Comments on: The Amanda Marcotte Controversy: Race in the Feminist Blogosphere.

By: What if the feminist blogosphere is a form of digital colonialism? « Professor, What If…?

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:47:46 +0000

[...] [15] http://postbourgie.com/2008/04/17/the-amanda-marcotte-controversy-race-in-the-feminist-blogosphere/ [...]

By: Scott’s Blog » Blog Archive » Walking the walk

Scott’s Blog » Blog Archive » Walking the walk — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:39:36 +0000

[...] more I think about this lately, especially in light of some of the things I’ve been reading in the feminist blogs about race, class and privilege, the more I’m forced to consider my [...]

By: Sam

Sam — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:28:43 +0000

I’ve posted criticism of Amanda’s publications and it’s a shame that immediately, the reaction on the feminist blogs that are in a echo is that I must be a troll who must be stricken from the record. How can it be that I can write anything but flattery? That is an issue. How open are some of these feminist communities to vibrant ideas from different people if it steps on the toes of the likes of this person?

By: quadmoniker

quadmoniker — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:52:28 +0000

I wanted to add a perspective. My ‘nod’ was to others’ comments, which have detailed the problems in a way that I obviously never could, not the whole condition. I only meant to make this point: I don’t think feminism is addressing anyone’s issues anymore.

By: feministdonut

feministdonut — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:32:55 +0000

Quad, I think you perfectly (albeit unintentionally) just illustrated white feminist privilege by paying quick lip service to how attention to woc issues is “woefully inadequate,” then proceeding to focus on your own white problems with the feminist movement.

The way feminism leaves you—a white Bryn Mawr grad—wanting, and the way it leaves WOC—regardless of education or citizenship or socioeconomic status—wanting are two completely different things that don’t even belong in the same thread topic, much less the same paragraph.

To you, the fact that NOW is addressing “yesterday’s issue” of equal pay is a novel concept that leaves you asking “what now?” to me, aware that black women make 63 cents and Latina women 52 cents to the white man’s dollar (with similar educations and in similar positions), it leaves me asking “what took you so long?” (And white women still make 77 cents to the white male dollar, btw, so don’t breathe your sigh of relief just yet.)

Furthermore citing NOW as the feminist organization to look to for change is almost laughable, considering the racism/homophobia prevalent in its formative years that leaves a sour taste in many feminists’ mouths (white or otherwise) to this day.

By: quadmoniker

quadmoniker — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:19:34 +0000

I completely agree that much of the feminism movement was and is a movement for middle-class white women, and the nods the bigger groups make to including issues facing women of color are woefully inadequate. I will also say that, as a young white woman, feminism left me wanting as well. I’m not sure I can say exactly why. Groups like NOW don’t make efforts to be on campuses and address the issues a younger woman will face, even at all-women’s colleges like my alma mater. That leaves women to form their own on campus groups that dissipate once they leave. Also, I still feel like they’re addressing many of yesterday’s issues without an update for today. Check out NOW’S homepage — equal pay and electing Clinton and loving your body. Ok, we all got degrees and jobs and I love my body just fine. What now?

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:15:26 +0000

BFP decided to leave the blogosphere which I have said in other online discussions was a GREAT mistake. If people who are stealing content from academic blogs have NO CONSEQUENCE at all professionally then they will continue to do it.

I suggested that all sista bloggers create a WHITE LIST to identify websites that have content that is stolen from black authors. Few were prepared to take this drastic step and put the violators on FRONT STREET! And why not??

We need to blow the trumpet until the sound shakes the blogosphere!
Lisa

http://blackwomenblowthetrumpet.blogspot.com

By: nichole

nichole — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:33:13 +0000

feminism left me wanting, too, so i turned to alice walker’s definition of womanism b/c it seemed to be more encompassing, and yet at the same time, it seemed to make people more uncomfortable.

maybe it should.

By: aisha

aisha — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:52:39 +0000

Like Cindy I’ve never really been able to identify with the feminism movement. I was able to at least take a brief peak during a women’s studies class I took my senior year. The class was taught by two Latinas and I could connect to their view points. I think them being women of color really made a difference.

I really think it has to do with how our personal politics are developed. Being aware of race issues before experiencing personal racism. Experiencing sexism before being aware of gender discrimination and the feminist movement.

All movements are made up of individuals who are flawed. The key is that the goals and guiding values are aligned with my beliefs and that people aren’t so staunch that the can’t see when they have marginalized a part of their own group.

By: cindylu

cindylu — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:16:28 +0000

The whole thing is baffling and saddening.

[I keep writing something and deleting it.]

You know, I’ve never been able to identify with the feminism movement. Maybe it’s the Catholic upbringing.

By: bitchphd

bitchphd — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:12:36 +0000

“I find this kind of infighting difficult to stomach. ”

Yeah. I’ve sort of withdrawn from “the feminist blogosphere”–though I think I’m no less a feminist blog–partly because feminism and feminist issues are a broad enough topic not to really require these constant turf battles.

And the point about whose voices are recognized is an excellent one.

By: universeexpanding

universeexpanding — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:00:26 +0000

I saw some blogging about BFP going down over on racialicious I think last week but this is the first I’m hearing about this plagiarism issue. I too have had the experience of being told that feminism is a bourgeoise notion dreamt up by white women. In a recent discussion I was involved in there was a distressing amount of sniping back and forth about what it even means to be feminist…among a bunch of women
I find this kind of infighting difficult to stomach. If we cannot reach some accord with other *women* that undermines us even further.
It’s also difficult for me to understand anyone thinking that feminism shouldn’t be a concern for women of colour. There’s a false hierarchy set up in that kind of thinking – that race or class somehow trump gender, or any ordering of the three you wish.

By: brotherkomrade

brotherkomrade — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:25:14 +0000

I’ve been keeping up with this for the past week. But instead of me thinking about white feminists, I started thinking about my own feelings and actions when it comes to women of color. Before I dismiss a complaint of ‘feminist dog whistles’ from a woman of color , I should listen to her before getting defensive or dismissive, for the only true ally I will ever have are my sisters, mothers and women from the community. It’s time we as men start looking at the damage we’ve caused our sisters and ourselves with our bullshit.