A Working Manifesto

This manifesto was written by Raina Peterson and presented to the 2008 Network of Women Students Australia (NOWSA) conference, where the Women of Colour Network initiated a discussion about the relationship between racism and feminism. The manifesto came out of difficulties that some of the members of the Network were having with the Women's Department of their student organisation.

The discussion ranged over many issues and raised a number of concerns for the conference. We are re-posting it here to make it available for other feminist/women's groups to use as a tool for liberating, anti-racist organising.

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WORKING MANIFESTO

This working manifesto is concerned with the relationships between women of colour and white feminists. It is particularly concerned with the dealings between Women's Departments and the women of colour in and out of their Collectives.


WHY WOMEN'S DEPARTMENTS SHOULD SUPPORT WOMEN OF COLOUR

It is part of the Women's Officers' job description to represent and support women on campus. We are women on campus. However, as women of colour, we are yet to be adequately represented and supported by the feminist movement, including Women's Departments. As women of colour, we are especially marginalised within broader society and within the feminist movement. The feminist movement needs to address its past and present mistreatments of women of colour.


A FEW OF THE OFFENCES OF WHITE FEMINISTS

Alienating women of colour; using us as mascots; reproducing colonial ideologies and practices; upholding gender as the only or most important axis of oppression; normalising white womanhood; expecting us to assimilate into white feminist culture; expecting us to adopt white feminist ideologies and practices even when they are irrelevant, inappropriate or antagonistic to our lives; not listening to us; talking for us; pretending we don't exist; racialising, essentialising and exoticising us; recruiting us and using us to support their campaigns; failing to adequately support our own campaigns; disrespecting our autonomy; failing to address racism in the feminist movement; failing to address racism in broader society; failing to address racism in themselves; appropriating our culture; claiming that our brothers are their 'oppressors'; failing to provide us with spaces that are safe from racism; failing to address our emotional, cultural and political needs; expecting admiration from us whenever they say something about racism that isn't completely stupid; racially abusing us; getting defensive when we talk about racism or call them out for racist conduct; expecting us to educate them when they should be doing it themselves; refusing to fight for our causes but expecting us to fight for theirs; to name but a few.


WHAT WE EXPECT

- Feminists (especially Women's Officers) will address the concerns raised in the previous paragraph.

- Feminist spaces will be made safe for women of colour ie. No racism.

- Feminist bodies (inc. Women's Depts) will be anti-racist and will engage in anti-racist campaigns.

- Feminist spaces and bodies will address the political, cultural and moral needs of women of colour.

- Women's Officers and feminists in general will educate themselves about racism instead of presuming to already 'know' or expecting women of colour to do it for them.

- Feminists will not get defensive when we talk about racism, but will show respect, listen, and learn.

- Feminists will not get defensive when we call them out for racist conduct. Instead, they will show respect, listen, apologise, learn from their mistakes, and will not repeat their misconduct.

- If they are still unsure how their actions or words constitute racism, they will make the effort to find out for themselves.

- Feminist spaces and bodies will provide anti-racist educational and activist resources.

- Feminist spaces and bodies will provide adequate resources and political support for women of colour and our collectives, projects and campaigns.

- Feminist spaces and bodies will support the fight for Aboriginal Sovereignty.

- Feminists will interrogate their own privileges – class, race, ability etc.

- Feminists and feminist bodies will interrogate the ways in which feminist ideologies and practices may reproduce colonial ideologies and practices, normalise white womanhood and marginalise women of colour.
- Feminists will acknowledge that Women's Spaces are built on stolen land, and acknowledge the traditional owners of the country on which they meet.