In my effort to resurrect the blog and post regularly, I have been a lot less prolific than I had originally anticipated. At the moment I have 12 drafts, all at different stages of completion. Except lately I’ve been discouraged, and not in the “my writing makes me so insecure” way.
I’ve been making an effort to read more women of color, particularly WOC perspectives on feminism. I am in “shutup and listen” mode at the moment. I’m trying to learn, but I feel like the little progress I’m making is dwarfed by my overall ignorance. For instance, I came across a post at Brownfemipower in which she says:
White feminists insistence on positioning women of color as helpless victims or as invisible has very real world implications that result in violence both here and abroad.
And horrified thoughts of “Is that what I did in my last blog entry???”
I know I have this problem where I feel like I deserve a pat on the back for trying to work out my racism or trying to become aware of certain issues. Yeah, this is something I need to get rid of, I don’t really think men who treat women like human beings deserve pats on the back or anything. I know I’m not an incredible paragon of feminist perfection, but I think I’m pretty good at being aware of the things women face around the world. I have learned where one of my major blind spots is, becoming increasingly aware over the past few months that mainstream feminism works from a very narrow perspective - that of a white middle to upper class one.
So I guess the trouble lies in the issues that I thought I was pretty good about being aware of, and then realizing that maybe I’m still not approaching this in a proper way. It makes me feel paralyzed. Even in areas where I think I am “progressive” or aware, I may be displaying glaring ignorance.
As well, today I began to wonder about the idea of being quiet and listening. I understand the importance of this. I’m just not sure when I’ll be ready or if it is even appropriate to engage the things I read in a critical fashion. For instance, the first book I chose to read by a woman of color on feminism was Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism by bell hooks (review forthcoming). BFP makes the point that often white feminists don’t go past bell hooks and Audre Lorde when there is a whole body of work that both builds on and critiques their theories.
So I guess I’m trying to figure out how I am going to be able to pick out and discern theories that have truth to them versus theories that don’t. Or by looking to approach things in the future in that manner, am I going about it in the absolute wrong way? Is it a matter that I can’t and shouldn’t try to engage theories in a critical manner that have been built on experiences I will never have?
And yeah… maybe I’m just making this all about me now. Perhaps I am just asking the wrong questions. I have no clue.
BTW - here is the post I was referring to at BFP (replace x with h)
xttp://brownfemipower.com/?p=1059
No related posts.
January 9th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
“So I guess the trouble lies in the issues that I thought I was pretty good about being aware of, and then realizing that maybe I’m still not approaching this in a proper way. It makes me feel paralyzed. Even in areas where I think I am “progressive†or aware, I may be displaying glaring ignorance.”
Aiieee, the paralysis of knowing you don’t know! Actually, it’s a sign that your intelligence level is significantly above the American average. Embrace it. You know there’s more out there than you can possibly imagine–a concept most people don’t get to wrestle with. Follow what interests you and inspires you. Perhaps you don’t know everything there is to know about women of color and feminism. I’d say you don’t know everything about Southern culture and feminism, or Hispanic feminists, or Middle Eastern feminist issues, or…you see where I’m going, right? You’ll never know everything.
I suspect if you approach topics with sensitivity and genuine curiousity, you’ll be rewarded. And if someone doesn’t appreciate that you’re making an effort to learn, fuck ‘em. Go elsewhere. (That’s a personal thing. I don’t laugh at people trying to use the best English they know to talk to me; I encourage them. My co-workers don’t tell me to STFU when I ask what weapon an RG-65A is; they help me find out.)
If someone wanted to know about what it’s like to be a white feminist living in an urban/suburban setting, what would be the “proper way” to approach you, and ask about your experiences? Go at what YOU want to learn with that mindset.
I think too often, people are afraid to say things like, “I’m new to this, but would like to learn more.”
I’ve learned a lot from the links on this site, by the way. Thank you for that. There’s so much there, and I’m new to a lot of it, but it’s interesting to get new perspectives and ideas. They don’t all mesh with my life or my beliefs or my views, but they don’t have to.
And sorry for sounding like a Life Coach On A Bravo Reality Televison Show. I hate those people.
January 10th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I saw this today and thought of you…for both the issue and the amazing photograph. http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/01/8ce81826-4778-4cbc-b9ad-f7c39aa5524d.html
January 13th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Cool!! Which links are you referring to in particular? Any links that really stood out to you?
As usual, you are right on the money. It’s just sometimes (ok, a lot actually) I’m sitting there nodding along to some white person’s response to a person of color, “hey, that sounds pretty reasonable, I agree” and the the person of color will turn around and smack them down with a counter argument that I never would have even come to on my own. And it’s like, “wow, I didn’t see anything wrong with that, which shows just how damn little I know.” Ok… I am gradually learning to pick things out, and recognize some of the nasty shit that can masquerade as benign. So I do see progress. But it’s been slow.
As well, I’ve been trying to figure out where the line between “relating with someone’s experiences by interjecting your own” and “making it all about me” is. If you ever think I’m doing the latter instead of the former, please feel free to smack me down. ;x
January 14th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I Blame the Patriarchy has some eye-opening stuff. I enjoy that one (even though I sometimes feel like I’m not supposed to, since I’m not schooled in feminism and humanism?).
January 15th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Pfft… everyone can enjoy IBTP! Well, ok, Mike would often sigh and shake his head at the rhetoric… but I love every word. It’s like… you could cry about the points she puts across, or you could delight and marvel at the cutting sarcasm and the sharp, wonderful way she strings words together. I envy her writing style, I’ve always aimed for the cutting sarcasm bit but I guess I’m just not comfortable enough to pull it off.
January 15th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I may sigh when I read it but I almost always agree with her message!