Hearing the word feminism we often think that it is inclusive to all women. Finding out that there is still a segregation is baffling. Feminisim should include all and not then again having the black woman have to have their own category of the black feminist because the white feminist isn’t always considering the trials of black women. The Combahee River Collective statement was very eye opening. As a black woman should fight for the unjust done because they are black and because they are woman, even in a time when women were fight for the freedoms for women. I enjoyed Mario’s snapshot of a black woman saying “I am no longer accepting things I cannot change, I am changing the things I cannot accept.” It holds true and I think the Black Feminist should never disappear, but yell louder until it reaches those who are not willing to fight or understand. 

Paris is Burning was a great documentary showing the “balls” which were held as a safe place for transgenders to be themselves. Having competitions and having fun. They reminded me on modern drag competitions, then realizing this was a place for transgendered only. I found it to be very moving and honest when hearing them speak on the balls. Its unfortunate that the woman who was directing the film didn’t help the community in anyway, although she benefited from their lives. I didn’t know that vouge as we all though Madonna made, was stolen from the balls. Having different houses to be a part of and help guide you through the competitions, I feel was more than guidance of the competitions but more guidance on the everyday struggles the trans faced. Most didn’t have family at that point, or had to find jobs in sexwork because society wouldn’t let them participate in “normal” life.

Being a black woman in America has a lot of disadvantages. With America being built on the backs of racism, minority groups have been battling hardships and struggles for centuries. Black people have been manipulated and overlooked by white supremacies since the beginning. Black people are constantly being faced with racism, prejudice, discrimination, and so on. Black people are forced to live in the worst communities that are invested with drugs, gang activities, mass incarcerations, poor schooling systems, low health care, low healthy food options, and so on. Due to all these negative aspects in the lives of black people, families are forced to stay and repeat the same cycle. Being a black woman in society is deemed almost as a punishment. Not only am I black but I’m also a woman, the less superior gender in a society that is ruled by white male supremacies.

As a young black woman, I have faced countless racism in my short lifespan. My friends and I have been kicked out of stores and restaurants simply for being black. I have faced multiple microaggressions from teachers and peers in schools. I have experienced white people start snickering or suddenly grab their purses closer to them the second my friends and I walk into the room. Black women are constantly looked down upon and have to fight stereotypes, microaggressions, and prejudice on a daily.

In the reading of “The Combahee River Collective Statement”, we are presented with a group of feminists who are African American and part of the LGBTQ. For them as black feminists they mention they have to fight against the simultaneous oppressions of being a woman, a person of color and being lgbtq. The reading states how “Black, other Third World, and working women have been involved in the feminist movement from its start, but both outside reactionary forces and racism and elitism within the movement itself served to obscure our participation”. So even as women supporting each other, they were outcasted. Thus, when the NBFO was formed, it was to aid black women, so that they can have each other’s backs. I really like the snapshot by Jasmin H. because it illustrates how women of color must there for each other when others won’t be there. Furthermore, later in the reading they stated how it’s difficult to differentiate the difference between race from class from sex oppression, since they are a simultaneous experience that these women have faced throughout their lifetime just like how a member of the reading states “We are all damaged people merely by virtue of being Black women”. When I read this, I realized how African American women are constantly fighting for themselves. They are pushed over by men both African American and white and even by other women, white women.

The video “Paris is Burning”, focuses on how the experiences of African Americans, and lgbtq+ individuals. In the video we can see how they have this one event where they truly go out to enjoy themselves. We are narrated how this event was highly looked forward to and in comparison, the everyday life that surrounded these individuals was so difficult, that this event was their form of happiness and a moment to forget and enjoy. In the beginning of the video a narrator states what their father had told them, which goes along the lines of “In life you have three strikes against you in this world, every black man has two. That they are black, and they are a male. But you are black and a male and your gay… if you are going to do this you are going to have to be stronger than you ever imagined”. Basically, his father, was preparing his son. Letting him know that they will always have that target on their backs, and the best they can do is be strong, for themselves. Because at the end of the day, they must fight for themselves. Sometimes, like presented in the video, some parents won’t support their children, and they must stand up and find a way for themselves to move forward, without a parent’s guide. Furthermore, in the video an individual states how certain there will be individuals at these events, that will give out their all, to demonstrate they can be somebody but at the end of the day, they go home and are lost in the real world. Because the real world is unjust and cruel. And they are not able to perform that same talent they can give.

Being black is already hard enough and comes with a lot of struggle and day to day fight but to be a black woman is much worse. Not only are you looked down on for your race but your gender as well. Having to constantly fight to prove you’re worthy and deserve to be treated equally is hard for women of color. I find it sad that black women are oppressed by their kind, black men. People who know how hard it is to already be black, the very ones who are supposed to be with them and not against them. It has been said in THE COMBAHEE RIVER COLLECTIVE STATEMENT that “The reaction of Black men to feminism has been notoriously negative. They are, of course, even more threatened than Black women by the possibility that Black feminists might organize around our own needs. They realize that they might not only lose valuable and hardworking allies in their struggles but that they might also be forced to change their habitually sexist ways of interacting with and oppressing Black women.” (Combahee River Collective). Women being treated the same as men shouldn’t be threatening at all. Women finally being seen as an equal is a major accomplishment from years of sacrifices and hardwork from feminist before our time. The fact that it’s seen in such a negative light by men shows how comfortable they are oppressing women which is even more sad. Looking back on the history of black feminist and what they fought for and comparing it to right now to see that not much has changed is aggravating. Black women are facing the same problems and in a constant fight to be equal to men which shouldn’t be something they should be fighting for to begin with. Mario snapshot stating “I am no longer accepting the things i cannot change, i am changing the things i cannot accept” explains perfectly what black femenist are doing. Taking matters in their own hands and fighting for change.

In the video Paris is Burning African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender people talk about their gender/ sexuality and some experiences they had. I gained a lot of knowledge from watching this film and it showed me how much the LGBTQ community goes through. At the ball they are able to dress up as whatever they want and do whatever without having to worry about how they are seen. While watching this I realized straight people can openly be themselves anywhere without having to worry about being judged because of how “normal” being straight is seen. But people in the LGBTQ community dont all have a safe space where they can freely be themselves. The ball is that space for them where they can express themselves in whatever way they see fit, whether that’s through their clothes or makeup. While watching them dance I can see how comfortable everyone is and how well supported they are. Not having many places where you can openly be yourself can start to affect how you view yourself.

The famous statement of one of the most politically influential black men in the name of history seems to have been forgotten. Martin Luther King Jr. yearned for everyone to come together as a community and judge others not based on the color of their skin, but on the content of their character, which is what many people are dismissing in more ways than one. As the article by the Combahee River Collective, “The Combahee River Collective Statement” in 1977 discusses, the American political system has been dominated by a system of white male rule, painting black women as the adversaries. Luckily, activists such as Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, and countless other women have torn down this façade that has been placed upon them by society, demonstrating the true strength women, specifically black women could have in a system that was designed to see them fail. This is why the post made by Naftara is so strong and displays the message that women, especially women of color, are stronger than they are made out to be.
The article discusses how sex is oftentimes seen as a determinant of power in relationships and how traditionally, men are seen as the head of the house and the primary defense for its development. This is what many black feminist movements are about, bringing down the ideology that they are weak or must depend on men in order to survive. Just as Naftara’s post states, they have earned their place at the table and that makes them stronger than the average women who acquiesce to the power that their husbands think they have over them. This is a common theme seen throughout many feminist groups as they attempt to overcome the barrier of being seen as the inferior group and demonstrate that they too are worthy of self-governance and righteousness. This type of treatment towards women can be seen in not only the black community, but in many other communities as well, such as the Hispanic community. In the Hispanic community, women are seen as inferior to men and have to tend to their every need such as preparing the husbands food and taking care of the children while the man goes to work and provides for his family and is something many individuals are fighting to overcome. This post also depicts how, as discussed in the article, “how little effort white women have made to understand and combat their racism,” and not only their racism, but their acceptance of the patriarchal ways of thinking that has plagued society today. Black women not only need to fight for equality in a system that wasn’t created to see women thrive, but also in a system that oppresses the needs of every black citizen. If we continue fighting against this type of oppression by not following the status quo put together by our predecessors and recognizing where they went wrong, it is likely to cease to exist but living in the same mindset will get us nowhere.

This was posted on 11/7 under Naftara’s snapshot post and I forgot to post it under the response 9 tab instead.

The struggles of being an African American women have been both visible and inevitable over time. They are treated poorly, not only due to the color of their skin, but also due to the stereotype that women are suppose to serve their supposed feminine duties. Women, more specifically black women have been constantly degraded and looked down upon while also facing the troubles of discrimination given towards African Americans in general. Women have often fought for their voices to be heard and for their rights to be as equal as men, but constantly get shut away and their capabilities are further diminished. Black women can be known to possibly face the most discrimination in our society and many look down on them and speak poorly of them for not fitting the normalized standards of a woman in this day and age. It is very obvious which group of people hold their privileges high and belittle these African American women. Due to the way they look and have been raised and what they’ve been taught, this is not something that should be held against them and certainly not something that should cause them to be looked at negatively compared to everyone else. The color of their skin should not be seen as criminally dangerous or offensive in any scenario. A large capacity of people can agree it is unfair and wrong for African Americans to feel like they’re a threat to others because that’s what has been planted in their minds for so long. They are just like everyone else, wanting the same opportunities, the same rights and the same freedom.

According to the reading, several moves in organizations have been made collectively. As I discussed previously, these group of Black feminists talk about struggling racially and struggling with sexual, heterosexual and class oppression. She continues making very important and impactful statements such as “Black women have always embodied, if only in their physical manifestation, an adversary stance to white male rule and have actively resisted its inroads upon them and their communities in both dramatic and subtle ways.” This can clearly define the harsh issue in discriminating Black women, especially when it comes to White men seeing them as competition. Many Black women wish to see change in this area of debate and want to spark in a better, more understanding and less controversial direction in order to gain equal support and opportunities. Groups of Black voices and feminists have existed for a long time now and their ambition remains, they continuously fight for change. There have undeniably been times where they might have felt discouraged but to this day, never has the fight for their equality stopped. The reading also states “As children we realized that we were different from boys and that we were treated differently. For example, we were told in the same breath to be quiet both for the sake of being “ladylike” and to make us less objectionable in the eyes of white people.” making it visible that young Black women have commonly faced a form of physical and sexual abuse.

As the video “Paris is Burning” progresses, it looks further into the communities of African Americans, Latino, gay and transgender people. It is an exploration of the struggles these groups of people face in America due to their race, class, gender or sexuality. Of course anyone can fully admit the idea of being able to be yourself and embrace every part of you is unimaginably a good feeling. However unfortunately, not many groups of people can experience that feeling without being degraded and having their own differences be pointed out as “wrong.” So many people in this world hate the idea of transgender people, African American people, gay people, etc. These are all ongoing issues which take place in our society and we may even see it happening to someone else in our day to day lives. It is a disheartening feeling to face when you know and unfortunately have to acknowledge there are people who do not accept you. This film touches upon these topics and provides a sense of realistic understanding and how these groups of people are often shut down by society and anyone else around them who does not support who they truly are.

The Combahee River Collective Statement 

The Combahee River Collective Statement was a group of Black socialist lesbian feminists who’s aim was to address multiple oppressions at once. It’s a touchy thing for me to be reminded that various equality movements ignore Black women’s plight. Black women exist at the very bottom of every oppression, race, sex, sexuality and class but that is rarely recognized even among Black women ourselves. We tend to put everyone before us not realizing that if our needs were met that would mean the people above us needs would also be met but it’s not the same the other way around. White womens liberation doesn’t equal liberation for Black women or any other WOC for that matter. Black men’s liberation doesn’t equate to Black womens liberation. In fact, both these groups achieving liberation that excludes us would mean they’d have more power to oppress us. “If Black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression.” (19). Black women are oppressed by the system of white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism which all work together to keep us down. The racial gender pay gap highlights perfectly how these system work together making Black women bare the brunt of their oppression. Black men don’t want to address their sexism and ultimately that is holding the Black community back, white women do not want to address their racism and that’s hold the feminist community back. The Combahee River Collective believe the aversion to listen to Black feminists on the part of men, white women and non black women socialists is ultimately what holds us back from a revolutionary change in society. The most revolutionary are the ones who are most oppressed.

Snapshot 9 Response 

I was particularly drawn to the picture posted by Mario Jesus Nava which quoted Angela Davis. It reads “ I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change, I am changing the things I cannot accept”. A powerful quote that I frequently use as an affirmation, not just for political oppression but also for everyday struggles that aren’t deeply tied to systems. If my habits are holding me back I tell myself this quote to reclaim my power over my life so I can get to work. It kicks me out of complacency and propels me into action. It’s a truly powerful statement. 

Paris is Burning 

The documentary Paris is Burning educated me further on Black and Hispanic NYC LGBTQ culture and history. It’s not the first time I’ve heard of Ball but it’s the first time I’ve gotten an in-depth history of it and its significance in the Queer community. Balls are competitive extravaganzas events created by queer people for queer people where they dress up and compete in different categories for prizes and glory. At Balls LGBTQ people could be whatever they wanted to be, they could be drag queens, models, and even dress as certain professional roles that they otherwise wouldn’t be chosen for because they were Black/Brown Queer and poor. A whole culture was birthed out of this, queer tradition and vocabulary. Terms like read, shade, and voguing which are still used today and gained popularity among those who are not Black/brown nor a part of the LGBTQ community came from Ball culture. The world doesn’t offer LGBTQ people (especially BIPOC LGBTQ people) a safe space to exist, so they created their own. Ball was their safe space, a safe space for creativity and expression, sexuality, gender identity and a shelter for those who were homeless literally and figuratively. Many LGBTQ youth who were kicked out of their homes by parents and relatives who were unaccepting of their identity found refuge and family in these spaces. Ball is a home, a representation of the resilience of the Black and Hispanic LGBTQ community, it’s prismatic personality and its influence and impact.

Black people have struggled for centuries not just economically but emotionally, physically, and mentally. The most general statement of our politics at the present time would be that we are actively committed to struggling against racial, sexual, heterosexual, and class oppression, and see as our task the development of integrated analysis and practice based upon the fact that the major systems of oppression are interlocking. Living as a black woman in the United States of America, I have come across many forms of discrimination and racial bias. I can’t imagine living as a transgender black woman. They are looked down upon tremendously and many of them lose their lives. Transgender black women have the highest mortality rates due to the violate crimes they face. It is important that they find a community that is accepting of them so that they can be themselves completely and feel safe. This is way ball room culture is important to the LGBTQIA+ community. They feel at home and accepted. They feel free and loved. ‘Paris is Burning’ shows a great representation of ball room culture.  

            Being a black woman in America, I face double discrimination. As a woman when men see me driving, they try to intimidate me by speeding up or cutting me off, in meetings men try to speak over me or mansplain things I already know. As a black person, white women are often intimidated by me or feel uncomfortable in my presence and white men think I’m not intelligent or capable of doing what they can do. Black women have the highest count of sexual assault cases. After reading Osayanmo’s post, I feel the frustration she feels. She said we should be treated like everyone else but unfortunately, we’re not. As I do believe we have come a long way, we have not made it where we need to be.

Response 9

“The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.” -Malcolm X. This is one of the most impactful quotes that have been said about black women struggle. Black are expected to be strong, understanding, caring, and be there for everyone but who is there for them. In the statement “(1977) THE COMBAHEE RIVER COLLECTIVE STATEMENT” it says “This focusing upon our own oppression is embodied in the concept of identity politics. We believe that the most profound and potentially most radical politics come directly out of our own identity, as opposed to working to end somebody else’s oppression. In the case of Black women this is a particularly repugnant, dangerous, threatening, and therefore revolutionary concept because it is obvious from looking at all the political movements that have preceded us that anyone is more worthy of liberation than ourselves. We reject pedestals, queenhood, and walking ten paces behind. To be recognized as human, levelly human, is enough”. This means to me that black women are always there fighting for everyone else but when it comes to ourselves we don’t necessarily go as hard as we do for others.  And like many of the snapshots posted, many black women are always in the frontlines fighting for what’s right. A person’s gender, race,or sexuality should not be an obstacle for them to be or achieve things in life. 

Society seems to cancel out or overlook people or things that are not the norm. We as a society need to change that and allow all people to have all the opportunities as everyone else. In the documentary “Paris is burning” was one of the most inspirational things I have ever watched. These men were going through their own pain and struggles of life also having society bashing them they created a world of their own to be who they are and live their dreams that they know they wouldn’t be able to in society. This documentary also reminded me of the show “pose” on Netflix which is based on the documentary. It really shows the pain and struggle that the people of this community had to go through and how they supported each other. To me the ball played a very important part of the lgbtq community having that safe slave of being themselves and around others like them allow them to show their full potential. Lastly because of society limiting that community.

For women of all races and men of color, race and gender continue to produce different and unequal outcomes. This is especially visible in the underrepresentation of women in professional occupations and their experiences. For example, due to factors such as motherhood penalty, gender discrimination, and occupational segregation, women earn 79 cents for every dollar earned by males. Black women make only 64 cents on the dollar, while Latinas earn only 54 cents. Women of color continue to face occupational and economic disadvantages as a result of the ways race and gender interact in the workplace.

How do racism and sexism affect women of color in the workplace? Both characteristics harm women in a range of sectors by limiting leadership chances, perpetuating specific forms of sexual harassment, and instilling subtle but pervasive questions about competence, intelligence, and skill that have little to do with real performance.