Celebrating Obama While Mourning Proposition 8
November 13, 2008
Celebrating Obama While Mourning Proposition 8…
I still find myself pinching myself to see if this is in fact real. I haven’t felt this way since I was an international observer for the elections in 94 (exactly 30 years after my mother, Gwendolyn Robinson/Zoharah Simmons, at the age of 19, went to Missisissppi in 1964 where for 18-months she was the project director of the Laurel Project) when Nelson Mandela became president. I turned 25 during that his/herstoric time in South Africa. While I will never ever forget what I experienced (consistently overwhelmed with emotions)/witnessed there…I must share that this feels just as if not all the more special and I know it is because I am an African-American woman.
I am also very reminded that as a Black feminist lesbian I must work very hard, in concert with so many others, to dismantle patriarchy and heterosexism in both my own non-monolithic community as well as in the world. I’m a bit alarmed about the (community) conversations about Black manhood… Black masculinity (in the absence of Black womanhood) as it relates to President-Elect (love it!) Obama.
Feminists Must Heal the Wounds of Racism
June 9, 2008
Addressing the wounds between White feminists and feminists of Color
Dear Sisters ~
I’m writing self-identified second wave and third wave White feminists, who have expressed a commitment to ending sexism and racism, about their public uncritical support of Hillary Clinton. Granted my letter could be perceived as a moot point because she conceded on Saturday, June 7, 2008. However, for me, a hard core unapologetic third wave Black feminist lesbian (who’s the daughter of a second wave Black feminist), it’s not a moot point because while it is about Hillary Clinton’s campaign, for me it’s about my deep and profound betrayal that I’ve personally and politically experienced during the primaries, especially the last few months of the campaign.
I was appalled by the fact that when the going got very rough and tough, that Clinton and her campaign became blatantly racist. I was very alarmed when White feminists (not to be confused with women who supported Hillary Clinton) who supported Clinton didn’t publicly critique her racism, while continuing to support her campaign. I’m not talking about the pundits who didn’t support her and critiqued her. I’m not talking about feminists of all races who supported Obama who critiqued her. I’m talking about White feminists who supported Clinton critiquing her in a way to encourage her to be the best candidate that she could be, which I hope would mean not to run a racist campaign.
Hillary is White by Zillah Eisenstein
May 18, 2008
Hillary Clinton Defines Gender As White
It seems clear that Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee for president this fall. Nevertheless, it is crucial to clarify how wrong-headed Hillary Clinton’s campaign has been so that the legacy she leaves does no more damage to a multi-racial, multi-class based feminism/womanism both here and abroad.
