Female vs. Not-So-Female: The Emergence of Third World Feminism and the Disclosure of Global Sisterhood


Kara M.

Second International Language-for-All Conference, Adana, Turkey, 19 - 20 October 2023, pp.31

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Summary Text
  • City: Adana
  • Country: Turkey
  • Page Numbers: pp.31
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Despite the passage of several decades since one of the most influential demonstrations of women's activism in America during the 1970s, feminist discourse continues to struggle with inclusivity, failing to adequately address the needs and experiences of women from diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. The first and second waves of feminism demonstrate a preoccupation with the contemporary issues faced by white middle-class women. However, these movements fail to adequately address the disempowerment experienced by women of colour who were subjected to colonial discourse. Consequently, the women who are rooted in the Third World find themselves marginalized, grappling with the compounded challenges arising from both colonization and the patriarchal systems within colonized societies. The patriarchal system is responsible for facilitating the physical and spiritual subjugation of women, while the colonial structure, which serves as the basis of Third World feminism, allows for the exploitation of women to further the interests of males. Furthermore, the rights of women are susceptible to distinct manifestations of mistreatment that serve to reinforce the colonial structure and sustain systems of subjugation. The phenomenon of colonialism and the subsequent amalgamation of patriarchal structures between the colonizing power and the colonized society engender a self-perpetuating cycle that reinforces the marginalization of women across several spheres, encompassing education, politics, law, and economics. Within the framework of colonial patriarchy, regardless of ethnic distinctions, women are obligated to adhere to the prescribed norms and structures of the prevailing system. Hence, feminist schools of thought that are geared towards the Western or Eurocentric perspective exhibit a notable absence of acknowledgment towards the challenges faced by women of colour both residing in developing/underdeveloped nations and living in first/second world countries. As such, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the factors that contributed to the inevitability of a third wave of feminism. It highlights the exclusionary nature of the global sisterhood purportedly established by Western feminists, particularly in relation to women of colour rooted in Third World nations.