Reference no: EM133309392
"To start, I was particularly interested in chapter 4, Racism in Women's Suffrage. Davis dives in and discusses the Women's suffrage movement, in which women campaigned for women's rights for everyone. Leaders like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Abby Kelley Foster were very hands on and spoke out whenever they had the chance to make everyone aware that women deserve equal rights. However, while they continued to contend for opportunities for women everywhere, they seemed to overlook that gaining equality for all women means "all women", no matter what the color of your skin is. It was here where Black women knew that they would have to fight on their own since racism was a prevalent problem. Whenever there is a new wave of feminism being created, it is to acknowledge and learn what points were made in the past, but generating and including everyone to make equality true for women everywhere. Feminists today have to fight for equal rights, but I think if you're a person of color, specifically a Black woman, that is a barrier that you must overcome in fighting for your rights since White women don't understand the struggles of being a POC in this country, while also informing their white counterparts the struggles they go through being a POC.
In chapter 9, Working Women, Black Women and the History of the Suffrage Movement, it discusses women finally advancing themselves to the workforce but there are still forces of discrimination that exist, which hinder certain women from getting jobs they want. Racism continues to maintain a governing factor, especially among Black women who sought out the same jobs as white women. Davis says, ""Woman" was the test, but not every woman seemed to qualify. Black women, of course, were virtually invisible within the protracted campaign for woman suffrage. As for white working class women, the suffrage leaders were probably impressed at first by the organizing efforts and militancy of their working-class sisters." This demonstrates how Black women were often ignored for jobs even when they were qualified for the position. It's disheartening to read but sadly these racist fueled events still continue to appear in life today. Though laws like Affirmative Action try to reward minorities with more fortune, it doesn't take away that there could still be a probable chance where white people will continue to dominate. In order for us to change, we need to let go of these racist ideals and start treating women as equals."
A short response to the passage above, do you agree with it or disagree?