Blog 1
The similar theme that runs through "White Privilege" and the Combahee River Collective Statement is women trying to overcome institutionalized oppression. We see this topic from two points of view: the women who are trying to overcome the hegemonic systems that exist when it comes to racism and sexism, and the women who receive unearned privileges simply for being born a certain skin color. The black feminists are well aware that they're struggling against oppression due to race, sex, sexual preference and class, and Peggy McIntosh is just starting to realize that she and other women like herself benefit from this. White women only have to struggle against 'anti sexist politics,' but the women of the Combahee River Collective have 'anti racist AND anti sexist politics' to deal with. Women can work extremely hard to demolish sexism, but if there is still a cultural hierarchy regarding race in place, are they really making that much of an impact? The main theme that both articles have in common is overcoming the hegemonic systems of our culture and trying to earn equal entitlements for everyone, no matter what your race, sex, sexual preference or class is.