1. Dr. Lynell Hodge Heels of Power Women’s Leadership Institute Fall 2017
We Should All Be Feminist:
A Case for Intersectional Activism in the 21st Century
Dr. Lynell Hodge
Heels of Power Women’s Leadership Institute
Fall 2017

3. Objectives
Discuss a brief history of women’s rights, feminist theory, and definitions.
Discuss statistical differences affecting women who represent different communities.
Discuss statistical dangers of one issue activism.
Discuss basic strategies for self-care.

4. Women’s Rights History
Suffragist Movement- right to vote
Second Wave Feminist Movement or Women’s Liberation
Early ‘60s: issues workplace discrimination, civil rights, reproductive rights
Third Wave Feminist Movement
Early ‘90s: intersectionality feminism, domestic violence, rape culture, sexual harassment
Fourth Wave Feminist Movement (The Rebellion)
Early ‘2ks to present: use of social media and technology, body positivity, human trafficking, ableism, calling out heteronormative standards
Overview Timeline
Voters Rights Timeline
Women’s Rights Timeline

5. Feminist Theory and Definitions
Feminist theory is shaped by the social injustices women face at the time, but the cornerstone of the movement is gender inequality of women (hooks, 2015).
Intersectionality acknowledges race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, nation, ability, age etc. are not mutually exclusive identities to an individual (Collins, 2015).
Intersectional feminism recognizes systems of oppression overlap and need to be be addressed through structural convergence
Born out of black feminist theory-”speaking to the void” (Crenshaw, 1989).

6. Differences Who controls the narratives controls the messages:
Right to vote
Pay rates
Gender based violence
Faith based decision making (non- Christian)
Asian- .87 White women- .80, Black- .63, Pacific Islander/Hawaiian- .59, Hispanic- .54, Trans women are paid ⅓ after the transition

7. Blind Spots Violence against trans women
Missing and murdered Indigenous women epidemic
Mental health in the Asian American communities
WOC income stability across ALL identities and abilities
Cisgender silencing intersex/trans reproductive rights
Missing the mark that identity is complex
Treating POC as one monolithic community

8. Activism & Self Care
Recognizing signs of compassion fatigue and secondary trauma
Knowing your limits
Creating safe spaces and boundaries (physically, emotionally, and mentally)
Developing support systems
Refueling regularly i.e. hobbies, art, etc.
Counseling/Therapy
Self Care Plan

9. Intersectional Millennials Feminist1
@KimberlyNFoster
Intersectional Feminist and ally 2
@fyeahmfabello
Body Politics and Human Sexuality 3
@sydneyfreeland
Native queer voice

10. Intersectional Millennials Feminist1
@ashleighthelion 1
@ashleighthelion
Body Positivity 1
Vestibulum congue tempus 2
@BlairImani
Muslim/Queer and Black Lives Matter 2
@BlairImani 2
Vestibulum congue tempus 3
Vestibulum congue tempus 3
@kat_blaque
Trans/rape culture advocacy
@kat_blaque 3
Others?

11. References
Collins, P. H. (2015). Intersectionality's definitional dilemmas. Annual Review of Sociology. 41: 1–20.
Crenshaw, K.W. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum:139–67.
hooks, b. (2015). Feminist theory: From margin to center. New York; Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2015.

12. Dialogue