Ethnic Inequality- Black Feminism

Question 1

Why did Black Feminism develop?

Answer 1

• White Feminist campaigns would overshadow other feminist work they are engaged with.
• Saw the failings in the wider feminist movement, and how they were incapable in capturing how different women live.

Question 2

How did Abbot critique White Feminism?

Answer 2

• Ethnocentric
• Perpetuated a victim ideology
• Practiced theoretical racism (expecting black women to write about their own experiences than contribute to the development of feminist theory as a whole)

Question 3

How does Brewer see the basis of Black feminist theory?

Answer 3

an ‘understanding of race, class and gender as simultaneous forces’

Question 4

What is the distinctive feature of Black feminism according to Brewer?

Answer 4

It studies the ‘interplay’ of race, class, and gender in shaping the lives and restricting the life chances of black women.

Question 5

(C) What can Brewer be accused of overemphasising?

Answer 5

Racial difference at the expense of others like class, age, sexuality, and disability.

Question 6

(C) What is in place to prevent race, gender, and class discrimination, and empower ethnic minority women? (Brewer)

Answer 6

Legislation- Equal Pay Act 1970, Sex Discrimination Act 1975, and the Race Relations Act 1976

Question 7

(C) What did the Youth Cohort Studies show?

Answer 7

Indian and Chinese female pupils outperform all other ethnic groups within the education system, and therefore need to be able to pursue successful careers free from discrimination.

Question 8

Who said that Black feminists can challenge the distorted assumptions of dominant groups by drawing on their own experiences?

Answer 8

Mirza

Question 9

By drawing on their own experiences, what can Black women offer? (Mirza)

Answer 9

Other ways of thinking that can ‘invoke some measure of critical race/gender reflexivity into mainstream academic thinking’.

Question 10

What have Black women actively challenged? (Mirza)

Answer 10

• The dominant image of Black women as passive victims of racism, patriarchy and social class inequality.
• The activities of the police and immigration authorities.

Question 11

What have Black women struggled in the fight against? (Mirza)

Answer 11

Domestic violence, racism and sexism in school.

Question 12

(C) How have not all ethnic minority groups developed confidence to be ‘brave, proud, and strong’? (Mirza)

Answer 12

• Pressure in family to conform to traditional gender stereotypes to help maintain ‘izaat’
• Low levels of economic activity particularly in Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities
• The concrete ceiling in the workplace

Question 13

What does Connell stress links between?

Answer 13

Black feminism and postcolonial feminism.

Question 14

What is postcolonial feminism concerned with (Connell)?

Answer 14

• Explaining gender inequalities that were caused by colonialism, especially in developing countries.
• Gender inequalities established in colonial times are often embedded in current attitudes towards race, ethnicity and gender.

Question 15

Why does Connell stress the importance of developing feminist perspectives that challenge the dominance of Western feminism?

Answer 15

He believes most women live in the ‘majority world’ of the southern continents.

Question 16

What is a critique of Postcolonial feminism? (Connell)

Answer 16

• over emphasises colonialism rather than gender inequalities.
• Doesn’t explain origins of gender inequality.

Question 17

Name the three Black Feminists.

Answer 17

• Brewer: ‘interplay’
• Mirza: ‘brave proud, strong’
• Connell: ‘postcolonial feminism’