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Lesson Plan
Because of the interlocking nature of capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy, there are countless instances of these systems of oppression working together to create unique issues for those with multiple marginalized identities.
“We believe that sexual politics under patriarchy is as pervasive in Black women's lives as are the politics of class and race. We also often find it difficult to separate race from class from sex oppression because in our lives they are most often experienced simultaneously. We know that there is such a thing as racial-sexual oppression which is neither solely racial nor solely sexual, e.g., the history of rape of Black women by white men as a weapon of political repression.”
- The Combahee River Collective -
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https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/combahee-river-collective-statement-1977/
FORCED STERILIZATION:
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Historically, women of color, disabled women, poor women, and others with identities/qualities deemed "undesirable" were subjected to forced or coerced sterilization. This procedure was part of the eugenics movement, which advocated for the advancement of the white wealthy society and the eradication of all others. This unique example of violence is not solely connected to sexism, as it targeted women of specific classes and races, further showing the interconnectedness of capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy.
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT/DISCUSSION:
- Did you know about the history of forced sterilization in the United States?
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- Do you believe this issue should be addressed alongside other reproductive issues such as abortion?
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- Do you believe racism or the centering of white women within the feminist movement is the reason for forced sterilization being less addressed within the feminist movement?
THE SECOND SHIFT:
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The intersection of capitalism and patriarchy have created the idea of the “second shift”, which describes the expectation that women are responsible for all of the domestic work of the house, such as childcare, cleaning, and cooking, on top of their formal wage-earning job. The second shift is unpaid labor. Women of color are even more affected by this concept, as they often earn much less money in their jobs and must take on more work than a white woman in order to support their family. They still are expected to do the social reproductive work within their households, leaving them with much more work to do than more privileged women.
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READING: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/unequal-division-labor/
QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT/DISCUSSION:
- Within your household, who is responsible for the majority of the domestic labor? Has this workload ever been discussed between the members of your household, or has it always been expected that the current person/people do the domestic labor?
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- How could the unequal division of labor be most efficiently addressed in your opinion? Is it a social, economic, and/or legislative issue? If you believe it could be most efficiently addressed through legislation, what policies do you suggest?
This lesson plan connects to my feminist utopia because I believe everybody should be educated on this topic. Even though I previously considered myself to be quite educated on feminist and racial issues, learning about the interlocking systems of capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy as well as the specific manifestations of this was incredibly eye-opening for me. In my feminist utopia, this knowledge would be shared with as many people as possible.