Note from BW of Brazil: Nothing really surprising here if you are a regular reader of this blog. Simply a short and concise snapshot of the black woman’s experience in Brazil. It is this kind of data and report that should make white women feminist understand the racial element of inequality before they refer to a black woman as a ‘sister’.
‘There is an absence of black women in spaces where white women are advancing’
In an interview, historical militant of the black movement talks about feminism and the labor market
By Marcela Reis
International Women’s Day on March 8th, was marked by demonstrations in various capitals across the country as a day of struggle and resistance of women.
In an interview to the Observatório, Cida Bento, executive coordinator of the Centro de Estudos de Relações de Trabalho e Desigualdades (CEERT or Center of Studies of Work Relations and Inequalities), spoke about the importance of the date for black women, in addition to feminism and the labor market.
Below are highlights from the interview:
International Women’s Day
The eighth of March is important to re-frame this time of struggle and think that, when we talk about women, all are. There are no black women in areas where white women are advancing. We have to rethink this issue of gender involving black women.
Lack of representativeness
Black women are not contemplated by the generic feminism, particularly black women from the periphery. They don’t advance in the movement, remain without representation in the spaces. Still there’s a lot to be achieved.
In recent times there has been an increase of 54% of violence against black women [The “Mapa da Violência” (report), meaning ‘Map of Violence’ shows that between 2003 and 2013, the number of homicides of black women increased 54.2%, while the number of homicides of white women fell 9.8%]. It is necessary for the movement to be rethought. There has to be a conversation between white and black women to try to understand if black women are on their own or not.
Black feminism in Brazil
From the era of slavery black women already perceived that something was wrong, because the violence to which they were subjected was huge. I think for us, Sueli Carneiro was a milestone, a watershed, it made us rethink feminism and realize the need of the movement for black women.
Job market
The labor market is very different for white and black women. The opportunities are not the same [In 2010 the IBGE showed that 17.7% of brancas (white women) had completed a higher education. Among the pretas (black) and pardas (brown), only 6.7% had], nor the salary.
In large corporations, for example, there are already not many women, but it doesn’t have black women. In diversity committees of these corporations there are no black woman, there’s no representation. This puts many concepts into question because black women don’t advance in their schedule in any way.
But there are public policies that help. The Programa Pró-Equidade de Gênero e Raça (Gender and Race Equality Program) [Program of the Policies of the Secretariat of Policies for Women of the Presidency of the Republic] is one of them. It’s a great program, but there has to be more discussion with black women and what they need.
Source: Observatório da Sociedade Civil
As a general rule, blackwomen should not get in bed with white feminists. It’s a contradictory mode of thought. How can whitewomen be part of the majority ruling class and a victimized minority simultaneously? They have all the access they desire to white male power. In essence, they’re running game. Seek to embed themselves in our race while enjoying white privilege all the while. Sistas should know the games by now. Whitewomen will never act in sincere ways via blackwomen. Too much ingrained jealousy involved to make it so.