Feminism in the Caribbean

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Feminism in the Caribbean refers to the collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending a state of equal political, economic, cultural, and social rights for women in the Caribbean.

Contents

History

At the onset of Atlantic Slave Trade, black male labor was largely favored to that of black female labor. Eventually, though, the notion of women as indentured servants was introduced as a means to maximize economic profitability. This meant that, historically, females were valued largely for their reproductive capabilities which was thought to be an integral part of plantation sustainability.[ citation needed ] The slave trade and indentured servitude launched the racial and gendered institutional struggles that women would face for times to come. Following 1838, the post-emancipation period offered a time in which a number of Indian indentured servants were introduced to the Caribbean. The influx inadvertently offset the ratio between indentured women and men, and, as a result, increased the desire for the incorporation of women into the bodies of servitude. These longterm struggles ultimately forged the way for the female revolutions and radical movements to come. The 1970s marked a time in which the feminist movement gained traction. The following decade included a number of attempts at inter-regionally building transitional feminist networks that spread geographically between Latin America and the Caribbean. This platform was founded and established by young, leftist generations. Immediately following the devastation that resulted from the Cold War, the 1990s marked a period in which the feminist movement shifted focus toward female perspectives on political matters such as globalization, environmental crises and development.[ citation needed ] In 1995, the Fourth World Conference on Women signaled significant mobilization for the Caribbean feminist movement.[ citation needed ] This platform functioned as a means to take advantage of national representation and regional collaboration.[ citation needed ] Since then, the feminist movement has experienced friction in regards to the debate over whether or not feminist organizing should shift toward more professional nongovernment organizations (NGOs).[ citation needed ] The shift threatens the prevalence of small, identity-based social movement organizations and has thus sparked controversy among feminist players, specifically leftist feminist networks.[ citation needed ]

The Agenda of the Feminist Movement

Ambiguity regarding the term "feminism" has created difficulties for the Caribbean Feminist Movement. [1] Some feminists argue that it is necessary that the movement confront the skewed hierarchy which continues to exist and shape the relations between men and women, and as a result, women's status and access to goods and resources within society. [1] Thus, the movement continues to focus on the "interrogation of masculinity and the bargaining with the tendencies of the patriarchy." [1]

In summary, the feminist agenda, as it applies in the twenty-first century, comprises a mission to expose more concretely the socioeconomic flaws within the patriarchal system. Specifically, that "patriarchal privilege costs both men and society a heavy price, and that there are alternative and more fruitful ways of organizing the sexual division of labour, of managing households and families, of ruling societies and shaping welfare policies, and of structuring the global political economy such that the arguments between ethnic or radicalized groups, different class and sexes, are not resolved through violence and warfare." [1]

Key Determinants

The movement depends largely on the overall extent to which young men and women feel the prevalence of gender inequality. [1] Once this reality can be recognized, it is then a matter of how compelled the subjects are to combat the issue. [1] Finally, the movement will continue to depend on the democratic freedoms available to ultimately transform this struggle. [1]

In addition, the media has played an integral role in the feminist movement. The significance that accompanies the portrayal of women within the media lies in the fact that media contributes to the overall shaping of societal ways of thinking. [2] The advertising industry maintains tremendous power. Since investment in media has grown exponentially, a representative depiction of women will be crucial to the future of the feminist movement. [2]

Prominent Caribbean Feminists

Related Research Articles

Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern societies are patriarchal—they prioritize the male point of view—and that women are treated unjustly in these societies. Efforts to change this include fighting against gender stereotypes and improving educational, professional, and interpersonal opportunities and outcomes for women.

Radical feminism is a perspective within feminism that calls for a radical re-ordering of society in which male supremacy is eliminated in all social and economic contexts, while recognizing that women's experiences are also affected by other social divisions such as in race, class, and sexual orientation. The ideology and movement emerged in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Womanism</span> Intersectional feminist movement

Womanism is a feminist movement, primarily championed by Black feminists, originating in the work of African American author Alice Walker in her 1983 book In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens. Walker coined the term "womanist" in the short story Coming Apart in 1979. Her initial use of the term evolved to envelop a spectrum of issues and perspectives facing black women and others. Walker defined "womanism" as embracing the courage, audacity, and self-assured demeanor of Black women, alongside their love for other women, themselves, and all of humanity. Since its inception by Walker, womanism has expanded to encompass various domains, giving rise to concepts like Africana womanism and womanist theology or spirituality.

Socialist feminism rose in the 1960s and 1970s as an offshoot of the feminist movement and New Left that focuses upon the interconnectivity of the patriarchy and capitalism. However, the ways in which women's private, domestic, and public roles in society has been conceptualized, or thought about, can be traced back to Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) and William Thompson's utopian socialist work in the 1800s. Ideas about overcoming the patriarchy by coming together in female groups to talk about personal problems stem from Carol Hanisch. This was done in an essay in 1969 which later coined the term 'the personal is political.' This was also the time that second wave feminism started to surface which is really when socialist feminism kicked off. Socialist feminists argue that liberation can only be achieved by working to end both the economic and cultural sources of women's oppression.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feminist sociology</span> Subdiscipline of sociology

Feminist sociology is an interdisciplinary exploration of gender and power throughout society. Here, it uses conflict theory and theoretical perspectives to observe gender in its relation to power, both at the level of face-to-face interaction and reflexivity within social structures at large. Focuses include sexual orientation, race, economic status, and nationality.

Black feminism is a branch of feminism that focuses on the African-American woman's experiences and recognizes the intersectionality of racism and sexism. Black feminism philosophy centers on the idea that "Black women are inherently valuable, that liberation is a necessity not as an adjunct to somebody else's but because of our need as human persons for autonomy."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feminism in India</span>

Feminism in India is a set of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and opportunities for women in India. It is the pursuit of women's rights within the society of India. Like their feminist counterparts all over the world, feminists in India seek gender equality: the right to work for equality in wages, the right to equal access to health and education, and equal political rights. Indian feminists also have fought against culture-specific issues within India's patriarchal society, such as inheritance laws.

Global feminism is a feminist theory closely aligned with post-colonial theory and postcolonial feminism. It concerns itself primarily with the forward movement of women's rights on a global scale. Using different historical lenses from the legacy of colonialism, global feminists adopt global causes and start movements which seek to dismantle what they argue are the currently predominant structures of global patriarchy. Global feminism is also known as world feminism and international feminism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African feminism</span> Type of feminism

African feminism includes theories and movements which specifically address the experiences and needs of continental African women. From a western perspective, these theories and movements fall under the umbrella label of Feminism, but this categorization is misleading for many branches of African "feminism". African women have been engaged in gender struggle since long before the existence of the western-inspired label "African feminism," and this history is often neglected. Despite this caveat, this page will use the term feminism with regard to African theories and movements in order to fit into a relevant network of Wikipedia pages on global feminism. Because Africa is not a monolith, no single feminist theory or movement reflects the entire range of experiences African women have. African feminist theories are sometimes aligned, in dialogue, or in conflict with Black Feminism or African womanism. This page covers general principles of African feminism, several distinct theories, and a few examples of feminist movements and theories in various African countries.

Feminist theory in composition studies examines how gender, language, and cultural studies affect the teaching and practice of writing. It challenges the traditional assumptions and methods of composition studies and proposes alternative approaches that are informed by feminist perspectives. Feminist theory in composition studies covers a range of topics, such as the history and development of women's writing, the role of gender in rhetorical situations, the representation and identity of writers, and the pedagogical implications of feminist theory for writing instruction. Feminist theory in composition studies also explores how writing can be used as a tool for empowerment, resistance, and social change. Feminist theory in composition studies emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a response to the male-dominated field of composition and rhetoric. It has been influenced by various feminist movements and disciplines, such as second-wave feminism, poststructuralism, psychoanalysis, critical race theory, and queer theory. Feminist theory in composition studies has contributed to the revision of traditional rhetorical concepts, the recognition of diverse voices and genres, the promotion of collaborative and ethical communication, and the integration of personal and political issues in writing.

Masculism or masculinism may variously refer to ideologies and socio-political movements that seek to eliminate sexism against men, or increase adherence to or promotion of attributes regarded as typical of males. The terms may also refer to the men's rights movement or men's movement, as well as a type of antifeminism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feminist movements and ideologies</span>

A variety of movements of feminist ideology have developed over the years. They vary in goals, strategies, and affiliations. They often overlap, and some feminists identify themselves with several branches of feminist thought.

A matrifocal family structure is one where mothers head families and fathers play a less important role in the home and in bringing up children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecofeminism</span> Approach to feminism influenced by ecologist movement

Ecofeminism is a branch of feminism and political ecology. Ecofeminist thinkers draw on the concept of gender to analyse the relationships between humans and the natural world. The term was coined by the French writer Françoise d'Eaubonne in her book Le Féminisme ou la Mort (1974). Ecofeminist theory asserts a feminist perspective of Green politics that calls for an egalitarian, collaborative society in which there is no one dominant group. Today, there are several branches of ecofeminism, with varying approaches and analyses, including liberal ecofeminism, spiritual/cultural ecofeminism, and social/socialist ecofeminism. Interpretations of ecofeminism and how it might be applied to social thought include ecofeminist art, social justice and political philosophy, religion, contemporary feminism, and poetry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feminist movement</span> Series of political campaigns for reforms on feminist issues

The feminist movement, also known as the women's movement, refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by inequality between men and women. Such issues are women's liberation, reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. The movement's priorities have expanded since its beginning in the 1800s, and vary among nations and communities. Priorities range from opposition to female genital mutilation in one country, to opposition to the glass ceiling in another.

Indigenous feminism is an intersectional theory and practice of feminism that focuses on decolonization, Indigenous sovereignty, and human rights for Indigenous women and their families. The focus is to empower Indigenous women in the context of Indigenous cultural values and priorities, rather than mainstream, white, patriarchal ones. In this cultural perspective, it can be compared to womanism in the African-American communities.

Feminism in Pakistan refers to the set of movements which aim to define, establish, and defend the rights of women in Pakistan.This may involve the pursuit of equal political, economic, and social rights, alongside equal opportunity. These movements have historically been shaped in response to national and global reconfiguration of power, including colonialism, nationalism, Islamization, dictatorship, democracy, and the War on Terror. The relationship between the women's movement and the Pakistani state has undergone significant shifts from mutual accommodation to confrontation and conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gema Ramkeesoon</span> Trinidadian and Tobagonian social worker and activist

Gema Ramkeesoon was a Trinidadian and Tobagonian social worker and women's rights activist who was one of the early pioneers of the women's movement in Trinidad and Tobago. She was honored for her social service work as a member of the Order of the British Empire in 1950 and received the gold Hummingbird Medal from Trinidad and Tobago in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carceral feminism</span> Forms of feminism that advocate for increased prison sentences

Carceral feminism is a critical term for types of feminism that advocate for enhancing and increasing prison sentences that deal with feminist and gender issues. The term criticises the belief that harsher and longer prison sentences will help work towards solving these issues. The phrase "carceral feminism" was coined by Elizabeth Bernstein, a feminist sociologist, in her 2007 article, "The Sexual Politics of the 'New Abolitionism'". Examining the contemporary anti-trafficking movement in the United States, Bernstein introduced the term to describe a type of feminist activism which casts all forms of sexual labor as sex trafficking. She sees this as a retrograde step, suggesting it erodes the rights of women in the sex industry, and takes the focus off other important feminist issues, and expands the neoliberal agenda.

Sonia Magdalena Cuales was a Curaçaoan feminist activist and writer. Her work in the United Nations system and with various advocacy groups focused on the intersection of women's rights and development across the Caribbean.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mohammed, Patricia (2000). "The Future of Feminism in the Caribbean". Feminist Review. 64 (64): 116–119. JSTOR   1395707.
  2. 1 2 Nicholson, Hilary (2002). "Gender as a Dynamic Concept in the Media". In Mohammed, Patricia (ed.). Gendered Realities: Essays in Caribbean Feminist Thought. Kingston, Jamaica: The University of the West Indies Press. p. 365. ISBN   976-640-112-8.
  3. "Professor Patricia Mohammed". sta.uwi.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-24.