Oppression; power over versus power to and power with
Scene on Radio, is one of my favorite Podcasts. I am listening to the seasons in a jumbled order; the link in this post is to Season 3 “Men”. As noted in many credible sources, the intersectionality of racism, sexism, and just about every other kind of “ism” is undeniable and makes the “isms” inseparable, indivisible (to use a word from an oft-quoted pledge). In supposed attempts to simplify or streamline conversations and clarify points the common “isms” (sexism & racism) are treated independently, which is to the detriment of both, maybe that’s the intent; divide and conquer?
When humans take a binary view of either or, as opposed to both and, we miss enormous opportunity to make great strides in cultural improvement. Episode 2 of Season 3 contains a number of thought-provoking conversations with scholars like Lisa Wade, currently an Associate Professor of Sociology at Tulane University, and author of Gender a textbook on the sociology of gender, and Mel Konner, of Emory University and an anthropologist and medical doctor. The conversations discuss the differences between nature and nurture, and between males and females and generally concludes that the majority of differences come from choice of perspective and performance, not from scientific fact. In fact, John Biewen (the Host of Scene on Radio and an audio program director at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University) explained that in the case of roughly 1% of the global human population, biological sex, presence of either ovaries or testes, is not binary either.
Feminism is another “ism” I believe is real, and while I agree with its “tenant that gender is not an acceptable basis for discrimination, oppression and/or eradication” (for more read Feminism: Why Not ‘Egalitarianism’ or ‘Humanism’? SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 BY LYNN VARACALLI CAVANAUGH), I think it’s time for more of we feminists to amplify our broader beliefs that oppressive discrimination (discrimination = acknowledging differences, oppression = benefitting one group at the expense and harm to another) and/or eradication is not acceptable in human behavior, full stop.
I am glad to read that feminism is recognizing that it champions many marginalized groups. It is unfortunate that the incredible work done a century ago for women’s rights (especially the right to vote) felt that it had to separate itself from African American rights as the two really were fighting to realize the ideals of American democracy and shouldn’t have allowed themselves to be pitted against each other. Today in the USA women have a great opportunity to use our privileges and extend our power to all marginalized groups. We have enormous influence and solid support of many non-women. If we combine our talents and voices, spending and voting influences, and gifts of not being socialized to use violence and exploitation in the name of “protecting our families and country”, the change we choose to support will be unstoppable.
