It was interesting watching the video and reading the timeline of the women’s suffrage movement. You can easily see the intersection between race and gender, and how this affected the movement. Ida exposed the inhumane ramifications blacks experienced, and also the mistreatment of women. She spoke to the core values of the feminist movement. However, you can see when she partnered up with Susan B. Anthony, the race then became a part of the equation. The white women could not see past the race, and that they were both on the same team. I feel like this interaction spearheaded the movement we sort of see today.

In every institution, women have to fight for their rights and accolades in a paracortical system that is catered to the man, but most importantly the white man. I’ve had my own experiences were speaking of women or people in general, and how my words are heard but only for a certain race. Unfortunately, black women are not granted the space to only worry about women’s issues. Black women have to fight for their rights to be black, along with being women. This puts us at an incredible disadvantage when allies come short and few. In many situations, we are equal until the race. This is why it was so easy for Susan to allow Ida and the other black feminist to join the movement (which in my eyes I believe Ida initiated), but only if they remained in the back. Out of sight out of mind.

I think moving forward and as always need to acknowledge that race does play a part, however, does not make us different. We need to learn from our history, so we can make proper changes for the future.