Member-only story
Stand against both racism and sexism
One is older than the other, and they are braided together
When woman want representation
One clue to whether sexism is involved with any life is a comment such as “I don’t care that she’s a woman,” or “Yes, women and girls should be equal,” followed by a quick “But, this is the wrong woman.” or “A woman can’t be president (and also have a female VP.). It’s too soon. Too much.” Since such comments almost never swirl around a male candidate, it’s telling that one’s sex and presentation are noticed, pointed out, and then explained away.
Girl, woman or “female” in this context, connotes both gender and sex. But as a whole, people accept far more sexism even as we fight against racism. We need to stand solidly against both.
We can look at social trends over the last 14,000 years ago and safely conclude that sexism and patriarchy are far more deeply entrenched than racism. Racism, similar but not the same, as tribalism, arose only when slavery was deemed to be the “natural” fate of “inferior races.”
In modernity, our heads know that there is one race — indeed all DNA is related — and all people are related, but in our entrenched socialization, and therefore in our feelings, social patterns persist.
Patriarchy, on the one hand, is ancient, as many journals, papers, psychological, and anthropological overviews suggest. Racism, although also systemic, is a bit more recent.
White supremacy uses racism, but it wields sexism as a heavier weapon. Sexism has on its side, many thousands of years of cultural approval. Even Scriptural endorsement with God as the Father, and the man as head of household.
The Church is seen as a bride, existing to serve.
Racism rose like an ugly comet after after the establishment of private property and workers needed to produce profit. Around 12,000 years ago, farming brought profit, and a need for workers. Imperialism and colonialism followed, and the result was, women continued to be property, and/or enslaved, even as more men began to be presented as superior beings; as per scripture, myth, administrative rules, and even more twisted tales.
