Davis and Feminism

Deconstructing Davis' view of Feminism

Angela Davis’ philosophy of Black liberation often emphasizes the necessity of a socialist system for all individuals to be truly liberated; however, she feels that it is crucial to address the specific concerns of racism and sexism within this socialist movement. Through much of her work, Davis discusses the concerns of women, and more specifically Black women, as she traces their history of oppression in the United States and searches for solutions to ameliorate these issues. This section will examine some of Davis’ ideas about female oppression and her search for a path that will create a society where men and women are perceived as equals.

Slavery and its Legacy

“Black women were equal to their men in the oppression they suffered; they were their men’s social equals within the slave community; and they resisted slavery with a passion equal to their men’s” - Angela Davis, Women Race and Class (p. 23)

In discussing feminism, Angela Davis notes the significance of slavery’s influence on shaping American society’s concept of Black women. She argues that as a result of slavery, Black women were forced to join the labor force and were frequently viewed by white society as a commodity, rather than as individuals. As the slave trade ended, reproduction was seen as the only means of sustaining a labor force, and thus, women were stripped of their control of their children and families, as well as their sexuality. Additionally, the widespread practice of sexual abuse on plantations created cycles of domination and fear in Black women. Finally, Davis discusses the significance of slavery in creating a space for resistance. This resistance included Black women’s participation in larger abolition movements, but also involved daily acts of defiance such as poisoning a slave owner’s food, or the even more subtle but equally affective act of learning to read or write in a society that did not value women’s education.

Violence against Women

"Rape bears a direct relationship to all of the existing power structures in a given society. This relationship is not a simple, mechanical one, but rather involves complex structures reflecting the interconnectedness of the race, gender, and class oppression that characterize the society" -Angela Davis, Women, Culture and Politics (p.47)

Davis argues that in order for women to be liberated, the issue of violence against women must be addressed by society. She claims that the notion of violence can relate to overt acts of physical abuse such as rape, but also must include attacks on women’s reproductive choices and their sexuality. Thus, Davis’ notion of violence against women extends to the atrocious practice of sterilization, attacks on abortion clinics, as well as attempts to prohibit the right of gay women to have children.

Rape is a major concern when discussing violence against women. Davis argues that in order to address the issues surrounding rape, the way in which the subject is discussed needs to be changed. As it exists now, victims of rape are too often perceived by society as “immoral”. Additionally, Davis notes that rape is often constructed as a sexual act, when really it is an act of power and domination. Finally, Black men are greatly impacted by Americans’ notions of rape, as the myth is perpetuated that Black men are more likely to commit rape and that white women are disproportionately the targets of rape. In Women, Culture, and Politics, Davis cites a statistic that found that nearly 90% of rapes are intraraical rather than interracial (43). Unless these myths are diffused, Davis feels that it will be impossible to build a multi-racial coalition against rape, which is necessary to liberating all women and ending cycles of violence against women.

Black Women and Activism: From Suffrage to Civil Rights

In Women, Race, and Class Angela Davis discusses the origins of women’s rights movements in the United States and discusses the significance of Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s work to mobilize large numbers of women during the 19th century. However, she notes that one of the shortcomings of these movements was their tendency to overlook the needs of Black women as well as white working women. As the Civil War came to and end, a fierce debate erupted over whether or not Black men deserved to vote before white women had secured this right. Although Davis sympathizes with the concerns of the women who were dissatisfied with the 14th Amendment’s failure to include women, she feels that their reaction to this event displayed the racist undercurrents that existed in women’s suffrage movements. These racist sentiments would continue far into the 20th century, as Davis feels that Black women have had to constantly struggle against oppression because of both their race and their gender, which has placed them in a unique condition that makes it difficult to find allies in other movements.

During the 20th century with the emergence of Civil Rights Movements, Black women were frequently viewed as a threat to their Black male counterparts. Davis not only discusses this in her writing, she also lived through it during her work in the 1960s and 1970s. However, Davis showed strength despite these criticisms and emerged as a community leader as well as rose to national prominence by running as the Vice Presidential candidate for the Communist Party in 1980 and 1984.

Finally, it is important to note that Davis does not feel that Black women were the only women who have been marginalized by these movements. She also notes the exclusion of working-class women, immigrants, and other minorities from activist organizations and the detrimental effects of this exclusion. This further demonstrates how Davis’ view of liberation is a vision of liberation for all, as she feels oppression must be attacked from multiple angels and not exclusively the areas of race or gender.

Reproductive Rights

“Birth control-individual choice, safe contraceptive methods, as well as abortions when necessary-is a fundamental prerequisite for the emancipation of women” -Angela Davis, Women Race and Class (p. 202)

Angela Davis feels that reproductive rights are an integral aspect to the liberation of Black women, as well as other disadvantaged women. The notion of “reproductive rights” is frequently associated with the abortion debate of the 20th century, but this concept extends back much further. For Davis, the idea of reproductive rights in the 19th century was simply the right of a woman to exert power over her own body and to choose whether or not she wanted to have intercourse and whether or not she wanted to give birth. Unfortunately, the history of this of the reproductive rights movement often isolated Black women, and Davis feels that in order to gain momentum for this movement today, it is important to acknowledge why women of color might be reluctant to support reproductive rights.

Margaret Sanger was a chief advocate of reproductive rights and is most well known for her development of birth control for women during the early 20th century. Unfortunately, this development coincided with the rise of the eugenics movement, which advocated for the sterilization of “less fit” individuals in order to prohibit the procreation of people who might be “undesirable” in society. The notion of sterilization of certain groups in society is atrocious, and Davis notes that this practice continued well into the late 20th century, and disproportionately targeted women of color. In this way, Davis feels that women of color might be skeptical of reproductive rights and birth control because they link these movements with sterilization, and the fear of genocide of minority populations. However, Davis claims that this connection must be severed as birth control is in fact a way for women of color to empower themselves by taking control of their bodies. If women of color advocate for reproductive rights, they can choose to have children on their own terms, rather than bringing children into a world at a point in their lives where they are not ready to take care of them. Angela Davis claims that women of color should fight for the cause of reproductive rights so they can take control of their bodies and further empower themselves.

The role of Education

Davis feels that the systematic exclusion of Black women from education has greatly hindered their ability to be liberated. However, she also points to historical examples of Black women succeeding in increasing educational opportunities in the United States. Davis notes that although it is frequently overlooked in historical accounts, during Reconstruction, African-American and white women worked together to tackle the widespread issue of illiteracy in the South. The mutual respect and shared goals allowed these women’s efforts to be successful, as Davis writes “some 247,333 pupils were attending 4,329 schools-and these were the building blocks for the South’s first public school system, which would benefit Black and white children alike” (Women, Race and Class 109). Today, education remains a major concern for women. Even though women have broken into higher education in large numbers over the past few decades, there is much work to be done for those who do not yet have the access to these opportunities.

The Intersection of Class, Race, and Gender

Throughout her work, Davis notes the importance of the intersection of class, race, and gender for Black women in the United States. Following slavery, Black women struggled to be economically successful in a society that greatly limited the opportunities for African-Americans as well as women and systematically excluded Black women from access to higher education. Many African-American women found that one of the few jobs that society offered to them was to work as in white households performing domestic service. Davis discusses how this occupation perpetuated systems of oppression as it limited opportunities for Black women while simultaneously exposing them to the threat of sexual abuse from the “man of the house”.

Additionally, sexism in activist organizations has made it difficult for working women as well as Black women to have voices equal to their male counterparts in addressing various issues of oppression. Because Davis feels the categories of race, gender, and class are not discrete, they must be explored where they overlap. This does not mean ignoring the separate causes of oppression; it instead involves acknowledging the areas where these separate struggles can find common ground and thus become stronger than they would be divided.

Feminism from a Global Perspective

“While we have recognized the bonds linking us to Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Latin America as having been wrought by our respective racial and cultural heritages, we must be equally cognizant of the fact that these ties have been enormously strengthened by our common pursuit of dignity and freedom” -Angela Davis, Women, Culture, and Politics (p.186)

Angela Davis sees the importance of exploring women’s rights from a global perspective because she sees both the value in learning from the experiences of other countries as well as the potential for individuals to work together to aid oppressed women internationally. Davis’ participation in international conventions that address women’s emancipation shows her desire to spread her message of liberation throughout the world. Davis participated in the activist organization Women for Racial and Economic Equality (WREE), which presented a document entitled “The Effects of Racism and Militarization on Women" to the United Nations. She notes that among the major issues that need to be addressed by women internationally are the need for the economic independence of women, the guarantee of equal pay to their male counterparts, as well as the improvement of the quality of life for all women in the areas of health care, education, housing, and protection against police brutality. She notes the need for women to from “a united, multiracial, antimonopoly women’s movement” in order to aid oppressed women throughout the world (Women, Culture, and Politics, 115).

Contemporary Organizations and Relevant Links

• The Audre Lorde Project]]

• Black Women's Health Imperative]]

• Incite! Women of Color Against Violence]]