Black Feminist

  • December 2019
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Kenia Bush  SOC 2370-502  February 17, 2019  Assign 3: Black Feminist 

  ​ . After reading this passage, what are some of your first thoughts on the  1 work of Hill Collins and her exploration of the limiting roles women of  color in this country have been assigned?  After reading the work of Professor Hill Collins I came to the conclusion that  the roles of black women are to be a Mammy, a maid or servant. Black women have  been used by the white man to reproduce more slaves. Black women were used as  mules, black women could only take care of the white kid, but they were deprived  from taking care of their own children. The white society has treated the black  woman as a sex object for men, she has been called unfeminine, strong command  and domineering, it has even been said that the HIV virus originated from black  women. US Black women have been treated as cows, society likes to tell them what  to do, and this is a phenomenon that takes place all over the world, it does not limit  only to the US. Black women are restricted to think or act on their own. 

​ . Compare and contrast the "Mammy" and the "Matriarch" roles. Author  2 Hill Collins contends that both roles are limiting. Explain.    The Mammy and Matriarch roles are the same. The Mammy takes care of the  children in the house of the white family and nurtures them, the Matriarch portrays  the black women in their home like not been nice, unaffected, and aggressive like  men. These two roles are limiting black women because it stereotypes them as less  important, as lower people and as individuals that are not smart.      3. How is the "welfare mother" image similar to the "Mammy" and  "Matriarch"? How is the "Welfare Mother" limited and oppressed?  The welfare mother image is like the Mammy because black women cannot  take care of themselves instead, they need the white community to assist their  needs. The dominant group wants to control and keep the black women to  subordination. The welfare mother represents the poor, uneducated and single and  the public or society see her as a person that likes to take advantage of the system  or the government. Because slavery destroyed the black family, it separated the  family. All these assumptions about black women are socially constructed, because  they did not have a voice, without education the voice of black women was limited,  they did not have a man to help them with the daily needs (figure of the family)               

​ . How did the role of "Jezebel" work to legitimate widespread sexual  4 assault against Black women?  It legitimated the widespread sexual assault against black women because  Jezebel was a promiscuous and immoral person and sexual available. Plus, black  women have been portrayed like the type of women that satisfy all men’s desires,  because their body is only worthy of that. I think the media that controls almost  everything still brain washes our society, and stereotypes black women  representing them as hypersexual and prostitute women.  ​5. How are sexuality and fertility seen in each of the 4 roles?  Mammy: Overweight, asexual  Matriarch: non-feminism, aggressive, old woman  Welfare queens: having a lot of kids  Black Ladies: act like men, too assertive, less feminine. No time for men.     6. Explain how history can be connected to the roles and oppression of  Black women through the years.  History can be connected to the roles and oppression of black women because  of slavery, the family separation, and the fact that black women performed different  roles. Stereotypes played a big role on the way black people have been treated since  history, the idea that the black family cannot be part of the society, that black men  are rapists that sexually abuse white women, that black people are not smart, and  that they are not good decision makers derives from slavery. Black women without  a male figure that represents the family tend to be seen as aggressive, no feminine, 

sexual, and promiscuous, this is very damaging to the image of Black women. I can  see how the stereotypes affect the perception of our society about Black women.  7. How does the field of Black Feminist Thought change the way we think  about oppression?  I think the Black Feminist Thought changed the way we view oppression  because it explains the problem from the real perspective it described how black  women have been oppressed, diminished and weakened. Black women have been  negatively portrayed. I think we need to create awareness and talk more about the  unpaid labor, the misconceptions and wrong representation of black women here in  the US. (have more education in our classroom)  ​ . What may we gain by placing oppressed groups at the CENTER of  8 analysis as opposed to earlier eras where oppressed groups were only seen  through the eyes of the dominant group?  We could gain more knowledge and we could be more aware and educated  about the unfair treatment black women have gone through for centuries. We could  also see how discrimination and racism have been happening, and we could also  avoid this as we educate others about the harmful consequences discrimination  could have over so many generations if we do not do anything.  The dominant group wants to oppress the subordinated group by not allowing them  to have a voice, because “if you divide you conquer” as Napoleon said in order to  protect their class interests. Without rights people cannot fight.       

9. When discussing the Matrix of Domination, Hill Collins states, “Each  individual has a unique personal biography made up of concrete  experiences, values, motivations, and emotions. No two individuals occupy  the same social space; thus no two biographies are identical.” With this in  mind, think about how your own matrix of domination would look like.  Which categories give you power and which do not? (i.e. you may have  race privilege and not gender privilege) How do these categories impact  your life?  First, I am a black woman and that already impacts my life a lot, second, I  am from another country, so I have the language barrier also. However, I have been  taking classes to break these barriers and become part of the society, I decided I am  not going to be part of the problem I am going to be part of the solution and that I  am going to contribute to society. I am not part of the dominant group, but I want to  help others to be educated about the false and negative stereotypes that black  women have been carrying with them for centuries. I think if you give people the  opportunity to succeed, regardless who they are or where they are from, they will  succeed. Teaching is the key.     10. Compare and contrast Black Feminism with what dominant culture  generally considers to be Classical Feminist Theory. Do you believe Black  Feminism adds to the field? Explain.  The Feminist theory has been about the social world that creates and  platforms inequality, oppression and injustice. The Feminist theory also promotes  equality and justice for everyone. The Black Feminism on the other hand, adds to  the field because it is not only looking for equal rights, but it is also adding more to  the fight. It goes against discrimination, racism, against Black women stereotyping, 

and it is also creating awareness about the injustice and the social deconstruction of  black women throughout the media. Plus, the traditional Feminism ignores race as  one of their rights they have to fight for, creating a gap and a difference between  Feminism and Black Feminism. Even though both theories could be fighting for the  same causes I think the fight for rights that Black women must go through is even  more intense, because race is a very important factor when it comes to the  validation of equal rights. 

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