feministing while black

one of my favorite social media friends came to me with a question recently. he wanted to know how i felt about those who consider themselves to be pro-black who say that black women shouldn't be or can't be feminist. i thanked him for his question and attempted to answer it in three points.

1) it is my opinion that being pro-black should not equal being anti-white. being antagonistic against any race, whether or not that race is the "dominant" one, is still racism. i don't condone it in any form. i consider myself to be pro-black, in that i support those who identify as black, and i will forever battle against those who think that blackness is something to be ashamed of. being pro-black shouldn't just be about defying "the white man', it should be about celebrating the (shared, but not monolithic) life and experience of existing in a black body in this world.

2) i've been asked the question about black women and feminism, or versions of this question, a few times before. what i often find is that the people who are usually asking that question have a negative view of feminism and lack comprehension of what feminism is. these people are usually thinking about the beginnings of the feminist movement, which was racist in its inception. the short version is that it was led by white middle class women who only considered the social issues facing white middle class women, while ignoring the fact that oppressions of women of color were very different from their own. modern feminism is different than the first or second waves of the movement, though it has it's pitfalls. its more inclusive and constantly strives to become more and more so. feminism isn't just about women's liberation. we take up systems of power and investigate systemic oppressions that affect all identities defined by race, gender, sexuality, physical ability, species, etc. 

3) now, consider the history of black women and the policing of black women's bodies, sexualities, reproduction, etc., in the U.S. and abroad. and consider that we live in society which values whiteness and maleness above all else. i would say that black women have a relationship to systemic oppression in a way that is different from black men, as we are constantly battling the joined forces of racism and sexism. this is not to say that the marginalization and criminalization of black men is not legitimate; it is simply different. feminism is the only movement (that i know of) which seeks to combat the racism and sexism experienced by women of color without delegitimizing the racism that men of color also experience, and simultaneously fights for others who experience oppression because of their sexuality, weight, gender identity or performance, physical or mental disability, etc. feminism is all about celebrating difference, promoting unconditional self-love, and dismantling oppressions.

i gave this incredibly long explanation to say this: when someone asks me how a black woman can be a feminist, i define feminism for them in the same way that i've just defined it here, and then counter with my own question.

how can a black woman NOT be a feminist?