Catherine on Lugones & Spelman

The reading explores the conflict surrounding the feminist theory being created entirely by white women and how this consequently silences women of color. This piece discusses how different the experience of white women is in comparison to the experience of women of color. The hierarchical difference between these two categories of women is compared to the hierarchical gap between binary opposites: men and women, the working class and the upper class, the superior race and the inferior race. Furthermore, the repeated use of “we” and “you” throughout the text implies that there is an in-group and an out-group. It is important that this opposition is exposed as many people are still under the illusion that the female experience is the same across the board. A lot of people have grown accustom to the idea that all women are oppressed in the same way, which is problematic. Being a woman of color and, or homosexual means that you experience more oppression than white heterosexual women. Moreover, it is important that this opposition is exposed so that white heterosexual women can be aware of their privilege. Also, exposing this difference could aid white feminist theorists in refraining from speaking for all women when they only have their singular, privileged experience as reference. As the reading discusses, after white feminists come to the realization that they cannot speak for everyone then it will be possible for a genuine dialogue to begin between white feminists and feminists of color. The intention of the dialogue is very important. If white feminists approach the dialogue as a way to make up for the atrocities that white people have committed towards people of color then that alone is offensive. That approach implies that white feminists are active and black feminists are passive. This binary opposition is incredibly troublesome. It suggests that white feminists will be actively working to redeem themselves and black feminists will simply be the tool that allows white feminists to feel better about themselves.