Black Feminism

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Black Feminism Cultural Competence

• Kim Weingarten
• February 9, 2009

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Objectives

• Become familiar with the concept of black
  feminism
• Develop a deeper understanding of the importance
  of cultural competence within social work
  practice

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First, a look at the basics.

• Racism
• Sexism
• Feminism

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Racism

• A belief that race is the primary determinant of
  human traits and capacities and that racial
  differences produce an inherent superiority of a
  particular race

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Sexism

• Prejudice or discrimination based on sex
  especially discrimination against women

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Feminism

• The theory of the political, economic, and social
  equality of the sexes

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So then what is Black Feminism?
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History of Black Feminism

• In the late 1960s and early 1970s, black women
  were being oppressed
• Sexually Black Liberation Movement/Civil Rights
  Movement
• Racially Womens Movement

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The Black Liberation Movement/Civil Rights
Movement

• Liberation of the black race liberation of the
  black male
• Sexual discrimination control
• Disregard for humanity and equality of black women

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The Feminist Movement

• There existed a disregard for black women and a
  denial of racism
• Largely defined by the experiences of white,
  middle class women

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The Creation of the Black Feminist Movement

• Proved to be a difficult task
• Widespread stigma associated with the word
  feminism
• Common reservations, as identified by Barbara
  Smith

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Reasons for the hesitation

• Many believed the black woman was already
  liberated
• More of a focus on oppression that related to
  race, not sex
• Myths surrounding feminism man-hating, lesbians,
  etc.

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Not all hesitated, however

• In 1973, the Black
• Feminist Movement
• was born.

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What were the areas of interest?

• Reproductive Rights
• Equal Access to Abortion
• Health Care
• Child Care
• The rights of the disabled

• Violence Against Women
• Sexual Harassment
• Welfare Rights
• Police Brutality
• Labor Organizing

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Some of the big players

• National Black Feminist Organization
• Combahee River Collective

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Womanist

• Womanist is to feminist as purple is to
  lavender.

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Black Feminismwhere is it today?

• Successful in some areas, not all.
• Changes in the womens movement
• Acknowledgement from Universities and Colleges
• Less effective in the black community

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So how does all of this relate to social work?

• Ah yes, cultural competence

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What is culture?

• Culture implies the integrated pattern of human
  behavior that includes thoughts, communications,
  actions, customs, beliefs, values, and
  institutions of a racial, ethnic, religious, or
  social group.

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Cultural competence is a set of congruent
behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come
together in a system or agency or among
professionals and enable the system, agency, or
professionals to work effectively in
cross-cultural situations.
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• Cultural competence requires social
• workers to recognize the strengths that exist in
  all cultures.

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Cross-Cultural Knowledge

• Social workers shall have and continue to
  develop specialized knowledge and understanding
  about the history, traditions, values, family
  systems, and artistic expressions of major client
  groups served.

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Cultural Competence at the Systems Level

1. Value Diversity
2. Capacity for Cultural Self-Assessment
3. Consciousness of dynamics between cultures when
   they interact
4. Institutionalize cultural knowledge
5. Develop programs and services that reflect points
   1-4

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QUIZ TIME.
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References

• But some of us are strong a history of black
  feminism in the United States. The Thistle
  Alternative News Collective, 9.01.
• National Association of Social Workers. (2007).
  Indicators for the achievement of the NASW
  standards for cultural competence in social work
  practice. Washington, DC Author.
• National Association of Social Workers. Cultural
  Competence in the Social Work Profession. In
  Social Work Speaks NASW Policy Statements
  2000-2003 (5th ed). Washington, DC Author.
• National Black Feminist Organization (1975).
  National Black Feminist Organization Collection
  An inventory of its records at the University of
  Illinois at Chicago. Retrieved February 8, 2009,
  from file///F/Black20Feminism/NBFO20page.htm
• Snyder, B. (2005). The welfare of feminism
  struggle in the midst of reform. Twin Cities,
  Minnesota University of Minnesota, Center on
  Women and Public Policy.