Back in the 1960s, the second iteration of the feminism movement was in full effect. At the head of the movement, we had White/European women leading the charge for equal rights. Due to our society’s perpetual acquiescence to the system of patriarchy, women were seen as the lesser gender and the object of oppression with little to no voice. Naturally, the movement appealed to all women; Black, or melanated women, included. However, it did not necessarily include all women. Accordingly, feminism was a movement that systematically excluded women of African and Indigenous descent due to the presence of centuries long racism and discrimination that breathed life into the United States.
So, how is it that a movement that is supposed to be for all women is actually exclusionary towards the very women who helped thread the fibers of this country? Well, that is a question only the “founding fathers” can answer. Nonetheless, this dynamic produced a successful movement in terms of creating a voice for women who were once siloed and silenced, but it also came at a price. On one hand, the exclusionary nature of this movement came with the exclusion of the intersectionality of what it means to be an ethnically African, Indigenous, or a racially Black woman. Intersectionality emphasizes holding space for both the identity of a gendered culture and a racial culture that comes from a shared ethnic culture. In context, excluding melanated women from the discussion also meant the ethnic and racial culture and customs of our people were omitted.
Historically, those of an African or Native American origin emphasize the structure of the family, the reverence of elders, and a deep connection with nature and the spiritual world. Unfortunately, many aspects of feminism, since its inception, miss the importance of this interconnected network of people, nature, and spirit that is integral to the existence, evolution, and promotion of these African and Indigenous peoples. From an evolutionary perspective, the women of Anglo/European descent come from a culture of survival and individualism. In fact, the less people who are part of the family, the better because there is a higher chance of survival when there is less people. Contrarily, for people of African and Indigenous descent there is a higher chance of survival when there are more people present to fulfill the necessary roles to progress our evolution. However, because an underlying assumption of feminism is to actually be in opposition with men and to fight against men, we become disconnected with our evolutionary makeup. Essentially, we oppose and separate ourselves from the other pieces of the pie that create the whole.
Now that’s not to say patriarchy is right. Institutional and internalized power over another person is not in alignment with an interconnected network and undermines our innate need for a sense of autonomy. Yes, hierarchy may exist within these interconnected African and Indigenous family structures, but there is still the acknowledgment that every person in this network has a purpose and is valuable, especially the women and children. However, due to this missing ideology in feminism, it is inherently a fractured movement that promotes separation and perpetuates individualism, which is counterintuitive to peoples who have traditionally been connected and have adopted an interdependent style of living. Furthermore, it promotes the idea that Black women are supposed to thrive on their own.
While this idea may seem empowering, it begs the question of why Black women have some of the highest rates of stress induced medical problems, high mortality rates during childbirth, and also the highest rates of reproductive and auto immune disorders compared to White women. These reports reflect the negative effects of adopting the White feminist ideology that ignores the benefits of an inclusive community and collective reliance. As a result, many of us are living in a state of imbalance. These imbalances lead to the dis-ease and dysfunction of our mental health, womb wellness, spiritual connection, and so much more.
I am not advocating we do away with or dishonor the feminist movement and the benefits the movement has afforded us. Nor am I disregarding the struggles women of African and Indigenous descent have encountered within our community due to patriarchal dominance. Alternatively, I am arguing we have a critical reflection and deep discussion about how feminism has continued to systematically disadvantage melanated women, especially when it comes to our ancestral, historical, and evolutionary existence. Power does not lie in your ability to overpower or compete with another person. Power runs deep; it comes from within. But, how many of us have forgotten the power that is inherently inside of us? How many of us have forgotten the very pieces of who we are? How many of us have lost a sense of where we come from and where we are going? How many of us actually suffer due to internalizing an ideal that actually opposes the meaning of divine femininity? It’s time we seek the answers to these questions and embark on a path of wholeness and divine feminine essence.
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