Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Second International Language-for-All Conference, Adana, Türkiye, 19 - 20 Ekim 2023, ss.31
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.