As an African woman, there’s nothing that I love more than telling African men and women that I am a feminist and watching them immediately scowl or denounce their preconceived notions of myself, whether as feminine or as a normal person in general. Yes, in my country feminism equals insanity.
I have long since sang the song that many cultures, especially traditionally patriarchal societies are not keen on any idea that seems to criticise men. Society believes that the patriarchal system is something close to perfection, thus it shouldn’t be subjected to any form of scrutiny. However, how do we improve any construct or fixed ideology if we don’t subject it to scrutiny, criticism and calls for effective and wholesome change?
That’s where feminism comes in—it seeks equality. Well, men and women are equal, it just calls for society to RECOGNISE that equality instead of discarding and deeming it something akin to Satan. I want to have sympathy for people who don’t understand feminism by chalking it up to a lack of knowledge and the falsities by which it has come to be recognised as. Nevertheless, I scold myself. I shouldn’t have to explain the true meaning of feminism to a 22-year-old man who has access to the internet and archives. I shouldn’t have to explain how women’s rights are still overlooked and how nuanced the entire conversation is. I shouldn’t have to explain how dominant male privilege is in our society (men know they are privileged, I’m sure that is why they don’t want that topic to be a point of discussion in any way). When Zimbabweans hear feminism, they think of the misconceptions of feminism that have been ripped out of context then packaged then comodified into this evil creature akin to a ndofa (a smear campaign in my opinion).
I will proceed to define feminism because even though we have made it to the big ’25, we still don’t have cognisance of what it is. I mean, if a grown man who has a degree, wears a tie, sits in an office and dubs himself a professional or an intellect throws a hissy fit when I say I’m a feminist I’m sure THEY and WE are still unaware of what feminism actually is.
Firstly, feminism means a myriad of things to a myriad of people. I am not enthusiastic on defining the specific terms of anyone else’s feminism, but it is important to note the basics of what makes feminism well, feminism.
Feminism to me, various schools of thoughts and dictionaries is about all genders having equal rights and opportunities. It’s not about hating men. It’s not about women being better than men. It’s not about shunning femininity. It doesn’t mean I want to be a man (wouldn’t dream of it). It does not mean I don’t understand our biological differences. It means I want to be able to go to a police station to report an assault without having a purported learned copper ask me what I was wearing (or you know, not be assaulted at all). I want to be able to cross at least three blocks without obscene gestures or words being said to me, about me. I want to be able to have my opinions and knowledge shared without being looked down on because I am a woman in a male dominated field. I don’t want to be eating my cereal and reading tabloids about how we lost a 13-year-old girl to child marriage. There you have it…that is what feminism is all about…to me and many other people. If it makes you uncomfortable then maybe, it’s time for some self-reflection bub.
Mashable defines white feminism as “a type of feminism that prioritises achieving equality for white women, insisting that their equality will open up doors for all other women.”
When I have conversations about white feminism, they are usually uncomfortable. Some people get severely defensive and some call me an outright racist when I discuss the white feminism ideology in feminist circles. When you hear white feminism, think of white women in America. They are arguably the poster children for white feminism. When you hear feminism, think of the girl boss trend, think of hustle culture. White feminism caters for the female issues that white women are faced with, nothing more and nothing less.
White feminism in Zimbabwe, like in other former colonies has manifested through the exclusion of Black women’s struggles, the erasure of indigenous knowledge and the imposition of Western feminist ideals that ignore and overlook local realities.
Colonial-Era White Feminism and Exclusion of Black Women.
During British colonial rule, white settler women in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) fought for their own rights to be recognised as voters. These rights were granted in 1919. They fought for their own rights to vote while simultaneously supporting or remaining silent about the racial oppression of black women.
White Feminists Benefiting from Racist Labour Systems.
White feminists in Rhodesia fought for their own financial independence while simultaneously benefitting from cheap or unpaid domestic labour provided by black women. You would find that black women were relegated to low-paying domestic work without legal protections, while white feminists campaigned for their right to work in professional fields.
Erasure of Indigenous Feminism
The independence in 1980 was followed by an influx of international feminist organisations. These organisations imposed Western feminist frameworks that overlooked Zimbabwean black women’s lived experiences. Indigenous feminist movements such as those led by women in the liberation struggle were somewhat side-lined to pave way for NGO-driven feminism, which prioritised issues like corporate leadership over economic justice for rural women.
Focus on Gender without Accounting Racial and Class Discrepancies
There’s a focus on gender without taking into account factors like that of race and class. Some feminist organisations in Zimbabwe often led by white or Western-educated women have framed gender equality as an issue separate from racial and economic inequalities. This issue shows how colonial legacies continue to affect Zimbabwean women differently from middle-class and white women in the country. I’ve seen the way white women are treated in government offices, they receive polite, patient and friendly service while black women are often ragged on, mistreated and yelled at when seeking assistance or a service. Mind you, these government officers are PAID to provide these services and yet they mistreat their own people—especially women (of course this also alludes to the need for black people to rid themselves of inferiority complexes).
You can see these discrepancies in how schools whether they are government or private schools, respond to the way black children, coloured children and white children should present their hair in school. Black children often have to chop their hair off, while white children especially girls get to keep their hair however they want it to be like and in most cases coloured children are extended the same courtesy because of their proximity to whiteness. Mind you, some of these mandates are deposed by black principals and white principals alike. It’s disgusting.
Silence on Land Reform and Economic Justice
While some white feminists in Zimbabwe support gender equality in business and politics, many have remained silent or opposed land redistribution efforts that would benefit black women. Land reform conversations usually come up during debates in feminist circles but white feminists rarely acknowledge how land dispossession historically disadvantaged black women more than their white counterparts.
Feminist Gatekeeping in Media and Academia
White Zimbabwean feminists and Western scholars have long since dominated discussions about gender in Zimbabwe, often portraying African women as victims as opposed to active agents of change. Indigenous Zimbabwean feminists who challenge this narrative such as those advocating to decolonisation are often side-lined or ignored in mainstream feminist discourse.
Contemporary white feminism today…
- Corporate Feminism Without Intersectionality
Efforts like the Lean In movement (led by Sheryl Sandberg) focus on women climbing the corporate ladder but ignore structural drwabacks for women of colour, that include workplace discrimination, pay inequities, and withholding access to mentorship.
- The Racial Inequalities of the #MeToo Movement
While #MeToo made headlines around the world when white celebrities like Alyssa Milano amplified it, the movement was first founded by Tarana Burke, a Black woman, in 2006. Cases by white actresses (e.g., against Harvey Weinstein) were reported heavily in the media, while sexual violence against Black, Indigenous, and migrant women were barely reported. QUICK, everybody act surprised!
3. White Feminists Turning a Blind Eye to Police Violence Against Women of Colour
Mainstream feminist movements only talk about women’s safety but rarely talk about police brutality against Black and Indigenous women. The #SayHerName campaign was started to highlight how Black women like Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, and others are disproportionately targeted by the police, but it did not receive the same level of support from white feminists.
4. Cultural Appropriation as “Empowerment”
White feminists have a tendency to borrow elements of non-Western cultures—like the wearing of bindis, hijabs, or African head wraps—while ignoring women of colour who wear them every day being discriminated against.
White celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Miley Cyrus have been accused of cultural appropriation when they adopted Black hairstyles and dance moves while Black women face professional discrimination when they wear the same hair at work or anywhere else. It’s a costume for white women but it could be a detriment to a black woman— especially in corporate spaces.
That being said…
Writer and academic Rachel Elizabeth Cargle describes white feminism as a “type of behaviour that rests under the guise of feminism only as long as it is comfortable, only as long as it keeps on brand.” This type of feminism is inherently exclusionary. It fails to consider the intersectionality of women, ignoring how misogyny intertwines with racism, class, and religion, for example. It assumes that white women experience misogyny in the same way all women experience misogyny. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Your Feminism Needs An Update: Welcome to Intersectionality 2.0
Feminism has been known to be white inclined or white centred, that is, it owes this mostly to white supremacy. White feminism has boxed feminism into an ideology that overlooks other women. To make matters infinitely worse, asserts mainstream dominant feminism as the only feminism to be considered. According to Koa Beck, author of White Feminism:
““White feminism acts to homogenise feminism: to assert mainstream dominant feminism as The Feminism, which is not true; this is an act of white supremacy.”
–Koa Beck, author of White Feminism, explains to Mashable.
It is important to recognise HOW to combat white feminism so that feminism can benefit everyone equally. The only solution is intersectionality. Intersectional feminism is all that matters. Kimberle Crenshaw is an American law professor who coined the term in 1989. She explained that intersectional feminism is a “prism for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other”, in an interview with Time.
She further explained that “all inequality is not created equal”. Unlike white feminism, which often centres the struggles of middle-class white women, intersectional feminism focuses on how different forms of oppression interactand ensures that feminism works for all women, not just the privileged.
Examples of Intersectional Feminism in Practice
- Black Feminism and Womanism
The activism of bell hooks, Angela Davis, and Audre Lorde, emphasised that Black women’s struggles cannot be disentangled from racism and economic injustice. In contrast to white feminism, which was primarily concerned with workplace equality, Black feminists also dealt with police brutality, economic exploitation, and reproductive rights.
- Feminism and Disability Rights
The activism of Alice Wong, Disability Visibility Project initiator, lobbies for participation of disabled women in feminism. Mainstream feminism avoids issues of accessibility, health care discrimination, and disabled women being forced to undergo sterilisation.
- Global South Feminism
African feminist movements such as the activism of Dr. Stella Nyanzi in Uganda, fights for women’s rights as well as decolonisation. Western feminist groups are likely to focus on gender equality in companies, while Global South feminists are concerned with economic justice, land rights, and anti-imperialism.
Our slice of intersectionality in Zimbabwe…
1. Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) – Working-Class & Rural Feminism
Founded by: Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu in 2003
Focus: Social justice, democracy, and women’s economic empowerment
WOZA fights for low-income, working-class, and rural women who face gender-based violence (GBV), police brutality, and economic hardship.
WOZA has led protests for affordable education, access to healthcare, and fair wages, recognising that economic injustice disproportionately affects Zimbabwean women.
2. Katswe Sistahood – Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRHR) for Marginalised Women
Founded by: Talent Jumo
Focus: Sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), GBV, and youth empowerment
Katswe Sistahood fights for young women and sex workers who are often excluded from mainstream feminism.
The organisation has campaigned for comprehensive sex education, access to contraception, and safe abortion rights, recognising that poor women and rural girls are most affected by restrictive laws.
3. Musasa Project – GBV Support for Women Across Class and Ethnicity
Founded in: 1988
Focus: GBV survivor support, legal aid, and policy advocacy
Musasa provides shelter, counselling, and legal support for women from all socio-economic backgrounds, recognising that rural women, disabled women, and economically vulnerable women face additional barriers to justice.
They played a key role in pushing for the Domestic Violence Act (2007) and continue to challenge harmful traditional practices such as child marriage.
4. Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA) – Legal Support for Disadvantaged Women
Founded in: 1992
Focus: Legal aid for women, land rights, and property inheritance
ZWLA fights for widows, single mothers, and low-income women who are often denied property inheritance or child custody due to patriarchal laws.
ZWLA helped reform Zimbabwe’s marriage laws, ensuring that women in unregistered customary marriages have inheritance rights.
5. Emthonjeni Women’s Forum – Ndebele Women’s Rights and Decolonial Feminism
Based in: Bulawayo
Focus: GBV support, cultural advocacy, and economic empowerment for Ndebele women
Emthonjeni addresses both gender discrimination and ethnic marginalisation, recognising that Ndebele women have historically been disadvantaged in national politics and resource allocation. They use traditional dispute resolution alongside modern legal systems to support survivors of GBV in ways that respect Ndebele cultural values.
6. Female Students Network Trust (FSNT) – Feminism in Education & Youth Leadership
Founded in: 2005
Focus: Gender equality in education, sexual harassment in universities, and women’s leadership. FSNT fights for young women in tertiary institutions, particularly those from low-income backgrounds who face sex-for-grades abuse and lack of financial support for education. They successfully lobbied universities to introduce gender policies against sexual harassment and support female students facing financial exclusion.
7. Institute for Young Women’s Development (IYWD) – Feminism & Political Inclusion
Founded in: 2009
Focus: Women’s political participation, economic justice, and grassroots mobilisation. IYWD works with rural and young women to increase political representation, recognising that feminism must include women in local governance, not just elite politics. They have trained over 500 young women in leadership skills and political advocacy, ensuring that grassroots communities have a voice in governance.
I became an intersectional feminist not too long ago…
You read it here folks, that is intersectional feminism. It accounts for all women. The truth is that all women face inequality in the hands of the patriarchy, however how that inequality is experienced is different. It would be a gross lie to carry on with life pretending that we were all dealt the same hands. White feminism is hardly a racist ideology or term, rather it is an ideology that upholds discrepancies between white women and women of colour. It is hardly racist because anyone can be a driving force behind white feminism. I was a firm supporter of white feminism without even knowing. Yes, please stone me.
My knowledge on feminism is always evolving, it’s hardly static. I deem myself an intersectional feminist now and from everything you have read, I think you should go down this route as well. My duty as a feminist blogger is also to illustrate my journey on understanding feminism as well as being a better woman who can help in the best way possible.
Others argue that women from different classes, races and religions should fight for themselves. To a greater extent I completely agree. In fact, I couldn’t agree more. However, it would be imprudent not to point out that white women are generally at a greater advantage when it comes to global societal ladders. They can pave way for women of colour to exercise intersectional feminism in many more ways than one by sharing the feminism pie for example. So…I guess what I’m saying is that our feminism should be united, it should be tolerant and it should be inclusive for all women…regardless of race, religion, class, marital status and many other factors.
I guess what I’m really saying is that “UPDATE YOUR FEMINISM, SIMPLETON!” … (yes, you, me and us we’re the simpletons, John).
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