Although I do consider myself a feminist, being at the intersection of being a person of color and a woman has made that a very heavy title and one I’m not even sure how to approach at times. Today I saw dozens, if not hundreds, of posts/tweets/photos/snaps of Women’s March events across the world. Yet to me it didn’t feel right. When people hold up signs with ‘clever’ phrases like ‘no ovaries, no opinions’ it discredits the experiences of many women. While as a heterosexual cis-gendered woman, I cannot speak on behalf of queer, trans, and nonbinary women, I can relate to the experience of fighting for a cause that doesn’t support your identity in the best way it could.
I’m mixed race. I am Asian American. In a society that sees race as a very dichotimous Black and white issue, there are times where I don’t know how my own stories and experiences fit the dialogue surrounding race. When is it right for me to voice my opinions on these issues? When is the right time to take a step back? How do I be an ally towards other marginalized groups when society puts mine on the back burner or just forgets it completely? Everyone wants to have their story heard, but not every movement gives that opportunity.
Yes, women’s rights are important. But as white women, or cis-women, or straight women how are we including all women in this dialogue? Are we really fighting for women’s rights when we place arbitrary defining traits on what being a woman really is? When we erase a part of this community of women, whether intentional or not, are we doing are best to fight for this cause? I say this in no way to discredit the work that feminists have accomplished, but as a reminder for anyone fighting social injustices to be more thoughtful of how our words and actions shift the inclusivity that this movement aims for.
ebovid 