Tuesday, March 29, 2016

On 'Formation'

My Dear White People,

It is our job to love and support and be happy for BeyoncĂ© and all of our Black sisters and brothers and other gendered folks who get pride and joy from this amazing time. This is not our moment, and not our place to "get in formation". We have plenty of movements and anthems and authentic stories represented in this world... Friends don't let friends make everything about white people. - either by saying black power is hate. it's not. or by making memes about white women quoting the song. please don't. DO - Cheer!!! Spread Joy, be happy, and keep in mind that this time is for stepping back. Imagine that it's how you feel when it's someone else's birthday that you love and adore to pieces smile emoticon
Love,
Your white sister. pass it on.

On my relationship to feminism

When asked to describe my relationship to Feminism in 1600 characters or less:

      "Feminism means social justice; it means advocating for all marginalized groups.  I believe that white feminists have the capacity to build greater awareness and increase the capacity for feminism to not just include other genders and women of color, but to transform feminism to expect that people bring their whole selves to feminism.  Knowing oneself, knowing history and knowing the nuances of privilege and oppression are the tools needed for a strong and empathetic movement.  Bell Hooks, Patricia Hill Collins, Audre Lorde, Alice Walker, Gloria AnzaldĂșa, Dolores Huerta, and so many more have helped us to make meaning and momentum from the simple truth that, our race, our class, our gender, our sexual orientation cannot be separated. 

      As a white woman, a queer woman, a Jewish woman raised by Holocaust survivors, I have always known that to survive, we survive together.  We fight for one another and support one another.  Although I may not agree with every woman’s behavior, Feminism to me, means never calling another woman a “bitch”.