Feminism and racism

Feminism and racism are highly intertwined concepts in intersectional theory, focusing on the ways in which women of color in the Western World experience both sexism and racism.

According to the Western feminist movement, which seeks to end gender oppression, women of color have experienced racism[1] both within and outside of feminist movements and have also experienced sexism within various anti-racism and civil rights movements.[2] For instance in the United States racism and sexism have affected female activists of Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian descent in different ways, highlighting the need for a political movement that is aware of the intersection of race and gender oppression.

These experiences of racism and sexism have prevented women of color from fully partaking in such movements, but they have also led to the creation of unique forms of feminism, such as Black feminist theory and multiracial feminism, that actively work against both gender and race oppression. Similarly, transnational feminism seeks to address women's rights outside of the Western world and looks to address issues like racism, oppressive gender roles, and femicide that impact women globally.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Barnett, BERNICE McNAIR (June 1993). "Invisible Southern Black Women Leader in the Civil Rights Movement: The Triple Constraints of Gender, Race, and Class". Gender & Society. 7 (2): 162–182. doi:10.1177/089124393007002002. S2CID 145588429.
  3. ^ "Contributors", Women’s Activism and “Second Wave” Feminism, Bloomsbury Academic, 2017, doi:10.5040/9781474250542-005, ISBN 978-1-4742-5051-1