Black Feminist Thought and Intersectionality

By the end of Chapter 3, you will be able to:

Identify, describe and outline some of the key features of black feminist thought and intersectionality

Explore the development and impact of black feminism and intersectionality

Examine classism, racism and sexism as intersecting systems of power

Apply your understanding to case studies

Chapter 3 traces the development, central ideas and impact of black feminist thought and intersectionality. We examine the ideological, economic, political and social processes and systems of control that institutionalised the devaluation of black womanhood in America. A key concept is patriarchy: a society or system of authority where men dominate and hold power over women. Patriarchy is based on the belief that men are inherently superior to women. Our discussion starts with Sojourner Truth (1797–1883). Truth campaigned for the equal rights of black women in the United States. She was the first African American feminist to draw attention to the marginalisation of black women in the early civil rights and feminist movements. Next, we engage with the theory-work of African American writer and activist Audre Lorde (1934–1992) who helps us to understand how the civil rights movement and the ‘second wave’ feminist movement subordinated black women in America. Lorde offers a feminist way forward. We consider how feminists can harness difference as a force for change.