Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Feb. 16, 1989, edition 1 / Page 2
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Talk shows gap between black, white women By ROBIN BARKSDALE Chronicle Staff Writer A discussion of race and gen der Monday night yielded little evi dence that the gap between Afro American and white women can be narrowed in the near future. Jacquelyn Wade, assistant pro cessor of social work and director of women's research at Bennett Col lege, was the special guest at the National Organization for Women's regular meeting. The topic for the evening was "The Intersection of Race and Gender: Ain't I A Woman," focusing on the power distribution and the pursuit of com mon ground between black women and white women. But Wade, an Afro-American, threw a stir into the crowd with her candid speech and suggestion that common ground cannot be found until both sides are willing to admit that they are different and understand one another's particular experiences. Forgoing $e usual speech from behind a lectern, Wade started the evening by engaging a companion, ^ Yolanda Burwell, a professor of social work at UNC-G, in a collo quial discussion on what it means to _ be an Afro-American woman. Sit ting in the middle of the group, the two talked to each other about their concerns as Afro-American women and about their pride in being Afro American. "Women of African heritage are the ultimately oppressed women of the world," Wade said during the conversation. "Other women are discriminated against by their men. He may be the only one she experi ences discrimination from, whereas we are oppressed and - out of that oppression - we are expected to be the most understanding and the most compassionate." Wade nade frequent references to a poem which spoke of black women as a "bridge" to solving other people's problems and making them feel good about themselves. But Wade promised the group that she would not "be a bridge tonight" She said that she felt that, as an Afro-American woman, she does not reap the full benefits of the women's rights struggle, despite the fact that she contributes much to it i Rarely, she said, do Afro-American women enjoy the privilege of defin ing goals and issues. Rather, Wade pointed out, those women suffer the oppression of having their lives, concerns and hopes defined for them. Even the host group, she maintained, was guilty of that oppression. "You can't talk about a coali tion of women without first recog nizing the differences in our her itage. Our oppressions are not the same,N she said, commenting on the NOW group's invitation to join their upcoming march on Washing ton for pro-choice rights. "When I hear women's rights, the imagery doesn't look like me. It looks like Some members took exception to Wade's comments that because of her African heritage she is viewed and treated different from white women. Thpse members refused to "accept responsibility* for the actions of their forefathers or for the actions and attitudes of the overall society. They contended that people should be judged as individ uals and should work together on problems. But Wade said that it was not her intention to say what would make the group "feel better" or "feel nice." Some of the NOW members contended that they have Afro-American friends and that they see no difference in people "You can't talk about a coalition of women without ? first recognizing the differences in our heritage. Our oppressions are not the same. When I hear women's rights, the imagery doesn't look like me. It looks like someone else and I have to tack on to it." ? Jacquelyn Wade someone else and I have to tack on r to it. For me, issues of reproductive rights may or may not be an issue, but you have already defined it as an issue for m& without knowing. You always ask me to give up and let you do the deciding." In their conversation, Wade and Burwell opined that white -women do not always want to hear the truth about what causes the oppression, felt by Afro- American women. "When I tell them in ways that implicate them, they say, That's not the case,' or 'We had the same thing happen.' There is no such thing as them having the same situation,", said Wade. "I won't join them in beating up white men. They are your men and you have worked along side them and reaped the ben efits of their work." Wade and Burwell spoke can didly about the oppression they felt they had experienced at the hands oflhe majority population. They said also that white women's failure to actively correct or address oppressive situations makes them equally oppressive. _ Their remarks drew both adamant disagreement and nods of agreement from NOW members. based oft skin color. But Wade maintained that they should see the difference because differences exist, no matter how well two peo . J>te get along with one another. The purpose of the evening, she said, was to acknowledge that white women and black women have dif ferent experiences. She said, how ever, that their-differences do not necessarily negate the possibility of their joining forces; "I'm not asking anybody to go back to their past and take responsi bility for anything," Wade said.^'I am asking people to look at the reality of today and take responsi bility for what is happening now." Members of the National Council of Negro Women also attended the meeting to share their views with the group. Wade sug gested that the mere fact that there was a need for two, separate groups to address the needs and concerns of women illustrated the differ cnccs. ? Naomi Jones, an NCNW mem ber and a member of the Black Political Awareness League, said she was shocked that some of the white women in the group could not -see-that there still are racial inequities in society. The Winston-Salem Chronicle is published every Thursday by the Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing Co. Inc., 617 N. Liberty St. Mail ing address: Post Office Box 3154, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102. Phone: 722-8624. FAX: (919) 723-9173. Second-class postage paid at Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102. The Winston-Salem Chronicle is a charter member of the News finder service of the Associated Press and a member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations, the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the North Carolina Press Association and the North Carolina Black Pub lishers Association. Subscription: $18.52 per year, payable in advance (North Caroli na sales tax included). Please add $5.00 for out-of-town delivery. PUB _ LIGATION USPS NO. 067910. ONE WEEK ONLY at HINkiVc Su^ VALUES 0N VICTOR. FIRE FILES 3?S?o Tu Laboratories 350 - 1 hour label ? - impact tested ? Dry insulation * Black or Putty Colors Available * Special Purchase * Limited Quantities * One Week Only 2/20/89 to 2/24/89 * Delivery Available _ Mfg. Sfjg. 2 Drawer Letter $908 **455 2 Drawer Legal $927 $405 4 Drawer Letter $140s $705 4 Drawer Legal $1442 $725 770-1560 Downtown Winston-Salem "It was appalling to sit there and see that some people can feel that things have changed so much and that there is no problem," said Jones. "Nothing has changed. It's just a different setting. We always go that extra mile them and they feel we still have to go another one. I think Dr. Wade's comments were right on target, 'but i think the meet ing was good and there should be more of them." Still, some at the event, both Afro- American and white, main tained that race should not be an issue and that Wade placed too much emphasis on color. One Afro American woman hotly challenged Wade and accused her of "living in the past." Pointing a finger in dis gust, she told Wade and Burwell that women such as the two of them j were "causing all the problems because you don't want to get along with anybody." One NOW member, who dis agreed that white women have a part in oppressing Afro-American women, asked Wade what she would like for NOW members to do and what she, as an Afro- American woman, would consider an issue. "An issue for me is that white women give up the privilege of being white," she said. "Give up where you live, where you work, the clothes you wear, where you white." The group responded to her comments with expressions of con fusion and with remarks that the possibilities of reaching common ground appeared slim. Some mem bers of the NOW chapter asked Wade to outline for them a plan for establishing better relations with Afro-American women. One chap ter member, appearing agitated that the group had not mended fences and moved on, urged Wade to drop the barbs and define a way by which Afro-American and white women can get to know one anoth er. But Wade and Burwell said that the purpose of the evening was not to reach a revolutionary or miracu lous conclusion. "You firm hav tn h*flr flg of knowing. One thing 1 hope we do Please see page A3 j HAI INif *VAY roc SPRING FASHIONS ... ] y2 HMKsfifc"** OFF ALL WINTER MERCHANDISE ? Dresses ? Suits ? Blouses ? Sweaters ? Sep arates ? Slacks Size Ranges: Petite: 6-16 Misses: 8-20 I Hall Sizes: 12'/? ? 241* B1ACKIBURN?S 628 West 4th St. 722- 8203 RESIDENT'S DAY SALE ? ?Fob. 9-20 30%?FF W # V SUGG. RET. I Special Order and In Stock WALLCOVERING SUGG. RET. 40% OFF ALL BORDERS Smartm "up You'll love our wallcoverings. 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