De-Westernizing Feminism

In Bad Feminist, Roxane Gay writes “let us try to become the feminists we’d like to see moving through the world.” One quality that I would love to see in mainstream feminism is the recognition of the cultural variation of gender identity and expression. Currently mainstream feminism equates to White Feminism, feminism that tends to marginalize the voices of people of color, thereby putting Western ideas of gender identity and expression at the center of Feminism. It goes without saying that a movement advocating for gender equality being largely based around one group of women in one part of the world is problematic. Not only do women of different backgrounds and identities go unheard, but one set of ideas about how to be a feminist, and one set of ideas about gender as a whole, is shared. Gender identity and expression vary between different cultures, and by making Feminism into a more diverse platform, we will be able to push past the current confining ideas about gender that are often present within Feminism. If all types of feminists were given platforms to share their experiences and ideas, we could become more culturally aware and have the ability to advocate for all women and other marginalized groups.

In “Feminism Needs to Die”, Mariam Khan discussed the shortcomings and lack of cultural awareness within Feminism. What stuck out to me the most from that essay is the fact that non-Muslim women often assumed that her hijab, which she chose to wear, was oppressive. Those women assumed that the hijabs were oppressive because Western culture has historically upheld sexist dress codes and clothing expectations that wish to force women to cover themselves, and they projected this cultural trauma upon someone whose culture and personal preferences differ from those experiences. This experience of Khan’s is just one important example, but this misunderstanding of cultures and practices outside the Western norm is a problem within Feminism that needs to be dealt with. Gender equality cannot be attained until all women are advocated for within Feminism.

            In order to make steps towards diversifying Feminism and being better allies to women of all kinds of backgrounds, we need to amplify the voices of feminists all over the world and bring attention to all types of experiences of gender and the patriarchy. This can be done in many ways by anybody. We can educate ourselves and others about how gender is expressed and defines in different cultures, and the different ways the patriarchy is perpetuated throughout the world. We can support and amplify the voices of women who are marginalized within Feminism on social media. We can donate to feminist organizations, organize protests or talks, etc. As a white person, I believe that one of the most important things for me to do is to listen to those with different experiences from me. Making Feminism and other social justice movements better and more inclusive will of course take time, but if we all make the effort to be understanding and sensitive, we can do it.