young people, who I certainly hope voted, I am told are protesting in the thousands across the nation, continue to think outside the box and keep pushing the envelope. One thing that is for sure is that Tuesday proved to us in so many ways, that conventional practices are no longer the sole response... We are essentially working from a cleared slate. Time to draw a new design. Yes this is going to be a long four years but it does not mean that we must or should resolve ourselves to being victims. Nope, not going to down like that. Of that I am sure!!!
I have always been clear that at the end of the day White women, who would have us believe that they too are "minorities" who share our struggles (they are minorities of and when it is convenient), who would have us believe that they too are oppressed by White men as are Black and other folks and therefore rightful beneficiaries to the rewards and gains achieved through the struggles for Black freedom and civil rights, ultimately these women are the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters of the very white males whose behaviors dominate and control them and whose behaviors they condemn. Ultimately, they do not share our struggle... They are NOT minorities, numerically or otherwise. I am NOT a feminist.
Reason, anger, hurt, being disrespect or disappointed gives way to race for many of these women when such relationships give them access to and power, protection and privilege, access to all that being White entails; to not only include power, protection, privilege but unlimited opportunity and a solid footing and a firm standing.
I will spare you the acknowledgment that I enjoy very real and very healthy friendships with many White women and that my criticisms and judgment herein in no way extends to ALL White women, but to not question when more than 50% of them, some of whom I am sure I call "friend", vote for the offensive and deeply disturbing racist, xenophobic, sexist and vile message of trump, would be inexcusable...
While astounded by the numbers, never have I believed that most White women's civic alignment with Black or other women of color trumped any of the benefits of whiteness. Any doubt that being white trumps all, literally trumps all, for most white people, whether women or poor, should have been forever removed on Tuesday when white women joined voice with white men, poor, ignorant or otherwise and voted for the worst kind of white man who does not respect, care about or value white women nor anyone else.
I was fooled however by the obviously feigned outrage and level of offense taken when their candidate, their White brother, who is accused of raping even a 13 year old, was exposed for making such lewd remarks which pretty much reduced them and all other women to nothing more than a pu**y. I thought for sure that insulting women, white women, was the final nail in the orange one's coffin. Finally we had gotten a resounding answer to whose life mattered; White women of course! He had insulted every other possible group yet kept climbing or maintaining his standing in the polls. I foolishly thought that insulting White women was the kryptonite that would destroy him. Not withstanding the comey effect which was his last life line, not even degrading White women would be his destruction...
No one will ever convince me that we have not been jacked and that the election was handed to one rich white guy by the maneuverings, back room dealings and manipulations of other rich white guys. Even me however, a non-feminist, is disturbed by the level of complicity of white women. This vote suggests to me that White women do not respect or value themselves. No one of sane mind and self value plays Russian roulette (literally) with the safety and sanctity of not only their own existence and pleasures of thought and freedoms but that of the rest of the world as we know it. No one of sane and sound mind, dignity and self respect gives power to a racist, sexist and vile bully who has shown us his true colors, his true intent, his lack of respect and ill intentions affecting women and every one else imaginable. Self respecting people just don't do that...
So who are we, us Americans? What kind of America do we really live in? Who can we trust? What must/will Black folks and other people of minority persuasions do to protect ourselves, for ourselves, by ourselves? These are the post election questions I ponder... What is our response and how do we challenge those persons of financial, monetary and legal means (the Bloombergs, the Cubans, the Oprahs, the disgusted republicans) who so vociferously and publicly spoke out against this moron to now join forces, voices and resources to diffuse the orange one's power and long range, long term and irreversible detrimental effects? These people too can wheel and deal and engage in back room manipulations. I'm Just Sayin... Make it happen!
Young people, who I certainly hope voted, I am told are protesting in the thousands across the nation, continue to think outside the box and keep pushing the envelope. One thing that is for sure is that Tuesday proved to us in so many ways, that conventional practices are no longer the sole response... We are essentially working from a cleared slate. Time to draw a new design. Yes this is going to be a long four years but it does not mean that we must or should resolve ourselves to being victims. Nope, not going to down like that. Of that I am sure!!!
Black folks should now have the awakening that all who deny us jobs, deny us housing, refuse us promotions, entrance to college, reject our requests for bank loans and more, do not all wear red. Some of them, far more than we are willing to accept, wear Blue and are our neighbors, our "friends" and our teachers, our co-workers and so on. Wake up Black People!!! We are in this on our own, Always have been, Always will be. Time to spit out the Kool Aid and start taking care of, supporting and saving our own...
I am interested however in hearing from both my Black Sistah Girl Feminist friends and my "I am woman, hear me roar" White feminist woman friends as well. Do Black feminists feel betrayed? Are White feminists re-evaluating and re-assessing who they are, who is their audience, what is their stated purpose? Are you all talking? How many of you who marched to the polls together smiling, bra less, feeling proud displaying raised fists and unified voices parted in more ways than one once you entered that poll booth? Silly me, but I am just wonderin'...
I have had the pleasure of meeting Dorothy Pitman-Hughes, the Black woman featured in the infamous photo used by the feminist movement. I would like to speak with her. Perhaps I will...
This nightmarish election is the awakening we ALL so desperately needed. Are you awake yet? Just Askin'...
I am interested however in hearing from both my Black Sistah Girl Feminist friends and my "I am woman, hear me roar" White feminist woman friends as well. Do Black feminists feel betrayed? Are White feminists re-evaluating and re-assessing who they are, who is their audience, what is their stated purpose? Are you all talking? How many of you who marched to the polls together smiling, bra less, feeling proud displaying raised fists and unified voices parted in more ways than one once you entered that poll booth? Silly me, but I am just wonderin'...
I have had the pleasure of meeting Dorothy Pitman-Hughes, the Black woman featured in the infamous photo used by the feminist movement. I would like to speak with her. Perhaps I will...
This nightmarish election is the awakening we ALL so desperately needed. Are you awake yet? Just Askin'...
Count me in as one of your white feminist woman friends. Ditto to all you said. I am devastated by this election. We must get rid of the electoral college. If Gore had won the presidency, as he should have by the popular vote, Little Georgie wouldn't have been able to get us into Iraq and create the horrific chaos that now is the Middle East.
ReplyDeleteWomen, men, LBGTQ; Black, white, brown, red, yellow, et. al., must now pull together in the next two years to take back the government, at least at the Congressional level. That's if there's anything left of the USA in two years time. And Higgi, if you run for Congress I'll donate to your candidacy.
Medellin, Colombia