Civil Rights and Women's Rights

The racism of white women during the 1950s and 1960s, when the Civil Rights Bill was being pushed was seen as if they were the main reason of it passing. The suffrage movement wasn't for all women. It wasn't for equality and the bill prioritizing race wasn't sufficient for the backers. The racism of Susan B. Anthony and Martha Griffiths has not been blown to a point where their legacies are touched. They are deemed as fighters for the rights of all women. Yet, they were shamed at the fact that black men and women would receive more rights than them. The plan was then devised to ride the coat tail of the Civil Rights Act.

Even to this day, the Feminist/Women's Movement isn't for the equality of all women. The only change may be the decrease of blatant racism and superiority of race. The underlying subtleties are still enough for a small type of segregation. Although the guise is an organization full of unity there still lies a discrepancy.

I have recently began to delve deep in the feminist movement. I started by imposing my opinion on Black Feminism and Woman's History Month. Through my research for each topic I have seen an inequality. Feminism is merely an umbrella for women who are activists for rights. There is a separation between race and orientation yet we are all women. Shouldn't we all be fighting for the same cause rather than taking on "priority" issues one at a time. There is Black Feminism, Transgender Feminism, Queer Feminism and other subdivisions that aren't covered by the main topic.

White feminism seems to outrule the subdivisions. Yes, race and other factors shouldn't separate or deter from the cause but in reality it does. There are issues that just can't relate to a subdivision of feminism.  A black woman may not encounter the same problem as a white woman and therefore leads to either miscommunication or misrepresentation.

It makes me wonder if unity is inevitable or just a dream. Can feminist unity be a real thing any where in the world? We may not even touch the surface of answering this question when the stigma of women united is fearful. There are negative words and thoughts thrown at united women causing the preposterous of obstacles. Women's rights are also civil rights but when discrimination within the unity of all equality comes from those who should be fighting for all then it becomes an issue of integrity.

There is a myth behind the reality of truly equal feminism as there is that of civil rights. In my opinion true equal feminism has a small probability of taking off. There are too many factors to overcome when starting the conversation. The thought of it is great but actually implementing the ideas are a heavy task. I wish for fully equal feminism as well as civil rights but the discussion has to come together like the people willing to see the day.

Let us release every bit of discrimination for fighting for true equality. Let us stand up and fight the good fight for all.

My Brief Opinion on Women's History Month

Women’s history isn’t taught as a part of history in our general education endeavors. There are the few women we have stumbled across like, Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth and maybe a little of Joan of Ark. Although there is a plethora of history propagated to women, we haven’t heard the whole story.

Women’s rights were always to be fought for regardless of time. As stated on Wikipedia, in regards to Women’s History, “History was written mainly by men and about men's activities in the public sphere—war, politics, diplomacy and administration. Women are usually excluded and, when mentioned, are usually portrayed in sex-stereotypical roles, such as wives, mothers, daughters and mistresses.” In the Bible, the Old Testament, we have the book of Ruth where Ruth is shown to be submissive and playing the role a woman should. Her sister is seen as a rebel to the traditional role of a woman and is shunned by the men.

There aren’t many advertisements honoring Women’s History in the month of March. It’s as though women gracing the cover of magazines and being the main characters, besides the product, in commercials is enough and their isn’t a need for just a bit more for the month. We need better education on the history of women and more motivation to create history for future women to thrive better. The majority of people don’t know about the existence of Women’s History Month. I know, as individuals, we have our own personal problems to worry about but we are affected by social issues as a whole.

Action needs to be taken. We spend our downtime complaining about the pitfalls of our day but don’t think of a solution. What will be your solution when women are no longer able to be seen as equal counterparts? As a woman, know your history. You must know the victories as to how you arrived where you are today. Know the history of how women gained acknowledgement in male-dominated workplaces. Know the history of the women that endured the worst parts of the movement so the women we are today is the best woman we can be or even better.

I’m still learning about everything that I possibly can, especially on women. I know enough to know that I don’t know everything but I have some type of knowledge. This is my brief opinion on Women’s History Month and my continued call to women to uplift each other and become a collective. Knowing your history will give one the ability to forge a greater future. “I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.” –Audre Lorde