ABSTRACT
Redefining domestic violence in a way that supports feminist ideas has always been central to the political project of the anti-violence movement. With activists increasingly invested in recognizing or practicing intersectionality, this task involves confronting deeply-rooted beliefs about survivors and perpetrators. In the United States, narratives about domestic violence have been entangled with ideas about race and class and the weight of this historical legacy shapes activists’ efforts to redefine the issue. This is particularly true for activists attempting to reconcile concerns for gender equality with worries about the rise of the carceral state. In this context, practicing intersectionality and confronting privilege means juggling with a variety of political goals. This chapter explores the paradoxes of intersectional practice in the Chicago anti-violence movement, focusing on the challenges that activists face when attempting to address inequalities of race and class. It examines how existing ideas about domestic violence – and the ways in which they reflect hegemonic narratives about race and class – constrain activists’ ability to imagine new political solutions, and to truly confront privilege inside the movement.
