Lorde, women’s fight to be men’s equal will continue to be an endless battle if oppositions are actively maintained within the women’s community. She points out that the weakness in the feminist movement is the failure to respect differences in race, class, and sexual orientation as having a crucial role in the female experience. She explains that white heterosexual feminists are seen as the norm, which results in a marginalization of black and/or lesbian women. By doing so, women are following a cycle of oppression that mimics the patriarchal system, with the exception that white middle-class feminists are the oppressors and black/lesbians are the Others.
Peggy McIntosh, an American feminist, puts into perspective the discussion of gender, race and sexuality that Lorde observed. In her personal essay, McIntosh reflects on her life as an American women and recognizes how many unearned privileges she has been offered throughout her daily life just because of the skin color she possesses. She lists a total of 50 aspects and situations in life where being white has given her comparative advantage, security, and trust compared to being black. Out of the 50 situations listed, 8 of them deal with the unearned privilege and protection which are often taken for granted by heterosexual people. Although I understood where she was heading, I dislike the way she chose to approach this problem: ¨As we in women’s studies work to reveal male privilege and ask men to give up some of their power, so one who writes about having white privilege must ask, “having described it, what will I do to lessen or end it?” In other words, if we can’t earn it then we should persuade those in power to give up theirs? For this reason, I just can’t help but find some her ideas a tidbit outdated and even extreme despite trying to challenge us at times.
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