Edward Said explains that “imperialism operates from the center, it is state policy, and is developed for ideological as well as financial reasons.”  (Gilmartin, et al. 116) Imperialism is found in many countries. This article addresses imperialism and feminism in the United States, Britain and India.

Racism in the women’s movement has excluded the participation of Black women. More important than the fact that North America was colonized by white patriarchal men who began an imperialist social order is that white women perpetuate anti-Black racism. This is a source of frustration for Black women because in America, the Black Movement was addressing feminist issues during the civil rights movement. The women’s movement in the 1960’s was an offshoot of that movement with Black women activists in dialogue with their White counterpart.

Family

Black and white women have struggled with state harassment (paternalism), but Black women have been forced to look critically at the components of the family. White feminists look at Black families in terms of what they lack and then harness the Black women’s experience to bolster their claims of oppression. Inevitably, this approach initiates state practice that affect both Black and white women.

Sexuality

Black women have been struggling for independence and self-determination so that sexuality has taken a back seat. In addition, because Black women were historically portrayed as being seductive (Amos and Parmar 55), they have been deprived of their sexual authenticity.

The ideology of women as mothers victimizes women by relegating them to the position of breeders. Combined with the cult of domesticity, women sometimes are guilted into being chained to the home and suspected of using careers as an escape from household duties.

A historical example of sexual control over Asian women was the Contagious Diseases Act approved in India in the nineteenth century. Prostitution was encouraged for a ‘healthy’ army and the Act called for compulsory registration of brothels and prostitutes with periodic medical examinations and venereal disease treatment. The soldiers were not required to undergo these procedures (Ballhatcheti 1980).

Peace campaigns

Disarmament begins with guns and climbs the ladder to nuclear weapons. Britain may fear a nuclear holocaust but India experiences an ecological holocaust every day - millions die of water pollution. Using an international perspective for the arms race would remove the predominantly white composition of peace and disarmament activists.

Conclusion

True feminist theory must take into account imperialism and racism. Instead of dividing races by separating experiences and conjuring up white privilege, a global approach both defining and empowering to all women is needed.

References

Amos, Valerie and Pratibha Parmar. 2005. “Challenging Feminist Imperialism.” Feminist Review. No. 80. pp. 44-63.

Ballhatcheti, K. 1980. “Race, Sex, and Class under the Raj: Impeial Attitudes and Policies 1793-1905.” London: Wiedenfeld and Nicholson.

Gilmartin, Mary. Gallaher, C. et al. 2008. “Key Concepts in Political Geography”, Sage Publications Ltd.; Imperialism, Colonialism. pg. 116.