Exclusion in the Feminist Movement
In the history of feminism, beginning with the suffrage movement (women’s right to vote), women of color were excluded from the rights that were being fought for. Many prominent leaders of the suffrage movement were outwardly racist. Oftentimes matters of feminism may focus on cis-gender white women, and neglect to include women that do not fit this category, such as: women of color, transgender women, women with disabilities, and others. The idea of intersectionality, stated by Kimberlé Crenshaw, presents the idea that there are many different aspects of identity, and they cannot be treated as separate notions. There is more to an identity than just gender, and intersectionality highlights the need to incorporate all identities when talking about progress.
Resources
Women of Color and Feminism - Learn how the past was not always welcoming and how we can move forward.
https://rewire.news/article/2013/07/28/women-of-color-and-feminism-a-history-lesson-and-way-forward/
Why Intersectionality Can’t Wait - Check out why intersectionality is needed and important.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2015/09/24/why-intersectionality-cant-wait/
Read more about Black Feminism here!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_feminism
Black Womanist Feminism - Learn more about why womanism is important!
http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/05/black-womanist-feminism/
Black Women - Discover their role in the role of feminism.
Feminism - The difficulties created because of white feminism.
http://mic.com/articles/125084/the-brutal-truth-every-white-feminist-needs-to-hear#.DiXeYYu6l
Feminism - Learn more about what women of color want white women to know.
http://www.bustle.com/articles/120684-7-things-feminists-of-color-want-white-feminists-to-know