Sunday, October 11, 2015

What we talk about when when talk about "white feminism"

Ophelia Benson questions why intersectional feminists limit themselves to "white feminism:"
Also, what about middle class? Why is cis a category while middle class is not? What about young and attractive? Both presenters are young and attractive – what about Young Attractive Feminism? Why are we attacking White Feminism for excluding anyone who’s not white, cis and straight, but not attacking Young Attractive Feminism for excluding anyone who’s not young and attractive?
The way I understand it, "white feminism" is a sort of shorthand for those privileged on many axes: class, sexuality, youth, etc. By that definition, I am not a "white feminist," even though I'm white (and don't self-identify as a feminist anymore). But it does speak of a larger problem within leftist circles to ignore class, especially when it doesn't come packaged with racial privilege.