Black women matter

[corpsebrid3]

I couldn't find a thread on this in Feminism chat and wanted to set this up to ask and share issues related to black women.

Which resources do you find useful to learn about black feminism?

@Ereshkigalangcleg it was the classic 'not all white people', 'are you calling me a racist?'. It really hit me how similar it was to the 'not all men' 'you just hate men' 'how dare you say I have male privilege' etc reactions to feminism. So many white girls and teachers reacted with anger that they were being 'accused' of racism, when the girls were trying to talk about their experiences of life as a young black woman in the UK. Books like 'Why I'm no longer talking to white people about race' really resonated with me after that as I had seen the very thing she describes in action. The teachers and girls were even disciplined for doing it! Thus confirming everything they had said in their poems in the first place!

I have started actively making a point of following black women on twitter. Partly to up their followers but also because I find the day to day commentary from them on whatever is happening in the world gives me a different perspective. I don't have enough (I'm not good enough at Twitter as am only following about 300 people so far) but building it slowly. I find it incredibly helpful for the constant day to day understanding of what women who don't look like me are thinking about the events of the day.

BelleHathor

From your lipstickalley address..first thrad I cliaked was this

www.lipstickalley.com/threads/sexism-and-racism-are-identical-here%E2%80%99s-why.3569338/

And they are so fucking correct.

I used to read lipstickalley quite regularly, both as they have absolutely no issue saying what they actually think rather than trying to sugarcoat it (kind of like FWR) but also to understand racism a bit more and see what I could do to help as much as possible (I lurked, did not join and post as that space is clearly not meant for me, as much as I would love to actually talk to the women on there). My conclusion from a month or so on there was.. I know black men suffer racism a lot, especially from police, but my conclusion was that black women have a LOT less support and are just as likely to be targetted by racism, just less likely to be listened to.

I was really impressed with Chidera Eggerue when I met her at a feminism in schools event. She has a blog called The Slumflower and is mainly active on Instagram, which I don't use.

Unfortunately she's swallowed the whole twaw thing, but I don't believe we shouldn't listen to somebody jsut because we disagree on one thing.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jul/11/writer-chidera-eggerue-on-what-saggyboobsmatter-is-really-about

I love that blog post Batrite it definitely sums up how I feel experiencing sexism and seeing how my students experience sexism and racism together.

The teachers and girls were even disciplined for doing it!

That's awful.

For teen readers, Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses series.

@OliveKitteridgeAgain

For teen readers, Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses series.

Sadly when the TV adaption was aired she received a great deal of abuse from white people on twitter accusing her of being racist. Not only was it awful to see, they failed to note that the things they were angry about seeing on TV happen to black people everyday. Odd how some people feel when they are treated the same as black people, they don’t like it but don’t think to fight it unless they are the victim.

For a real cornucopia of Black women writers try New Daughters of Africa, an international collection of writing from Africa and throughout the Diaspora

myriadeditions.com/books/new-daughters-of-africa/

Doesn't surprise me Simon JT . Reminds me of Jane Elliot's Blue Eye/Brown Eye Experiment. A lot of the blue eyes (the group artitrarily chosen to be treated in the way peoples of colour are treated) shed tears and walked out, and just didn't get that you can walk out of an experiment, but you can't walk out of a black skin.

I saw some of that abuse re Noughts and Crosses and found it mind blowing. I think it's because it bites too close to home. I mean, we see shows made about all kinds of systems that are unfair but people don't usually get outraged.... hahahaha.

Several years ago I went to a protest in London outside the police complaints commission where Marcia Rigg spoke about the death of her brother Sean Rigg in police custody. The police are rarely held accountable for the damage they do. The Inquest.org.uk site has information about other families trying to find justice.

Here is a new piece about Marcia Riggs fight for justice in Elle.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/amp32742001/marcia-rigg-anti-racism/

Batshite Glad it resonated with you. What they say is so true and the women have been calling out a lot the men asking why should we fight for and march for you when you can't even give us basic respect. If you listen carefully to a lot of the coverage this week regarding BLM a lot of the focus has been on Black Men and their fear of the police, few people have mentioned Breonna Taylor (RIP). George Floyd did not deserve to be killed like he was but there has hardly been any mention of the pregnant WOC whose house he broke into and pointed a gun to her stomach, but she's a woman and so expendable as her story doesn't fit the narrative.

Bit late, but thanks for the resources all - some extremely good stuff to bookmark and digest.

I think intersectional feminism is so important - just as we need feminism to focus on women specifically and sex-specific issues, it’s also important to acknowledge race specific issues that other women may be battling.

I, have also noted the relative lack of coverage on police violence against black women. Although it is important to challenge and demand justice for the deaths of black men, I think we also need to be shouting about the violence against black women - black women are disproportionately subject to sexual assault and rape by the police in America. There are also disturbing reports of young black girls being manhandled and abused by the police.

Yes Dyrne definitely, there are/were the missing Black girls in Chicago
chicagocrusader.com/our-black-women-and-girls-have-gone-missing-but-few-seem-to-care/

BelleHathor that’s awful.

I think it happens here in the UK too - black missing children and girls especially do not get nearly the same media coverage as white children.

Definitely the adultification of black girls is a phenomenon
www.law.georgetown.edu/news/research-confirms-that-black-girls-feel-the-sting-of-adultification-bias-identified-in-earlier-georgetown-law-study/.
Talking about dehumanization check out the tweet sent to a black woman earlier for daring to be vocal about Trans issues.

I think there’s a certain area of social media where Victimhood and Oppression is almost like a currency - and they absolutely do not like being told someone else has it worse off than them.

I dont think this is specifically feminist but was recommended on one of the Black Lives Matter facebook pages. Aimed at school / school children www.theblackcurriculum.com/

Tsitsi dangarembga has written amazing novels suitable for older teens.

Patricia hill collins' black feminist thought is wonderful.

'But some of us are brave' is great

Girl, woman, other by Bernardine Evaristo, it is fiction, but it is a very good representation of British life and issues through the decades.

I've just ordered this book - I'll report back once I've read it! The website looks great too, it's a business run by a black woman in Croydon. www.thisisbooklove.com/product-page/to-exist-is-to-resist-black-feminism-in-europe-edited-by-akwugo-emejulu

Just seen this link to a resource for home schooling from BLAM.

Quote: "The brainchild of six young women, BLAM formally began as a community outreach event in the spring of 2017. The event garnered a high level of community interest due to its acclaimed panel (which included Diane Abbott MP, Karl Lokko and Viv Ahmun) and the compelling debates which took place."

blamcharity.com/free-black-history-resources/

The Museum of London had some good educational resources about Black people who have been in London going back centuries.

There is a petition on the pregnancy board about health care outcomes affecting black women. They need more signatures.