Project: The Women’s Diary Centre Term - GER 150 “When Women Speak” By Joseline Viera Canas, Jessie Strader, Molly Samonds & Seth Gosser Entry Day 1 There is a passion in my heart for the movements and politics that make up feminism. This itself, alongside my work, draws men and women who are outside the feminist struggle in. “Throughout the work my thoughts have been shaped by the conviction that feminism must become a mass based political movement if it is to have a revolutionary, transformative impact on society”.1 The biggest factor in achieving this impact on society is understanding what the margin and center theory is. In the center lies privileged women who are responsible for the majority of feminist work, but this center excludes those marginalized groups who do not have the privilege to fight the same fight that those in the center do. In order to achieve feminism as a mass based political movement that has the power and influence to change society in an equitable way, we need to expand the center to include the voices of those on the margins. I was surprised by the backlash from other women of color after releasing my book, with hostile comments made about the ideas and me, yet a conversation was started. “Despite their responses I share with them an ongoing commitment to feminist struggle.”2 Social hierarchy and the imbalance of power among women, men, and corresponding categories of marginalized people sets us as people against each other whereas the real power will come from our unity and allyship with other sides in order to defend a cause, in this case, the feminist cause. The idea is instilled in us as women that we ought to be competitive with each other. “Sexism teaches women woman-hating, and both consciously and unconsciously we act out this hatred in our daily contact with one another.”3 However, if we approach the feminist movement from this perspective, animosity quickly develops between various racial and socioeconomic groups of women, and those lacking in privilege and power are easily excluded. Developing a feminist movement that works for all women is reliant on investing the time in unlearning both the ideas instilled in us by the patriarchy and the racist ideas held by many of the movement’s current leaders. The feminist movement that I have witnessed has always been led by, and therefore elevated the voices of, the white bourgeois women. Too often have I seen them promote the idea that we as women all share a common struggle, that all women are oppressed in exactly the same way. They use this narrative of a common oppression and victimization to develop the concept of “sisterhood,” a method which is only truly functional and inclusive for those women who fit the same mold of the white women that have designated themselves the leaders of this movement. Being a unified group is essential for us to be able to address the struggles faced by all different 1 hooks,bell. (1984). Preface, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center (pg. 10) 2 hooks,bell. (1984). Acknowledgments, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center (pg. 7) 3 hooks,bell. (1984). Sisterhood:Political Solidarity Between Women, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center (pg. 59) groups of women, but when we choose to ignore or not adequately address the oppression faced by those of us on the margins, little progress will be made for those people. - Perspective of Bell Hooks, 1984 A Male Response to Bell Hooks’ chapter “Men: Comrades in Struggle” To humbly accept a place among those who struggle for freedom carries with it a burden Atlas himself could be proud of. To push against an invisible tide of potential catastrophic consequence is the device which either breaks an individual or ascends them to godly proportions. Do “I”, a male, aid the sex that has placed this burden on top of their shoulders so that their backs might not crumble? What if I do not? What if I do? When fighting for a cause one must know exactly what it is you are fighting for or your efforts will most likely be in vain. If you request “I” join your alliance and hand me your words then say, “Kill this phantom menace!” I will inevitably attack only the air in front of me; however, if you instead present to me a dagger and shield then we just might have a fighting chance; therefore, if you want to begin to change the world and its institutions you must engage with more than condemning accusations screamed from the hilltops where no one listens. Although it may not be common knowledge, the best revolutions always start with pamphlets. “I” may not be a feminist, but the enemy of my friend is my enemy. To aid freedom of the oppressed is a righteous cause so unity is in the best interest of me and you. All I ask is if you would like to be comrades, please ask politely. This is why I applaud Ms. Hooks. Entry Day 2 Although we have made immense progress it is not by understanding the necessity of women's suffrage, but that step by step, we have forced the state to grant us such rights through our constant strength and use of union and right to assembly. We have used these tools to back the state and ruling class men into a corner where we demand suffrage, and the equal right to directly input into politics, the right to vote. Proletariat women are already essential in the political successes of the working class, yet despite our efforts and contributions in that sphere, the ruling class has still refused to grant us suffrage. If women’s suffrage is truly the end goal, we must recognize that men must also fight for that goal, as it will bring benefits not just for the women, but for the entire working class. We, unlike the women of the bourgeoisie, actively contribute to a society in which it would seem worth is determined through one’s contributions to the capitalist system. “Today, millions of proletarian women create capitalist profit like men-in factories, workshops, on farms, in home industry, offices, stores. They are therefore productive in the strictest scientific sense of our present society.”1You would think that by acknowledging the significance of working-class women in the functioning of our society, the ruling class could understand the justification to grant us suffrage. - Perspective of Rosa Luxemburg, 1912 1-Luxemburg, R. (1912). Women’s Suffrage and Class Struggle. (pg. 3) A Poem for Rosa We pass out all your pamphlets We run the political showboat But we don’t have what every man gets The equal right to vote - Original Poem by Jessie A Modern Perspective on the IDeas of Rosa Luxemburg: Currently in society all around the world there are still several issues regarding feminism and women rights. There has always been a competition among women because of multiple things that divide them, such as: race, economic status, ethnicity and even the color of their skin. Rosa Luxemburg believed all women had to come together to end the oppression that women face, because one white woman cannot represent a black woman, as they have different struggles. A white woman is still oppressed by men but has more privilege because of the color of their skin. Rosa Luxemburg primarily focused on political and economic theories but was against men oppressing women. She believed that the capitalist system was a common theme running through many kinds of oppression. Women have always been oppressed by men, and to change that we would have to change the way the system is structured. Rosa Luxemburg’s Take on 21st Century America: Luxemburg is coming to America in 2021. Let us imagine for a moment that she dodged a bullet (literally) and acquired a time machine that led directly to the states in our current time. How would she perceive our world and what would her critiques be? Would Luxemburg have anything positive to say about our current political and economic climates? She was not technically a feminist in the early nineteenth century, but would she be a feminist today? May the purely hypothetical take us down a rabbit hole with the hopes of granting us with a nugget of understanding of one of the most prominent figures in early nineteenth century feminist history. During my time I highly advocated for the socialist party because the final goal of socialism constitutes the only decisive factor distinguishing the Social-Democratic movement from bourgeois democracy and from bourgeois radicalism. The goal was to bring about a mass movement that was not for women alone but a common class concern for women and men of the proletariat. I could see that any system that lacked political rights for women was a remnant of a dead past that would inevitably come to a conclusion. Now I must ask the question of what systems of government and economics has brought about consistent long-term stability besides that of a Democratic Capitalistic state? My question was that of either reform or revolution and I chose the latter. Capitalism was the enemy of women’s political rights during the early nineteenth century because of conservative practices; however, newly reformed ideologies have allowed for nearly everything I fought for in my time, including suffrage and the opportunity to abandon antiquated expectations. It is the fight for equality that brings us ever so closer to a utopia, and the light at the end of the tunnel is at least visible.