Gender Equity Is Useless Without Racial Equity

Women’s History Month (WHM) takes place during the third month of each year and is a time when the United States recognizes and shows appreciation for the achievements, accolades, and accomplishments of women from every era since the nation’s inception. In addition to recognizing the women who have paved the way, WHM is a time when the public revisits conversations that pertain to women’s rights. These topics include the gender wage gap, the abortion debate and femicide. While these topics are relevant and important to address while striving to create a more equitable world, one issue that is of ever-increasing importance that is not talked about enough is the role of racial equity in the gender conversation. During WHM, a spotlight is placed on systemic barriers that perpetuate inequity but few conversations center around the intersecting effects of a gender and race. No gender equity discussion is complete without discussing the impact of race.

Why is race an important topic to include in the conversation? Gender equity is meaningless if we are not analyzing the influences of intersecting identities and how they impact women’s experiences in this world. Kimberlé Crenshaw is responsible for coining the term ‘intersectionality’ and her pivotal research assessed the compound effect of race and gender, and particularly the unique experiences of Black women. Crenshaw was able to conceptualize a model to describe what women had been experiencing, at a time when there was a lack of empirical research to support it. But not everyone understands or agrees with society’s supposed fascination with the concept. Some have claimed intersectionality has become “identity politics on steroids.” In a recent interview, Crenshaw reflected on her seminal work 30 years later, and explained that the meaning has morphed over time. Her description of the term she coined is “how certain aspects of who you are will increase your access to the good things or your exposure to the bad things in life.” The combined impact of race and gender on women’s experiences is often overlooked. When women of color share their stories and experiences of marginalization, they are often dismissed, overlooked and ignored. Rachel Cargle wrote in a Harper’s Bazaar piece that when women of color share their outrage over inequitable systems, they often experience tone policing, where they are asked to modify the manner in which they deliver their message so that it is more palatable for a White audience.

Any person that calls themselves a feminist must understand the concept of intersectionality and how different types of discrimination can interact to create unique experiences for women. What is often an undiscussed issue is that being a woman does not absolve you from prejudice or being a beneficiary of White privilege—White women can still protect and uphold systems of oppression. The importance of having a diverse group of women in positions of leadership cannot be overstated; the lack of diverse female representation can negatively impact an organization. One of the best recent examples of this can be found by examining the events that transpired with the Women’s March. Many have complained about the leadership of the march, which consisted of mostly White and cisgender women. Any movement focused on women’s empowerment and liberation cannot neglect the inescapable impact of race in our society.

To push the conversation further and ensure gender equity discussions also encompass racial equity, it is important to listen, without defensiveness, to the experiences of women of color. Recognizing the role that you play in maintaining systems of oppressions is critical if you strive to deconstruct these inequitable systems. In addition to listening to women of color and their experiences, read stories and educate yourself through books and first-hand narratives. There is a plethora of think-pieces that can be found on LinkedIn, Medium and various other publications that detail accounts and experiences of women of color. Each of us has the power to impact this world and make a change—it’s essential that we recognize this. It’s critical to remember the words of the incomparable Audre Lorde who said, “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”

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The Pink Elephant newsletter is a weekly LinkedIn newsletter designed to stimulate critical and relevant dialogue that centers around topics of race and racial equity. The newsletter is curated by Janice Gassam Asare, Ph.D. who is a writer, speaker, consultant, educator, and self-proclaimed foodie. Janice’s work is centered around the dismantling of oppressive systems while amplifying the voices and needs of the most marginalized folks. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share with others you feel would gain value from it.