Feminism and African American Women

I have been exposed to many forms of feminism. Many different ideas, concepts, and situations have been brought to my attention, enabling me to formulate my own loose definition of feminism, and to take those concepts with me to utilize in my life as a woman in order to obtain the life I deserve.
To first understand feminism, one must be aware of the factors and forces that made—and still make—the fight for women's rights such a relevant necessity. For example, women are mistreated and undervalued in athletics. Sharon Lennon, author of What is Mine, was taught this lesson young, as an excellent female softball player on a male team. After asking to play catcher in a game, the coach responded, "All right…but you'll have to wear a cup" (Lennon, 215). This continues through less attention and money allotted to female teams, as well as fewer and lower-valued scholarships for female athletes.
In academics, women also suffer from sexism at the hands of sexist males in higher positions. In her essay High School Lowdown Miranda J. Van Gelder recounts numerous clear cut instances of such sexist acts as male teachers asking female students to lift up their skirts, making comments referring to the girls taking their ‘rightful place in the kitchen,' and referring to girls by demeaning pet names (Van Gelder, 305). According to Myra and David Sadker's "Failing at Fairness," boys receive more challenging questions, more attention from the teacher, and more helpful feedback. From elementary through college, girls receive less and lower quantity instruction, fewer scholarships, and suffer economic penalties after college: ‘female' jobs are poorly, while women in ‘male' jobs are still paid less then men in the exact same jobs (Sadker, 90).
Inequality is clearly and painfully evident in the workforce. Twelve million women work full time in jobs which pay below the minimum wage. White women received only 71.2% of a white man's earnings as of 1995, while Hispanic and black women only made between approximately 53% and 64% of a white man's salary (Wage Gap, 86). While women comprise up to 50% of professional employees, they hold less than 5% of the upper level and senior management positions. As Mary Mattis found out, "60% of human resource managers who participated in [her] study reported that putting women in line jobs was perceived as risky" (Lopez, 82). it can only be "perceived as risky" if they are considering women to be less intelligent or otherwise less capably endowed. On a daily basis, women must also battle the dangers sexual abuse—verbal and physical. Inexcusable rapes and assaults go unpunished frighteningly often, or with mild consequences—even gang rape. A convicted rapist's remark makes it ever so clear why women must fight the twisted mentality behind these crimes: "Most women like to get their box battered…they want to be grabbed and take hard. It makes them feel more like a woman…This time I just got unlucky and got a cold-hearted bitch" (CP, 2).
To further grasp the concept—the entity—feminism, it is also important to see and hear the women behind the collective force. For example, Alisa L. Valdes, a feminist fitness instructor (what an oxymoron) who came to the conclusion the to truly progress, we must achieve economic equality (Period.) and not by playing by the rules patriarchy has set up (Valdes, 26, 32). Jennifer Reid Maxcy Myhre shaved her head and quit shaving her legs for the inconvenience it caused for no purpose; she pointed out that women who choose appearance typically considered "masculine," they are called butch and masculine to be scared, gagged, and silenced (Myhre, 84, 88). Jennifer DeMarco was sexually abused by her uncle for an entire summer; she used writing to begin and further her healing process, sharing them with her family and eventually others "[to] shed light on misconceptions…To speak truth for those not spoken for, to the speak the truth" (DeMarco, 270). Erin J. Aubry confronts the image stereotypes concerning African American women having large butts, as well as the assumed sexual appetites associated with a large butt. Emilie Morgan was raped by three different people, then gang-raped by a group of "friends" (Morgan 34-36).
Obviously, there are many facets to the sexist domination and subjugation of women. Likewise, there are many individual forces at work cooperatively to combat those patriarchal forces running society. That is where I my mind latched on to my definition of feminism—in the diversity. A multi-faceted taskforce is necessary to achieve a multi-faceted goal. Feminism is a love-labor force of ethnic, religious, age, and size diversified women seeking and determining to affect change in the community, nationally, globally; moreover, a task force pouring out efforts, seeing more suffering than benefits, knowing the benefit will grace their posterity. These amendments and revolutions must also be in the benefit of a diverse group of women, embracing them all; otherwise, feminism could not be called a fight for women's rights if it left any women unaccounted for and uncared for. women are separated when diversity is mishandled and ignored. Not all women's experience are going to be the same, and just because they are not the same does not mean that one is not just as valid as the next.
From this class and my comprehension of its content, I have seen my own compliance to patriarchal enforced ideals and I have begun to challenge that. My speech, thought processes, and confidence have already been effected and are reflecting the evidence of my new knowledge. I will push for what is withheld from me but that I deserve as a woman. I am holding me head higher, knowing that I am worthy of better treatment than I receive. I will stop visualizing myself as I appear to others when I walk into a room, analyzing my every move myself! I deserve to be respected, not treated as an object, either by strangers….or myself.