Princess-Squaw Oppression

The constant oppression that all Indian princesses and squaws face is a major contributor to not only how I view the world, but also my particular influence in the binary. For instance, aboriginal women have no control over their public identity; therefore, limiting their potential and labeling them as sexual objects instead of distinct individuals (Anderson 82). This cruel reality for Native women reflects how our world sees all women – worthless and inferior compared to men. For this reason, I think it is exceptionally important to take control and support equal rights. Living in Canada we are lucky enough to have freedom of expression, thus we have the responsibility to take care of our fellow women in times of need. When I examine the injustice in the world, I think about white hierarchy. White men continue to see themselves as lawmakers as well as the most superior in society. When we allow white men to think this way, women are most often the victim of mistreatment. In the past, I have allowed white hierarchy to rule my life and dictate what I can and cannot do. This makes me just as bad as white men because I have contributed to women’s oppression. With regards to the Indian princess-squaw duality, these women are victims to Western superiority (Anderson 80). Many Native women feel they have no other choice, but to conform to what the …show more content…
Even though we notice the overwhelming pressure that is placed on First Nations women to either reject or accept Western beliefs, we still allow for it to happen. Our society would rather see an Indian woman as princess with no Native identity than a dirty, unlovable squaw (CBC Ideas 18). To conclude, the Indian princess-squaw duality needs to end in order for Indian women to regain their voice and the opportunities they have missed in the