During last week’s table talk we discussed the role of women of color in mainstream feminism, a traditionally white space. Many WOC at the talk discussed what feminism means to them, when they decided they were a feminist, and how they practice feminism in their everyday lives. The talk was attended by a wide range of women from all different walks of life, so we got to hear many different experiences. Personally, I officially became a feminist in high school. I have always believed in equality amongst all genders but I had never previously had a label for this belief. After hearing of a friend who faced discrimination for being a women in an all-male workplace, I began to look up sexism in general around the United States. I became extremely shocked on this is an institutional problem that keeps women from achieving what they can and deserve due to sexism. I began to look up feminism and the history behind feminism. While I was definitely empowered by reading the struggles and accomplishments of women before me, I also felt a little disheartened. Historically feminism has been a vspace that didn’t fight for the rights of minority women. Through extreme work from women of color, trans women, and queer women, the idea of intersectional feminism began to grow and is now starting to become more and more popular.

We also discussed our opinions on certain demonstrations and movements that are occurring around us such as the women’s march in February and the women’s day that recently passed. Feminism is an extremely important topic these days in this political climate. Feminism is tricky subject since it should be intersectional as possible, but it is currently not. Trans women, women of color, disabled women, and women of all religions should all deserve to have equal rights to each other and to men. Mainstream feminism is currently a very homogenous space where it is hard to feel like you have a voice as a minority in any sense. In order to fight women in positions of power must make spaces for minority women to be able to empower all women. Feminism is for all women.