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Black Feminism

First Wave Black Feminism

In the United States of America, the early 19th century marked the beginning of the black feminist movement (Black Feminism). The first wave of black feminism lasted from the early 1820’s to the early 1830’s. Black Feminism as a movement precedes what is popularly considered the beginning of the feminist movement in United States which is based off the belief that feminism only came into existence as an organized movement during the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. The Seneca Falls Convention is pinpointed in many historical accounts as the beginning of First Wave Feminism, which focused essentially on white females only.

Beverly Guy-Sheftall coined the term "Black Feminist Abolitionists" to describe the first wave black feminists.This term arose from the historical events that led to the rise of these feminists during the antebellum period: slavery. The abolition movement helped black females of the time period converge and create a movement which would bring light to their situation of “triple jeapordy.” Some of the most prominent feminists of this time period were Maria Stewart, Frances E. W. Harper, and Sojourner Truth, who were very vocal about black women’s rights and wrote many famous works on the subject of black female oppression. The abolitionist movement was the backdrop for black women to converge and begin their feminist movement. The position of the female slave during this time gave her a unique perspective to see the oppression that she faced in comparison to both her black male and white female counterparts. The movement began as a way to liberate black women from oppression that was generated from the intersection of race, gender and class, which placed black women at the lowest stratum of society in an economically exploitative system. Black feminist theory is built upon the belief that black women face more oppression than their white female equivalents within society because of sexist, racist and classist hierarchies. During the active slave trade, black women were oppressed not only by white chauvinistic perspectives, but also that of the patriarchal society which held her under the power of both her white masters and her fellow black male slaves. Nearing the end of the 19th century and during the beginning of the 20th century, black women had created many clubs and organizations to progress their message and cause. These networks helped to establish the social and political agenda that the women would pursue such as suffrage and challenging ideals of racism and sexual stereotypes placed upon black women.

Second Wave Feminism

Second wave black feminism, a post World War II movement also preceded the more documented second wave white feminism. Second wave black feminism lasted from the end of World War II into the mid 1960’s. This secondary movement focused more on the black woman's role in society and the ways these women were both oppressed and represented within the social structure. The second wave was the beginning of black internationalist feminism, a movement which connects America’s exploitation of black countries on the international stage and the plight of black people at home in the United States. Black women in the United States who felt they were in a position of statelessness drove this movement because they felt unnoticed and unprotected by the United States government. This movement also dealt with the exploitation of black female domestic workers, who were underpaid and overworked and were subservient to their white masters. Going into the Civil Rights Movement, black feminists played a very crucial role, although they often went unrecognized for their efforts. This time period was predominantly used for black women to further the issue of male dominance within the black community during the civil rights and black power movements.

Women in Science

Generally dominated by males, there have been many significant discoveries in the field of science made by women as well. Although it has been difficult for women to break into the field of science as credible contributors, many new discoveries have been a result of work by female scientists. Some of the most famous females in the field include Marie Curie, who made discoveries relating to radioactivity, Caroline Herschel, who worked with x-ray defraction, Rosalind Franklin, who was the first woman to be paid for her scientific work and Jane Goodall, who is currently the world's foremost primatologist. These women helped establish a place for women in a heavily male dominated field. Most female scientists have only gained fame and authority in the 20th century although there have been advancements in the natural sciences made by women since the early 15th century. Christine de Pizan wrote the first encyclopedia in which she gave credit to these 15th century women for the scientific discoveries of bread making, wool dyeing, grain cultivation and many other day to day inventions.

Women have faced a lot of discrimination getting not only credit for their scientific discoveries but also getting opportunities. Both in research and professorship the quantity of females are very limited in comparison to their male counterparts. The lack of females in science can be directly associated with the social atmosphere which has always treated science as a more masculine area of study. Beginning with boys being pushed more towards academia and girls being confined to the domestic sphere, females have faced both discrimination and difficulty entering into science. Those who are a part of the scientific community find it difficult to break the "glass ceiling" which thus limits how far they can advance within the field. The barrier between work and home has also been an obstacle that women have had to overcome to succeed in the sciences. The achievements of women in science are attributed to their defiance of traditional status of being a laborer within the domestic sphere.

Throughout history, males have dominated science. A large majority of male scientists are the ones who have made the discoveries, written the books and thus have written the rules of what to study and how to study it. This has led to criticism from feminist authors and leaders such as Londa Schiebinger, Anne Fausto-Sterling, Bonnie Spanier, and Evelyn Fox Keller. These women hail from various educational backgrounds and have published many works interpreting and critiquing science from a feminist perspective. Some criticisms include the gendered metaphors in science, the lack of representation of females in the sciences, how science is used to back up the ideals of patriarchy, and sex/gender dichotomies. Feminist Science Studies as a sub-genre of Women's Studies or Gender Studies are available as areas of study in many universities as a method of activism to promote and encourage awareness of social issues as well as promoting women and intersex individuals to contribute more to the sciences.