White Feminism

1. White feminism prioritizes individual success over collective progress

"White feminism is a state of mind."

Self-interest over solidarity. White feminism focuses on personal achievement and power within existing systems rather than challenging those systems. It often ignores or minimizes issues affecting women of color, working-class women, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups.

Narrow view of progress. This approach measures success by how many white women reach positions of power in corporate America or politics. It fails to address systemic inequalities or push for policies that would benefit all women. White feminism is more concerned with breaking individual "glass ceilings" than lifting up entire communities.

Perpetuating oppression. By working within oppressive systems rather than dismantling them, white feminism often ends up reinforcing racial and class hierarchies. It may seek equality with men in power without questioning whether that power structure should exist at all. This limits the transformative potential of feminist movements.

2. The history of feminism reveals deep racial and class divides

"The suffragettes triumphantly coordinated a parade with thousands of women to demand the right to vote, but a sensibility and legacy of Elizabeth Cady Stanton ensured that only affluent white women would reap the gains."

Exclusionary origins. The early American women's rights movement, led by white middle- and upper-class women, often explicitly excluded or marginalized women of color and working-class women. Key figures like Elizabeth Cady Stanton made racist arguments for white women's suffrage.

Ongoing tensions. These divides persisted through later waves of feminism:

• Second-wave feminism often centered the experiences of white, middle-class housewives
• Women of color and working-class women developed their own movements and critiques
• Debates over intersectionality and inclusion continue in modern feminist spaces

Separate struggles. Many women of color found more solidarity in racial justice movements, labor organizing, or building their own feminist spaces rather than trying to integrate into mainstream white feminism. This history continues to shape feminist organizing and theory today.

3. Consumer activism and collective action drive real change

"By a number of communities refusing to buy something, capitalism was impacted. And where money determines literally everything in a capitalist framework, changing who gets your money has the capacity to be radical—as long as other people work with you."

Power of the purse. Throughout history, marginalized groups have used economic pressure to demand justice:

• 1902 kosher meat boycott by Jewish women in New York
• 1930s-40s meat boycotts led by housewives during the Great Depression
• Modern boycotts targeting companies over labor practices or political stances

Beyond individual choices. While "voting with your dollar" as an individual has limited impact, coordinated mass actions can force change. This requires organization, solidarity, and a willingness to sacrifice convenience or comfort for a larger cause.

Intersectional approach. The most effective consumer activism often bridges different communities and issues. For example, the 1930s meat boycotts brought together Jewish, Black, and white working-class women around shared economic concerns. This built power across racial and ethnic lines.

4. Intersectionality is crucial for an inclusive feminist movement

"We need to build a more holistic, ambitious approach to inequality that doesn't just isolate a single issue as definitive Feminism or ask that we aspire to that single issue."

Beyond gender alone. Intersectionality recognizes that women experience oppression differently based on their race, class, sexuality, disability status, and other factors. A truly inclusive feminism must address how these systems of oppression intersect and compound.

Centering marginalized voices. An intersectional approach prioritizes the perspectives and needs of the most oppressed, recognizing that liberation for all requires dismantling all forms of oppression. This means:

• Amplifying voices of women of color, trans women, disabled women, etc.
• Addressing issues like poverty, racist police violence, and transphobia as feminist issues
• Challenging white women to examine their own privilege and complicity

Transformative potential. By building solidarity across differences and tackling root causes of oppression, intersectional feminism has the power to radically reshape society for the benefit of all marginalized people.

5. Capitalism and feminism have a complex, often problematic relationship

"White feminism has traditionally straddled this line, advocating for and organizing for personal solutions, historically because people of this ideology simply have more of them."

Individualistic focus. Mainstream feminism often promotes individual advancement within capitalism rather than challenging the system itself. This "lean in" mentality benefits those with existing privilege while leaving most women behind.

Exploitative dynamics. As some women gain power in corporate settings, they often rely on the underpaid labor of other women, particularly women of color, to manage domestic work and childcare. This perpetuates systems of exploitation rather than dismantling them.

Co-opting of feminist language. Capitalism has absorbed feminist messaging, using "girl boss" rhetoric and shallow representations of empowerment to sell products. This waters down radical potential and reduces feminism to a marketing strategy. True progress requires examining how capitalism itself perpetuates gender, racial, and class oppression.

6. Media and corporate interests have co-opted feminist messaging

"Feminism became a brand."

Commodification of empowerment. Companies and media outlets have embraced feminist language and imagery to sell products and content, often without any real commitment to gender equality. Examples include:

• "Feminist" t-shirts made in sweatshops
• Corporate "women's empowerment" conferences that ignore systemic issues
• Shallow "girl power" messaging in advertising

Watered-down politics. This co-optation strips feminism of its radical critique of power structures. It reduces complex ideas to simplistic slogans and individual consumption choices.

Exclusionary representation. Corporate feminism typically centers young, thin, conventionally attractive white women. This narrow portrayal reinforces beauty standards and excludes the diverse reality of women's lives and struggles. True feminist media should challenge these norms and amplify marginalized voices.

7. True progress requires dismantling oppressive systems, not just individual advancement

"What makes the Women's March so powerful was that it bridged the individual with the collective by making the declaration a collective challenge: We have all had abortions and we want legislative change for all."

Beyond representation. While it's important to have women in positions of power, simply installing female CEOs or politicians doesn't automatically create systemic change. Many women in power uphold the same oppressive structures.

Collective over individual. Real progress comes from mass movements that push for policy changes benefiting all women, not just individual success stories. This requires:

• Building coalitions across race, class, and other differences
• Focusing on structural changes like labor rights, healthcare access, and criminal justice reform
• Challenging the foundations of capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy

Transformative vision. Instead of trying to succeed within oppressive systems, feminism should imagine and work towards entirely new ways of organizing society based on justice and collective liberation.

8. Visibility and representation are important but insufficient on their own

"Diversity becomes about changing perceptions of whiteness rather than the whiteness of organizations."

Beyond tokenism. While increased representation of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people in media and leadership roles is positive, it doesn't automatically lead to structural change. Tokenism can even be used to deflect criticism and maintain the status quo.

Performative diversity. Many organizations engage in surface-level diversity efforts without addressing deeper issues of power and culture. This can lead to:

• Hiring a few people of color without changing discriminatory practices
• Celebrating "firsts" while ignoring ongoing inequalities
• Using diverse imagery in marketing while exploiting workers of color

Substantive change. True inclusion requires redistributing power, changing organizational cultures, and addressing systemic biases. Representation should be a starting point for deeper transformation, not an end goal.

9. Feminist movements must center the most marginalized voices

"We need a movement that addresses the reality of women's lives rather than the aspiration of what they hope to be."

Listening to lived experiences. Effective feminist organizing should prioritize the perspectives and needs of those facing the most severe oppression, including:

• Women of color
• Working-class and poor women
• Trans and non-binary people
• Disabled women
• Immigrant women

Addressing root causes. By focusing on the most marginalized, movements can tackle the intersecting systems of oppression that impact all women to varying degrees. This creates more comprehensive and transformative change.

Building coalitions. Centering marginalized voices doesn't mean excluding others, but rather creating movements where diverse experiences inform strategy and goals. This requires privileged women to step back, listen, and follow the lead of those with the most at stake.

10. Solidarity across differences is key to building an effective movement

"The way back from this siloing is to utilize opportunities to learn more about each other rather than continuing the oratory traditions as to why some people are better, have more, are brutalized, have 'made it.' "

Overcoming divisions. Historical and ongoing tensions around race, class, and other differences have often weakened feminist movements. Building true solidarity requires:

• Acknowledging past harms and ongoing privilege
• Actively listening to and amplifying marginalized voices
• Finding common ground while respecting differences
• Showing up for other struggles beyond one's own immediate interests

Intersectional approach. Effective movements recognize how different forms of oppression intersect and compound. This allows for more nuanced analysis and comprehensive solutions.

Strength in numbers. By building broad, diverse coalitions, feminist movements can amass the people power needed to challenge entrenched systems of power. This requires ongoing work to build trust and navigate conflicts constructively.

Last updated: September 22, 2024