Approaches to Change (week 5)

2/2/2015

In this weeks blog post I want you to incorporate themes from Black Feminist Thought (Chapter 1) to the topics address by Dr Crenshaw. In the video below you will learn about gender based violence and racialized imprisonment. These topics are crucial factors to understanding the various realities in the black experience. Having a critical understanding of each of these topics will make you a better person, leader, and community member.

Develop a 250 word original post by Friday and respond to another student by Sunday. Your original post should include an overview of what you read in Black Feminist Thought (Chapter 1), an analysis of the two major themes from each reading that directly address the questions above and relate to the film (Dr Crenshaw) and a conclusion that asks critical thinking questions (open ended questions about the subject matter). These questions will be the prompt to other students to respond to you. In your original post include two quotes from the Black Feminist Thought textbook.

17 Comments

Andre Mouton

2/5/2015 03:40:23 pm

The term Intersectional invisibility is where women of color are rendered invisible because of over-inclusion, understanding that women of color are facing high rates of incarceration is that the risk factors that causes them to become incarcerated are not included in the political agendas. We don’t talk about what is different about their vulnerability. Usually when we talk about the State and incarceration we mostly talk about the race, class, and the state power and about the way the state power is using incarceration as a way of technology of oppression but never talk about the women specific experiences that women have. Women experience a range of vulnerability, women’s issues are usually caught up in private relations called the cultural or the social realm which are not talked about because usually they talk about the men’s issues and race because of this women are over included because the particular things that make them vulnerable are not discussed and get excluded from the overall theory that grounds the movement.
Under-inclusion is another is another way the women are made invisible this is because issues such as rape and domestic violence remains in the private arena. When you bring a private matter into the public arena is become more complicated. In debates rather mandatory arrest factors if implemented in a domestic violence calls women of color are more likely to be arrested as men of color and is not an effective intervention for women of color.
The question in Black Feminist Thought “why are the African American women and our ideas not known and not believed in? it is consistent with Dr. Crenshaw’s theory that suggest they are over included and are excluded from the overall theory because men’s issues and race over showed African Americans experience maintaining invisibility and silencing in the contemporary United Kingdom.
The vast majority of African American women were primarily brought to the United States to work as slaves in a situation of oppression. “The exploitation of the African American and representation of oppression that was essential to United States Capitalism with the Iron pots and kettles symbolizing the Black Woman’s long standing ghettoization in service occupations represents the economic oppression of oppression” (Collins, pg. 7).
Does Oprah Winfrey break the glass mirror and do her ideas represent black women? Do black women have a better position in society than the black man?

Gabriela Hernandez

2/8/2015 01:17:25 pm

Andre,
I really enjoyed reading your post. I really agree where you said that when we "usually talk about the state and incarceration we mostly talk about race, class and the state power." It's usually womens experiences that are never mentioned and their vulnerability. Maybe because it's always the men that are always on the spotlight and get the attention. As for your question "Do black women have a better position in society than the black man? I would say no because personally I don't think its "gender" that classify them to have a better position in society I guess it's all classified by experience and sometimes its about who you know not what you know. I think the only way to find out is by statistics and seeing the numbers.

Jordan Leopold

2/8/2015 03:27:43 pm

Hey Andre, although Oprah has accomplished much as a Black woman in America - being the world's richest Black person - I don't think it does much justice equating her success to the success of all Black women in America. President Obama's occupancy doesn't convey that all Black men are doing well. Individuals who push the idea that racism and discrimination is dead frequently reference the success of "hand-picked" Black figures like Oprah and Obama as apart of their rhetoric. This was practiced by White feminist as they preached for diversity even though they were in no justified position to speak on behalf of the experience of Black lives (Collins, pg8). To answer your last question, I think it depends on which realm of the American world we're talking about. There have been moments where I have faced more resistance in a particular space than my Black sisters. But of course, the opposite takes place as well. Like I said, I think it depends on the environment.

Andre Mouton

2/8/2015 07:29:49 pm

Yes Jordan I feel Oprah and President Obama are cases of exceptionalism but as for the masses of people that are in a lower or middle class will probably will never reach that height of success. Women have made great steps towards equaling the playing field but still fall well short of that of their male counterparts.

Gabriela Hernandez

2/6/2015 01:02:25 pm

chapter once focuses on African american woman being oppressed. the vast majority of African American women were brought to the United states to work as slaves in a situation of oppression. The book says that woman oppression is encompassed in three interdependent dimensions ." First, the explotiation of black womens labor essential to u.s. capitalism the iron pots and kettles symbolizing black womens long standing ghettoization in service occupations represents the economic dimension of oppression. Second, the political dimension of oppression has denied African American women the rights and privileges routinely extended to white male citizens forbidding black woman to vote excluding African Americans and women from public office. Finally controlling images applied to black women that originated during the slave era attest to the ideological dimension of u.s black womens oppression." In the video it talks about the woman rights project, violence against women and incarceration and why gendered justice is still a compelling issue? one interesting thing the video talked about was that every woman at any point might find her self in a situation where shes vulnerable to violence. The particular things that make them more vulnerable is not discussed at all but run on the overall theory that grounds the movement. We don't talk gendered specific experiences that woman have and where woman live and private arenas and private relations aka know as culture. How do structure location make woman vulnerable to violence?

amal pujol

2/8/2015 03:07:41 pm

Hi Gabriela,
I agree that those three dimensions are of oppression are very important aspects of chapter one. To answer your question I believe that in seeing women's issues such as domestic violence from private relations increases their risk factors because it masks the issue. It is not fully addressed in the state and there is a lack of full understanding of its effects. Domestic violence is a risk factor for incarceration for Black Women and this is in part due to the laws that an arrest must be made for domestic violence calls and Black women are just as likely as Black men to be arrest. The issue is usually seen from a male point of view and so we only see how this affects men.

Marcos Guzman

2/6/2015 02:49:47 pm

Gender based violence and Racialized imprisonment are crucial factors to understanding the realities in the black experience. Any women at any point can find her self vulnerable to violence and as a consequence of vulnerability to violence could heighten the chance of incarceration. Women who are raped and abused face multiple consequences for having been vulnerable to forms of violence. Incarceration should not be seen as a solution for victimization but should be seen as a risk factor for women who have endured gender violence. Women of color have a complex relationships with state and problematic relationship with men which tend to be over looked and marginalized most of the time. Women’s vulnerability to incarceration face a range of intersecting subordinating dynamics such as patriarchy. Violence is a product of male power over women. Power relationship tends to be overpowering and plays out on the female body. Places women in a situation where they are more susceptible to incarceration.
As stated in chapter one of the Black Feminist Thought, African American women are attempting to reject the negative of black women hood so prominent in their times. Race, gender and class oppression are seen as the fundamental causes of women’s poverty. Far too many African American women intellectuals have labored in isolation and obscurity most lie in unmarked graves. This can be seen not only in present day but dates to past times as well. The vast majority of African-American women were brought to the U.S to work as slaves in situations of oppression. Convergence of race, class and gender oppression characteristics of US slavery shaped all subsequent relationships that women of African descent had with in Black American families and communities, with employers and among one another. Black women have been racially imprisoned through US culture “Racist and sexist ideologies permeate the social structure to such a degree that they become hegemonic, namely, seen as natural normal and inevitable(Collings).” Seen as a historically oppressed group through time U.S black women have produced social thought designed to oppose oppression. “Through the black feminist thoughts identity as a social theory liens in its commitment to justice, both for us black women as a collectively and for that of other similar oppressed groups (Collings)”.

Incarceration of Black women has gone up drastically in this country other than the points made in the video what other outside influences play a role in this dramatic increase?

Melissa Strah

2/6/2015 03:01:11 pm

Crenshaw mentions that the intersectionality within black women is more powerful than their race and sex. She explains the over inclusion is present in the overall groups of race, class and the power of the state. . There is also under inclusion where it remains private, the objective to make the state accountable. Overall there are high rates of incarceration within black women. The high rate is due to drug related offenses. The percentage of colored women is higher than men. Stating the 65% of the women are mothers. Explaining the facts of 3 different women and their vulnerability to violence. She mentions "Bridging the Gap" ways of addressing the situations between structural experiences such as Domestic Violence. That Domestic Violence is not just in poor colored women it is also found in middle class white women. These women are equally vulnerable to Domestic Violence. I do agree with Creshaw in the fact that I feel that their are many women that are vulnerable to Domestic Violence. It so sad to think that many women are under represented.
I hope that these cases of Domestic Violence start to change soon, especially in California. I do believe that D.A. of Alameda County is trying very hard to win the fight for women against Domestic Violence.

marie brown

2/6/2015 03:08:00 pm

Violence against black women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions. Its truth that one in five women around the world has beaten, forced into sex, or else abused in her lifetime with her abuser usually someone known to her. The violence against black women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of black women, and that violence against black women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men. African –American women have been victimize by race, gender, and class oppression. But looking at black w9men solely as passive, unfortunate recipients of racial and sexual abuse stifles notion that black women can actively work to change our circumstances and bring about changes on our lives. According to Collin “the colored girl…is not known and hence not believed in; she belongs to a race that is best designated by the term problem, and she lives beneath the shadow of that problem which envelops and obscures her (Williams 1987, 150).

Corissa R

2/8/2015 03:59:00 pm

I'm not really sure what you mean my your statement "But looking at black women solely as passive, unfortunate recipients of racial and sexual abuse stifles notion that black women can actively work to change our circumstances and bring about changes on our lives." are you saying that because black women were and are sexually abused it takes away their credibility to speak about issues concerning them. I don't know that I necessary agree with that statement. I think that people view women as not as dominate as men, so when they are violated in such a way it is almost as if we are viewed as voiceless but that is not the case. However, I do agree that people tend to question women that have been abused. It is difficult to get people to believe you, and if they do then the empathy doesn't fall with the victim but often times the males in the female victim lives, and that is something that Dr. Crenshaw spoke about in her talks.

Makamae "Davina" Heinz

2/23/2015 11:46:30 pm

Very deep what you said. I so agree with your post. It is a big issue with Women being abused. I know more then I count on my hand people that are in abusive relationships. I noticed that most of the people that are were abused growing up. They were around it so it seemed normal and is easily accepted in their relationship. I have a hard time understanding but as I get older I completely understand because of how they grew up, why they accept the violence in their relationship. I also like how you stated this

The violence against black women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of black women, and that violence against black women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men.

i do also agree that it is historically unequal power relation between men and women. I still think that women are not treated equal to a man and will always be that way.

Corissa R

2/6/2015 03:51:56 pm

Chapter one of Black Feminist Thought is about the oppression of African American women. It also references about how this country has built its foundation on the sexual exploitation of African American women. In particular this chapter talks about three different dimensions of oppression. The first being the labor exploitation, second being the political rights denied to African American women, and the third being how African American women bodies are depicted in the social culture. All three of these dimensions work together towards the continuing oppression of African American women. One thing that I feel directly connects with the video “On Gendered Violence and Racialized Prisons” is when Collins talks about the black women not being represented in talks about THEIR experience because they are not qualified enough. Dr. Crenshaw also referenced that idea, about women of color and their experiences being either over-generalized or grossly simplified, and how the government and the police department is not structured in a way that we can speak up for ourselves because of systemized oppression. For African American women and other women of color it is a constant struggle to speak our truths because the audience that is listening either doesn't believe it or because the audience feels as if we don't even have the right to speak about such subject matters.

Melissa Strah

2/8/2015 04:03:56 pm

Corissa, I agree with the 3 valid points that the author has expressed. I also feel that all these 3 facts still exist today. They do oppress African women and other women of color in our society. Well this ever change? I would hope with more women surpassing men in higher education levels that eventually we can decrease the gap. Giving us the ablity as women to make our voices heard.

Jordan Leopold

2/8/2015 09:33:01 am

Collin first begins Black Feminist Thought by acknowledging the progressive legacy left by Maria Stewart, one of the first known US Black feminist, and how her work empowered Black women exposed them to how race, gender, and class oppression are fundamental causes of Black women’s poverty. Collin then acknowledges how the work of many Black feminist like Maria Stewart go largely invisible and proceeds to detail the many elements suppressing Black feminist thought. She explains three interdependent dimensions that oppress Black women through (1) economic exploitation and confinement through low wage work, (2) political oppression and the restriction of the right to vote, hold public office and obtain a sound education, and (3) pop-cultures degrading depiction of Black women and the stereotypes that are unjustly associated with them. Collin goes even further by detailing how western feminism, the false call for diversity, and patriarchy in both White and Black led organizations have suppressed Black women and their ideals. Collins then looks at Black feminist thought as a critical theory, identifying two factors post World War II that contributed to its development. First, the ill intended segregation of urban housing allowed for Black women and men to form knowledge in resistance to racial oppression and self-definition womanhood. Secondly, the domestic work that Black women did within White households allowed for increased insight and understanding to race and gender relations. This unique and never before obtained position put many Black women in a “outsider within” position as they were isolated from the White families they served but obtained great knowledge. Alice Walker mentioned how, "The gift of loniness is sometimes a radical vision of society or one’s people that has not previously been taken into account.” She then closes out and states that in order to develop and reclaim Black feminist thought we must discover, reinterpret, and analyze the work of many US Black feminist and their work.

Both bodies of work detail how Black women and the Black feminist thought are oppressed through under inclusion within the government, workplaces, and the feminist movement itself and patriarchy from both White and Black males. Another main theme was the constant reference to intersectionality and how race, gender and class all play an interdependent role in the oppression of Black women in America, detailing the overlap between them and there impact upon Black women.

After reading Chapter 1 of Black Feminist Thought and the watching Dr. Crenshaw’s lecture, I contemplated if the push to strengthen the Black feminist though inadvertently restrain or downplay other ethic feminist and their efforts to promote their ideologies? And how do we equally promote all efforts in respect for each other?

2/8/2015 02:58:07 pm

In chapter one of Black Feminist Thought we first learn about Maria w. Stewart, who was the first America woman to lecture on Political issues in public. She raised issues that challenged African-Women to elevate themselves and fight the negative images of Black Women. She urged Black women to fight for self-determination stating, “Sue for your rights and privileges. Know the reasons you cannot attain them”(p. 4). These reasons she spoke of included race, gender and class oppression. They are the same reasons Dr. Crenshaw refers to as intersectionality in the video. This idea that there is a relationship between the three in the experiences of women is a recurring them. Another theme is the result of this relationship, which is the invisibility of Black women. The context of which the invisibility is spoken of is similar; their effects on black women are different but closely woven together. In Black feminist Fannie Barrie states “The colored girl is not known and hence not believed in; she belongs to a race that is best designated by the term “problem’ and she lives beneath the shadow of that problem which envelops and obscures her” (p. 5). In other words the ideas of African American women are not well known because of the long history of suppression in the form of oppression. This oppression has three dimensions, which encompass the idea of race, gender and class. The first is in the economical dimension in which black women were exploited in the name of capitalism, they were given jobs in the service industry in which their tools were “iron pots and kettles’. These types of jobs increased the ghettoization based on the low wages earned. The second dimension is in the political sense, where Black women were not granted many rights until recently including the right to vote, right to hold public office and very important right to a quality education. The third dimension is the set of ideologies or views that are attached to black women. These include mammies, jezebels, prostitutes, ghetto and welfare dependent. These three dimension work hand in hand to increase the invisibility of Black American women. The economic dimension keeps Black women in the lower class and at a poverty level. The political level suppresses the ideas of Black American women and promotes the ideas of white elite men, excluding them from having an input in the State. This in turn nurtures those ideologies attached to Black American women are seen as ghetto, or welfare dependent.
This suppression of Black Women’s ideas is what promotes that intersectionality that Dr. Crenshaw spoke about in the sense of the gap between race, gender and class. For example many Black American women find themselves as what is know as the outsider-within, where they are not seen as full insiders of certain groups. It is usually whiteness for feminist studies and Black for social and political issues and both for educational issues. For example Dr. Crenshaw talked about how incarceration is not often included in many women’s rights organizations, yet it should, as it is a huge problem that women now face. The reason it is not is because of the race and class of those who it affects. It is usually women from a marginalized group who are at the poverty level. She gave us the example of how difficult it was to get statistics of domestic violence from Los Angeles County where the regions are heavily racially divided. They didn’t want to release because some groups where afraid that it would promote the cops saying that if there is a high amount of violence with the Black community imagine what cops have to go thru when they encounter the home. Another group was concerned that it would cause cops to not want to take action and take away from the fight against domestic violence. This causes the Black groups to be marginalized in rhetorical politics to address the issue. This is important, as domestic violence is often a risk factor for incarceration of Black American and other colored women. Similarly sexual harassment and assault are risk factors for incarceration and are not often taken into consideration. We can also see how the political dimension of suppression affects women facing incarceration when we examine the story of Yvonne who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a first offense minor role in a drug related crime. She was the only black person in the courthouse but if more Black women were given quality education and more positions in public offices then this would not occur. What are some examples of the continued efficacy of the political dimension of Black women’s oppression in today’s society? What are the best strategies for promoting the Black Feminist thought?

AMal

2/8/2015 02:59:37 pm

This is my post Dr. Crain, not sure why my name didn't show up.

Makamae "Davina" Rene Heinz

2/23/2015 11:36:09 pm

In reading the book called Black Feminist Thought I am learning a whole lot of information that I knew nothing about. It was new to me to learn about Maria Stewart. I like a lot of her points and how deep they mean what she is trying to tell us. One of them that I liked was when she said "Turn your attention to knowledge and improvement; for knowledge is power" I can relate to this because I started with a ninth grade education and was hanging out with gangs and not doing nothing with my life. I finally got help for my issues and decided to turn my life around. I went back and received my G.E.D and then started off at Bryman for Medical Billing. I had a good job but decided that I wanted to do more. I finally went to C.C.S.F and left there with two Degrees. I took it further and ended up at CSU East Bay. I have learned that more knowledge I know the more power I will get. I am still in the beginning but I will collect as much information as I can to get knowledge so that I can make it out her. I know Maria also was stating this for us Women because we should have knowledge and be empowered. Another point I also learned that I did not know was when she stated about "Currently, some of U.S White women who possess great competence in researching a range of issues acknowledge the need for diversity, yet omit women of color from their work". Saying that they do not omit it because they are not Black and unqualified was so not true. We still are all women and a lot of us go through the same thing. In the video that we watched It was very interesting and also deep. I like how she mentions that why do they show pictures of domestic violence of mostly people of color. Domestic Violence happens in all races and cultures. All women are equally vulnerable to Domestic Violence. Also how she mentioned about the mandatory arrest and how women of color are being arrested as the same as men. It was very interesting in this video what I learned.

Approaches to Change (week 5)

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Approaches to Change (week 5)

Leave a Reply.

POSCI 3335

Archives

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THE BEAUTYOF BLACKCREATION

ABOUT USJOURNALS​​SUBMISSIONS

THE BEAUTY

OF BLACK

CREATION

ABOUT US

JOURNALS

SUBMISSIONS