There are some women who don't think men can be feminists.
I'm not one of them.
To me, saying "I am a feminist" is similar to saying "I am black" When I make the declaration that "I am black" about myself, I am saying that I belong to a group called black people even though I am not exactly like every single black person in the same group.
When I say "I believe in the Black Lives Matter Movement" I am declaring myself as belonging to a group dedicated to racial equality, to stopping the deaths innocent black people at the hands of police. When I make declarations like "I am an anti-racist" about myself I belong to a group that is dedicated to stopping racism.
I don't think the "label" of belonging that is "feminism" is any different. I am not like every other feminist but I belong to this group that is dedicated to women's equality and gender equality. I don't think "feminist" says "I am female" I think it says I am dedicated to women's issues. I think a man's ability to say he is anything that SOUNDS female in this misogynistic country is one baby step in the right direction, the direction of equality for women.
Some people don't want to declare their allegiance, to be supportive of the group called "feminists." They are afraid of the f-word, calling it a meaningless label so as to excuse themselves when the f-word, "feminism", is about as meaningless to me as my calling myself "Black," or "Black American" or "African American."
Sometimes people can't deal with the stereotype associated with the f-word. And if you can't bear the weight, maybe one day you will. I feel the day is coming where sexism and misogyny are going to be taken just as seriously in the black community as racism is as it is damaging the black community just as much or more as racism is, but from within.
I think the reality that "feminism" is just common sense will sink in with more and more black people one day. And those that think feminism is "white created" will realize that's just echo of some black men trying to retain their superiority over black women joining their voices to the section of white people who believe they've created everything on this planet that is worthwhile.
So, I have not found an article on Jesse Williams' feminism. I see his name and his speeches all over feminist sites. But I have not seen him declare himself as one of us. Again, he could have, but I haven't found an article on his feminism.
But Jesse Williams is precisely what a black male feminist looks like and sounds like. Furthermore, he is most definitely feminist created.
You wouldn't even know who Jesse Williams is, if it weren't for feminists.
Shonda Rhimes raised him up by making him famous on "Grey's Anatomy" and Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi created Black Lives Matter Movement that he is famous within and all of them are feminists. And like I said, he is being megaphoned on feminist websites because he doesn't "forget" black women.
Jesse Williams' specific shout out to black women aside, you know the biggest difference between a black male feminist and other black men?
Black male feminists, like Jesse Williams whether he has courageously declared himself to be one or not, aren't even casually divisive. Black Male Feminists don't forget Rekia Boyd when making a list of the unarmed dead killed by police. Black Male Feminists rarely "forget black women" and by using the phrase "black men" as if it is interchangeable for "black people." They only say "black men" when they mean "black men."
I'm not one of them.
To me, saying "I am a feminist" is similar to saying "I am black" When I make the declaration that "I am black" about myself, I am saying that I belong to a group called black people even though I am not exactly like every single black person in the same group.
When I say "I believe in the Black Lives Matter Movement" I am declaring myself as belonging to a group dedicated to racial equality, to stopping the deaths innocent black people at the hands of police. When I make declarations like "I am an anti-racist" about myself I belong to a group that is dedicated to stopping racism.
I don't think the "label" of belonging that is "feminism" is any different. I am not like every other feminist but I belong to this group that is dedicated to women's equality and gender equality. I don't think "feminist" says "I am female" I think it says I am dedicated to women's issues. I think a man's ability to say he is anything that SOUNDS female in this misogynistic country is one baby step in the right direction, the direction of equality for women.
Some people don't want to declare their allegiance, to be supportive of the group called "feminists." They are afraid of the f-word, calling it a meaningless label so as to excuse themselves when the f-word, "feminism", is about as meaningless to me as my calling myself "Black," or "Black American" or "African American."
Sometimes people can't deal with the stereotype associated with the f-word. And if you can't bear the weight, maybe one day you will. I feel the day is coming where sexism and misogyny are going to be taken just as seriously in the black community as racism is as it is damaging the black community just as much or more as racism is, but from within.
I think the reality that "feminism" is just common sense will sink in with more and more black people one day. And those that think feminism is "white created" will realize that's just echo of some black men trying to retain their superiority over black women joining their voices to the section of white people who believe they've created everything on this planet that is worthwhile.
So, I have not found an article on Jesse Williams' feminism. I see his name and his speeches all over feminist sites. But I have not seen him declare himself as one of us. Again, he could have, but I haven't found an article on his feminism.
But Jesse Williams is precisely what a black male feminist looks like and sounds like. Furthermore, he is most definitely feminist created.
You wouldn't even know who Jesse Williams is, if it weren't for feminists.
Shonda Rhimes raised him up by making him famous on "Grey's Anatomy" and Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi created Black Lives Matter Movement that he is famous within and all of them are feminists. And like I said, he is being megaphoned on feminist websites because he doesn't "forget" black women.
Jesse Williams' specific shout out to black women aside, you know the biggest difference between a black male feminist and other black men?
Black male feminists, like Jesse Williams whether he has courageously declared himself to be one or not, aren't even casually divisive. Black Male Feminists don't forget Rekia Boyd when making a list of the unarmed dead killed by police. Black Male Feminists rarely "forget black women" and by using the phrase "black men" as if it is interchangeable for "black people." They only say "black men" when they mean "black men."
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