Black Women in Feminism and the Media Essay

Introduction

Feminism is a term used to describe the social movement established in western society to advocate for the rights of Black women. In the 1900s, Black women were marginalized because of their race and gender. Racial and sexual oppression made black women’s life unbearable. They were associated with domestic work and sexual objects. Hence, feminism emerged as a result of oppression. The main purpose of the movement was to liberate women.

Conversely, the term feminist covers a broader context. Basing on Oyewumi’s article “Feminism, Sisterhood, and Other Foreign Relations,” we can argue feminist is not restricted to historical events (1). Essentially, feminist describes a variety of behavior representing female agency and self-sufficiency. This paper examines the myths of Black women’s sexuality in the U.S. and Africa. The paper further discusses the differences and similarities in issues related to sexuality in Black feminism in the U.S. and Africa. Lastly, the paper analyses the sexuality of both lesbian and straight women and uses this link to analyze the struggles around sexuality by women with different sexual identities.

Myths of Black women’s sexuality in the U.S. and Africa

Black women were ascribed belittling labels as a result of long-lived myths. As far as society was concerned, the Black woman was seen as inferior. Arnfred in “African Sexuality’/ sexuality in Africa: Tales and silences” relays the story of Sarah Bartmann (64). The author alleges this story illustrates one myth of Black women’s sexuality. Sarah Bartmann was displayed in the street to expose the physical disparity between African and a ‘civilized women’.

The Black woman is “Voluptuousness”. This is seen in her enhanced behind, also known as steatopygia (Arnfred 65). African women are perceived to have more developed sexual organs as opposed to White women. The second myth illustrated by Arnfred is black women are sexual (65). They are associated with prostitution. In paintings of prostitutes, white women have large buttocks. This is because Black women symbolize unbridled sexuality (Arnfred 66).

Compared to their fellow White women, Black women represent all the negative attributes of womanhood. They are the source of sin and sickness. Additionally, Black women are sexually avid and ethically depraved. In Africa, her sexuality is said to be dangerous because she is the carrier of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and syphilis (Arnfred 67).

Polygamy in Africa accentuates the myth that Black Women have unbridled sexuality. The picture of one man with four wives is a sign of sexual greed and unbridled sexuality. There is a myth that lesbianism is an acceptable norm in Africa. Feminism activists like Audre Lorde claim woman to woman relationships in African societies are acceptable (Oyewumi 14). Oyewumi asserts this myth as a misrepresentation of African traditions (15). To support her allegations, Oyewumi illustrates in Africa, marriage is not based on sexual relationships (15). Rather, marriage is a social institution centered on the family or lineage. A barren woman can marry another woman in order to have heirs. Although both parties do not have a sexual relationship, the female husband has a right to her family (Oyewumi 15).

The differences and similarities in issues related to sexuality in Black feminism in the U.S. and Africa

One of the differences between Black feminism in the U.S and Africa is the issue of culture. In Africa, sexuality is not discussed openly. Arnfred notes the obsession of the colonial master with sexuality did not receive so much attention in Africa (64). Essentially, Africans were more concerned with Kinship. The author points out the same- sex practices in Africa were not considered sexual (Arnfred 73).

Sex is associated with penetration. Therefore, without penetration, one cannot claim to have experienced the sexual act. Because of this belief, same-sex relationships are a silent culture in Africa. Secondly, discretion is imperative in African culture. Given men are the superior gender, they have a right to be involved in extra-marital affairs (Arnfred 73). However, for a woman, this is an abomination.

Society expects an African woman to be the embodiment of modesty. For this reason, African women remain silent when it comes to extra-material affairs in the sense of protecting their reputation. On the other hand, provided the necessary precautions are taken to maintain the affair decently, she can have a lover. The consequences, however, are dreadful. The woman can be put to death should the husband find out about the relationship. Thus, the fundamental rule for the existence of such affair is keeping silence.

The ‘culture of silence’ is similar in the U.S and Africa. When a woman loses her virginity before marriage or takes on multiple partners, she is considered to be ‘loose’. Nevertheless, a man is considered a ‘man enough’ when they engage in the same activities. The man’s conquests define his manhood. Arnfred claims this notion makes ‘female sexuality receptive’ (75). Sexuality in U.S and Africa is a male domain; men define whether women are chaste or impure. Western heterosexuality encourages male superiority. Men control the female reproductive energies and abilities. Similarly, women are receivers; they follow the men’s lead, concerning issues of their sexuality (Arnfred 75).

According to Oyewumi, there is a difference on how Africa and Western society define “womanhood” (2). In Africa, a woman is not defined by her communal role, character or position, because every woman occupies diverse positions that often overlap. In addition, African societies have social groups which are not founded on distinctions of gender such as female- husband (Oyewumi 2). The western society, however, does not differentiate gender and sex.

How does Cathy Cohen’s chapter “Punks, Bulldaggers, and Welfare Queens: The Radical Potential of Queer Politics?” offer a way of linking struggles around sexuality by women with different sexual identities?

Cohen, in this article asserts “all heterosexual are represented as dominant and controlling and all queers are understood as marginalized and invisible” (243). This statement relays the struggle of women with unusual sexual identities. Women are stereotyped as inferior; being queer lowers an identity which is already marginalized. This means that women with different sexual identities are marginalized for two reasons. These reasons are gender and sexual preference.

Cohen further points out that one of the struggles of queer politics is to integrate the sexuality together with other social, political, and economic aspects. In the attempt to bring out the adverse effects of racism on female sexuality, Cohen describes the stigmatization of adolescent mothers, single mothers, and poor mothers in the black community (258). These women are demonized for their inability to control their sexual desires.

A lower class woman with unusual sexual preference has to deal with her race, financial situation and her sexuality. In addition, Cohen claims that being queer; one has to fight against issues such as reproductive politics, norms, morality, intimacy and health care among others (247). Therefore, she disagrees with the queer activists who promote the elimination of permanent categories of sexual identities because such activists fail to recognize the relationship between communal bonds and acceptable social identities.

What are two other course texts that enable us to expand our analysis of sexuality to include both lesbian and straight women, and how do they help us to make those links?

Clarke, in her article “Lesbianism: an act of resistance” describe lesbianism as rebellion (12). She continues to say that lesbians should be applauded for taking such a step. According to Clarke, lesbianism is freedom from sexual slavery (12). It is clear the author associates heterosexuality to slavery. The slave master in this case is the man who colonizes a woman’s sexual identity by controlling her view. Male dominance is the foundation of Slavery.

This view is analogous to that of Arnfred who claims that women are the receptive vessels (75). For a long time lesbians have been marginalized by male dominance and the society which denies their existence. Clarke asserts that black lesbians suffer the most oppression (17). The disapproval is worse when a black lesbian has a partner who belongs to a different race (Clarke 18).

Apart from being discriminated because of her color, a black woman has to conform to the principles set by the black political community on sexuality. It is essential to note this organization is dominated by men who abhor women’s liberation (Clarke 14). Clarke demonstrates the similarity between Lesbians and straight women. Both of them are oppressed by male dominated institution. Black men instigate rivalry between White and Black women to strengthen their authority. However, lesbians free themselves from such competition because they are not sexually interested in men.

Cole and Guy-Sheftall in their article “Black, Lesbian and Gay, Speaking the Unspeakable” describes the campaigns of the black community against homosexuality (159). The black community claims this practice was a taboo in Africa. Therefore, such pathological practices were learnt from the white community. (Cole and Guy-Sheftall 162) Nevertheless, lesbianism has been witnessed in African countries. The only difference is the belief system in Africa that, penetration is a fundamental act during sexual intercourse. Furthermore, African customs endorsed a wide variety of sexual practices compared to Western societies.

In spite of this history, the black community has been on the fore front against homosexuality. It is considered “an unforgivable sin” (Cole and Guy-Sheftall 180). For this reason, homosexuality is a silent culture. Cole and Guy-Sheftall believe as long as the silent culture of homosexuality continues, many Black Americans will die from sexual transmitted diseases such as HIV. Also Clarke supports the abolition of the silent culture in black society (18). She encourages women to look beyond their sexuality in order to eradicate women oppression.

Conclusion

The society has always considered a woman to be weak. Her sexuality is defined by men. Black women are doubly dishonored. They have suffered for being oppressed because of gender and the color of their skin. Society compares a black woman to the White who is the epitome of civilization. She is ascribed strange insulting images as a result of myths accentuated by the slave master. A black woman with different sexual identities suffers from condemnation.

Clarke applauds lesbians who come out in the open, according to Clarke; this is the highest form of resistance (12). But as Arnfred points out, society needs to eradicate the negative stereotypes against Black women and promote a positive knowledge of women as sexual agents (75).

Works Cited

Arnfred, Signe. “African Sexuality/Sexuality in Africa: Tales and Silences” In Arnfred, S. ed. Rethinking Sexualities in Africa Uppsala, Sweden: Nordiska Africa institute, 2004. Print.

Clarke, Cheryl. “Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance.” In Stanlie M. James et. al., eds. Still Brave: The Evolution of Black Women’s Studies. New York: The Feminist Press, 2009. Print.

Cohen, J Cathy. “Punks, Bulldaggers and Welfare Queens: The Radical Potential of Queer Politics?” In Stanlie M. James et. al., eds. Still Brave: The Evolution of Black Women’s Studies. New York: The Feminist Press, 2009. Print.

Cole, B Johnnetta and Beverly Guy- Sheftall. “Black, Lesbian and Gay, Speaking the Unspeakable” In Cole, B. Johnnetta and Guy Sheftall Beverly eds. The Struggles for Women’s equality in African American Communities. New York: Ballantine Publishing Group, 2004. Print.

Oyewumi, Oyeronke. “Introduction: Feminism, Sisterhood, and Other Foreign Relations” In Oyeronke Oyewumi (ed.) African Women and Feminism: Reflecting on the Politics of Sisterhood. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, 2003. Print.