WOMS201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Intersectionality, Audre Lorde
29 May 2018
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Now What?
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
7:09 PM
Myths About Social Change
• Often people feel overwhelmed by trying to be part of social change. Often such feelings are
informed by 2 myths
o Myth 1: It has always been this way, and it always will be
• You have the power to create change
▪ Never know the effects you are going to have on someone
• Social systems are always changing!
▪ How do I want it to change?
o Myth 2: Nothing I do as an individual matters
• Ghandi's paradox -- "Nothing we do as individuals matters, but it is vitally important to
do it anyway"
▪ One person -- can inspire people to do things
▪ Flood -- they change things -- "small, individually, insignificant rain drops"
Developing a Feminist Consciousness
• Focuses on structures and histories of domination and privilege
• If you wear your feminist lenses as you walk in life..
o Ask difficult questions and understand answers (may be contradictory, incomplete, and
confusing)
o Understanding how individuals are shaped by structural forces and vice versa
• You are a product of your environment
• Understand all of these to understand self and others
o TO UNDERSTAND HOW WORLD IS WORKING
FEMINISM MUST BE INTERSECTIONAL
• Audre Lorde -- no hierarchy of oppression
o All oppression stems from the belief in the right to dominate
o Must get to the root -- belief in the right to dominate is the root
• Racism, sexism, homophobia -- branches
• Example: gun violence is a feminist issue
o If we treat these as separate we will never get to root
How to Practice intersectional feminism?
• Being present (attending talks, etc.)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
