There is no perfect feminism

I truly believe there is no perfect feminism. But there are feminisms that uplift more people than others. I always viewed second wave feminism as belonging to white women, I knew women of color were ignored but I had no idea women of color also mobilized with white women at that point. Becky Thompsons, “Multiracial Feminism: Recasting the Chronology of Second Wave Feminism” & Natalie Havlin, bring up so many valuable points. Starting with the erasure of early intersectionality and how women of color would work together but always want individuality. This all reminds me of the connections in the Caribbean. Growing up in Miami it seemed like Cubans, Haitians and other Caribbean people thrived separately. It wasn’t until my mother told me about her experiences and the closeness between these islands that I realized we had more to gain working together. But the erasure of our interconnected histories held me back from many valuable conversations. Another example of erasure is the fact that I did not find our Shirley Chislom ran for president until a few years ago, and it pissed me off and blew my mind. Why the fudgenuts did I not learn this in school? And as great as it is that we talk about it sometimes many forget that the black community and the woman’s movement left her behind. I also had no idea she was the first congresswoman.

As many great points as Becky thompson’s work makes, this text seems a little too optimistic. Yay! Women of color and white Jewish, queer and anti-racist women mobilized together in the past. But why are our communities more polarized and segregated in some parts of America and the world than ever before? 

This brings me to Chicanx feminism. This is a great example as well, while her studies on Cuba were amazing, to note the oppression of afro-cubans is so immense that I grew up in Miami a city built by Cubans and Haitians and met an Afro-Cuban when I was 19 years old. The proof is in who survived and was able to escape Castro. Cuba is often romanticized as a communist heaven but it’s important to remember certain things. There were camps that queer people disappeared and were taken to under Fidel Castro. This was not mentioned in her work at all. Another example of the severity of Cuba is when my violin coach saw her cousins cry when they walked into a supermarket for the first time, they had never seen so much food. I don’t feel like an accurate or nonbiased portrayal of Cuba was made here.

I say all of this to ask if it is possible to tell the whole story of a silenced community?

There are ups and downs but what was erased and what stayed in feminism? This is something I’d love to discuss with all of you.