INTERSECTIONAL
LIBERATION
My ideal feminism is one that focuses on liberation from the primary systems of oppression, rather than only trying to improve existence within these systems.
The three primary systems of oppression operating today are capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy. These systems are interlocked and cannot be separated. One system cannot be dismantled while the other two are left in tact. This means that the liberation of all people cannot be achieved until all of these systems are dismantled.
I believe the mainstream feminist movement has previously attempted to dismantle only patriarchy, with little to no focus on white supremacy or capitalism. While this has created some positive change for the white, heterosexual, middle-class women who led the movement, other women of additional marginalized identities were often harmed.
“We realize that the liberation of all oppressed peoples necessitates the destruction of the political-economic systems of capitalism and imperialism as well as patriarchy.”
(Combahee River Collective 17)
The Combahee River Collective was a coalition of Black socialist lesbian women that united to advocate for their needs that were not being addressed within the mainstream feminist movement. They spoke on the intersection of race, class, and gender, as well as other social systems that affected one's position of marginalization. In my utopian feminist movement, the education on destruction of these primary systems of oppression would be prioritized. I believe this is the only way to ensure the equality of women as well as people of all genders, which is why it should be focused on within the feminist movement.
“We have learned from feminist studies that the world is not homogenous. That all the women are not white, that all the Blacks are not men. That if we do not include racial justice and economic justice then gender justice has not been achieved."
- Angela Davis -
Angela Davis is a renowned and influential philosopher, activist, and scholar on a myriad of social issues. In my feminist utopia, women like her would lead the movement against capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy. She highlights the need for an intersectional approach to feminism which targets all systems of oppression, and not just the patriarchy. As she points out, the liberation of women and people of other genders from the patriarchy cannot be achieved without working towards racial and economic justice as well.
The speaker and singer in this video is Elise Bryant, who is a feminist and labor activist. She is the President of the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), which is an intersectional organization which works to advocate for gender equality and union rights in the workplace. Elise has sung and spoken at many events I have attended, and she is one of my biggest role models in life. This clip of her singing "Solidarity Forever", a historical union anthem, is incredibly moving to me, and is a prime example of what my feminist utopia would look like: a strong Black woman leading the fight for liberation from the many inequalities faced in the workplace.