Days before Super Tuesday, friends and I were discussing the democratic nominations. Suddenly the label of “being anti-feminist” was expressed because I disagree with Elizabeth Warren’s policies. Shocked, to say the least, I decided to rationalize my reasoning and respond the best way I know which is to write about it.
For one, I’m not anti-feminist or anti-women for voting otherwise. I respect Senator Warren’s articulated vision for actual progressive change. She mobilized an incredible movement forward for a woman to become POTUS; however, the girl boss logic and pussy power movement that latched itself onto Senator Warren along with Hillary Rodham Clinton doesn’t extend itself to ALL women.
Indeed I see why it’s devastating for both Senator Warren and HRC, and it would be regressive not to acknowledge what they’ve done as far as propelling women in politics forward. They’re both strong and unapologetic women that not only opened political doors but smashed them in. Think of it; no HRC means no AOC but that’s where the similarities end for me.
This thinkpiece is to offer an outside look into how other women feel similarly underrepresented as I do. We’re firm believers that women’s rights are human rights, but we can’t whitewash the turbulent history within the feminist movement. Especially since the most historical feminist movement, women’s suffrage, wasn’t the most inclusive when fighting for women’s rights. This seemingly invisible divide is an exclusionary vision that often forgets to mention that it started from the movement’s inception.
Mainly this targets avid Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Frances E. Willard supporters.
The latter, Willard (whose parents were abolitionists) even stated in an 1890 interview with the New York Voice “‘Better whiskey and more of it’ is the rallying cry of great, dark-faced mobs. The safety of [white] women, of childhood, of the home, is menaced in a thousand localities.”
At the time, this push to the side incensed pioneer Ida B. Wells, who wrote about it in her autobiography Crusade for Justice. Sadly this still seems relevant as women of color and Trans women look like afterthoughts for a more streamlined “girl power” plan; that’s not exactly welcoming.
As a proud feminist, the need and strong desire for a woman POTUS would be revolutionary. However, my vote wasn’t for Senator Warren for the Democratic Primary. My reasoning: similar to women’s suffrage, Senator Warren’s movement excludes WOC. This erasure silences the voices of WOC as well as Trans women in a classist way; feminism should include ALL women.
Even I benefit as a white-passing Latinx; despite my own experiences with bouts of sexism and racism. While I share those parallel experiences with WOC & Trans women, they are not the same. For instance, voicing frustration and dissatisfaction online, as one does, led to many regressive classist remarks. Senator Warren’s demographic wants to align with being equal to rich white men, while WOC & Trans women are struggling for basic human rights.
Senator Warren’s presidential bid came to a sad and personal end for pussyhat feminists, but not before the blatant erasure of Senator Sanders’ Jewish heritage is retrogressive. Categorizing both Senator Bernie Sanders and Former Vice President Joe Biden as being “old white men” while completely ignoring Elizabeth Warren’s whiteness is another peak in the white feminist landscape.
Consequently, the online discourse led to finger-pointing as to why Senator Warren failed. Mostly accusations of sexism and misogyny ran rampant. Nevertheless, Senator Warren’s shortcoming came within her campaign.
This victim portrayal (by her fervid defenders) makes it seem like she has no control over her voice/campaign. For this reason, responsibility is removed from the Democratic candidate herself and made it easier to go on Saturday Night Live instead of endorsing a fellow candidate.
Senator Warren’s campaign was evident to everyone except for Senator Warren and HRC’s white feminist warriors. The focus resonated with highly educated white activists instead of the struggling working class that’s drowning while trying to survive.
Thus why I didn’t vote for Elizabeth Warren, the #girlboss centrist mentality is lukewarm at best. Despite being powerful women in politics, there are undeniable and unspoken capitalist patriarchy qualities about them that aren’t about ALL women.
