That’s another annoying thing about white feminism: how they treat black men. There’s a difference from understanding, that like white men, black men have the tendency to be sexist and misogynist AND using their manhood as an excuse to racially demonize them … mostly by way of the black male rapist myth and citing their greater inclination to violence, and etc. They also like to talk about rap music, yes, because every black man is a copy of 50 Cent or that annoying Tyler the Creator they like to talk about.
In this way, feminists are some of the most openly racist people in American society. They can get away with it because it comes under the banner of supporting women.
But I certainly haven’t forgotten the history of lynching at the bequest of white women & black men incarcerated right now falsely accused. I certainly haven’t forgotten that white women make more money than black men. And I certainly haven’t forgotten that when white women ally with white men, they are much better off than patriarchy allows black men to be.
I also hate how in white feminism white women’s rights and black men’s rights are often juxtaposed. It seems, that every advancement made the white man chooses whether he’s going to stick with his race or his gender. Feminism operates under the idea that white men will choose to stick with his race.
The traditional sexist black movements operated under the idea that white men would be so sexist that they’d rather give increased opportunities to black men than their white women. And I believe that historically we’ve seen examples of it going either way. Although, I’d say that when white men have chosen black men it has been for mostly nominal things, such as the right to vote, when we all know that black people for the longest could barely vote in most places even though it was legal.
I believe that certain things should be deferred to black women, such as black male sexism. Since white women are clearly too racist and too ignorant to adequately work towards a solution themselves.
Every time I hear a white feminist open their mouth about black men, I have a visceral reaction of anger. Not because I think black men are perfect. Far from it. But because they’re misrepresenting the problem to the detriment of black women as much as black men.
The interesting thing about white feminism is watching how they relate to white men by contrast. While black men are fully vilified without thought, white men are tiptoed around (don’t get into Hugo S). Which then turns feminism from a movement seeking for white women’s equality with white men, to a movement willing to make concessions for merely an improved situation.
Meanwhile, I’m over here, not wanting to coddle black men’s sexism or misogyny, since more so than white people, we can honestly not afford to do that. I think seperatism in white feminism is more plausible than serpatism in black feminism. Black Americans are in a terrible position in this country, that will only worsen if sexism is not sorted out within our own communities. Among other things, such as colorism & etc.
However, we can’t solve black sexism by taking cues from racist white feminism.
