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Assignment 8

According to Collins, the “outsider within” status of Black women allowed for a unique perspective in society, as they were considered outsiders by the white families they worked for, but had an “insider” perspective as well from working this domestic occupation. This stems from discrimination based on race and gender, with Black women being on the low ends of both, in which these women were not seen as family even though they provided services such as taking care of the children and doing household work. They would even be outright ignored when they were in the room. This allowed them to see oppression on both sides, from the standpoint of the oppressors and as being the victims, revealing the truth about the discrimination.

Collins discussed three aspects concerning the significance of the “outsiders” within perspective that contributed to Black feminist thought. The first theme was that Black women had to create their own definition and validate themselves to strengthen their standing in society. This approach is a response to societal stereotypes that control, dehumanize and exploit the Black woman. By creating a self-definition and self-validation of themselves, it will create a sense of unity and help them reject the internalized oppression from society. The second theme Collins discussed was the understanding and acknowledgement of the oppression stemmed from race, gender and class. The unique experience of oppression face from Black women are different than those from Black men and white women because they face simultaneous discrimination from race and gender, as well as class if they are of the low socioeconomic status, which was typical for Black women. This multitude of oppression allowed them to recognize the struggles from all aspects and realize the importance of fighting against it. The final theme Collins discussed was the importance of Black women’s culture. In order to overcome the oppression, Black women have to know the history of their unique experience. By using this as a foundation, they can teach future generations about their experiences and help strengthen the conceptual ideas of black feminism.