Here's another in our series on intergenerational feminism in partnership with the Omega Institute. We're all getting excited about next month's conference, Women & Power: Connecting Across the Generations. Check out this reflection on feminism by Essence magazine writer Charreah Jackson.
I stumbled into feminism through the back door. And honestly, I am still finding my footing. Growing up in a Black neighborhood in Atlanta's suburbs, going to Black schools, having Black ballet teachers and dentists, I was always exposed to women in powerful positions while being educated on the historical struggles of my people. So the thought that I could be denied things for my gender in this day was a slow one.
It was a big eye-opener to begin to network with powerful women journalists right out of college and be schooled on how recent many breakthroughs for women are in the business and still how far we have to go. Instead of being so tuned in to the lack of Black people in power at a company, network or editorial page, I was also counting the few women too. I left my Black bubble and came back to Earth, where women were only in bigger numbers when it came to births.
I had a new word to describe why my blood boiled when a male professor wanted to call me sweetie and pat me on the back like a dog. While volunteering with Heads Up, I had a new word for the explanations I gave my kindergarten charges on why the boys could help with the dishes during playtime.
And I had a new underdog that I was looking at in the mirror and millions of faces around the globe.
Sometimes I still feel in the back of the room for the causes I fight for, and seeing some feminists attacks on our President during his race had me examining my new found feminism.
But this thing is much bigger than candidates or color. Hearing the heartbreaking story of an eight-year-old girl raped then shunned by her family keeps me pushing for change and for women of all walks to have our humanity. Watching young girls blame Rihanna for being attacked by her boyfriend keeps hosting woman to woman chats with young ladies in the making. Witnessing our Secretary of State called a school girl and her husband step in to help bring women journalists home keeps me rolling up my sleeves.
Oh wait, I'm not wearing any sleeves, much like our fierce First Lady Michelle Obama who has weathered the storm in the mainstream on what it means to be a strong woman and a strong Black woman with grace. I am little late to the table, so I'm ready to make up for lost time.
See you in Rhinebeck?
BIO:
Charreah Jackson is a blogger, and editorial assistant at Essence magazine
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My boyfriend attended a historically black university. He said there, his computer science classes had plenty of women, unlike at the school I attend (I'm one of maybe 10 in the department). And if any of the guys tried to imply that the girls didn't belong in the technical and engineering fields, they didn't stand for it or sulk away and go do something else. They told the jerks off.
What you're saying here totally fits with that. You grew up seeing women in charge and not taking any shit for it. It seems black girls are taught that standing up for yourself is how you avoid being treated like dirt. White girls are still taught to be "proper" young ladies: quiet, non-confrontational... And well, White Privilege lets us a little bit "off the hook" with regard to blatant sexism. When there's subtle sexism we don't notice it because we don't expect to see discrimination. I imagine a lot more white women say "sexism is dead" than black women because we grow up thinking men in charge is normal, while women like you grow up thinking both being in charge is normal.
hehehe! you may be late to the table but youre more than welcome at it!