Black Feminism- Getting "The Help"

Gill introduces the idea that feminism transforms and discusses the reshape of the feminist women according to Black female. The false universalism left Black women feeling as though the definition of being a white woman was completely different from being a black woman. The black and third world women felt as though the texts of the second wave addressed college educated, upper middle class, and married white women. What this reshaping did was open up a new tactic of viewing the framework of feminism. This opened up ideas for women of different race, ethnicity, class, disability, age and several other areas that were easily looked over. An enticing topic that she bought up was the fact that most white feminist failed to discuss their own privilege. "In exploitation of black women, in circumstances that vary from domestic work to sweated labor," (28). The first thing that ran through my head was “The Help” and how the movie did a great job in challenging the sexism media displays by having an all-female cast.

The film focuses on the women in a different context besides the usual dependence of women on men and greater issues of sexism. What a lot of black feminist have discussed is the lack of representation.  We seen the privilege white women have over black women due to the only reason why black women can voice their opinions is through the help of a white women. A Black feminist political scientist Melissa Harris-Perry “‘The Help’ reduces systematic, violent racism, sexism & labor exploitation to a cat fight that can be won with cunning spunk.” This is a different view of “The Help” and really controversial. You have to see this MSNBC clip of Harris Perry really getting specific to why she was very angry in viewing the film.  She calls this film a way to make white women feel better. This conversation includes the discussion of feminism but also black feminist wanting this different framework and definition of feminism differentiated from white women. We see this inclusive feminist movement offending the women who honestly have different experiences.