Mrs. Universe and Activism
Women’s Enews recently released the story of a woman that has now sparked controversy. Canadian pageant contestant Ashley Callingbull is the only First Nation woman to ever win the title of Mrs. Universe. First Nation refers to the groups of native peoples in Canada that have no ties to the Inuit/Eskimo or the Metis: a group comprised of those with Native American and European ancestry. (Metis Nation 2007) Callingbull belongs to the Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada. Controversy has been raised not for her title, but for how she is using it. Callingbull has been using her newfound platform to promote advocacy for First Nation people. (Bhatia 2015)
She has utilized this position to garner international coverage of the …show more content…
(Dill, Kohlman 2008; Crenshaw 1991) Women of color experience a system of interlocking oppressive forces that marginalize them and essentially “other“ them, a condition not experienced by white women. (Ortega 2006) Mainstream feminism, known as “white feminism” has a way of unintentionally drowning out the voices of women of color. (Ortega 2006) White feminism assumes that all women have the same experience of patriarchy and oppression, though it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Women of color are not traditionally accepted into feminist theory, and those few who are risk becoming a stereotype for all women of color. (Ortega 2006) White women have the privilege of being ignorant to the problems of women of color. Let me explain, since racism is not something white women experience, these women don’t have to look critically at how the systems and institutions of their society serve to marginalize colored women, and therefore only focus on patriarchy as it is experienced by white …show more content…
(Crenshaw 1991) White women are seen without the filter of race, simply as women; they are the default. Women of color do not have that privilege, and are thus judged immediately and treated in a manner consistent with their perceived race. Aboriginal women in Canada, for example, are 4.5 times more likely to be murdered than white women. (Bhatia 2015) This is an issue addressed by Callingbull, in her recent twitter campaign. Women of color are overrepresented in poverty as well, and the unemployment rate in this group is far higher than that of white women. (Crenshaw 1991) Women of color are more likely to be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape than white women. (Crenshaw 1991) This encapsulates only a meager portion of the oppression experienced by women of
Women’s Enews recently released the story of a woman that has now sparked controversy. Canadian pageant contestant Ashley Callingbull is the only First Nation woman to ever win the title of Mrs. Universe. First Nation refers to the groups of native peoples in Canada that have no ties to the Inuit/Eskimo or the Metis: a group comprised of those with Native American and European ancestry. (Metis Nation 2007) Callingbull belongs to the Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada. Controversy has been raised not for her title, but for how she is using it. Callingbull has been using her newfound platform to promote advocacy for First Nation people. (Bhatia 2015)
She has utilized this position to garner international coverage of the …show more content…
(Dill, Kohlman 2008; Crenshaw 1991) Women of color experience a system of interlocking oppressive forces that marginalize them and essentially “other“ them, a condition not experienced by white women. (Ortega 2006) Mainstream feminism, known as “white feminism” has a way of unintentionally drowning out the voices of women of color. (Ortega 2006) White feminism assumes that all women have the same experience of patriarchy and oppression, though it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Women of color are not traditionally accepted into feminist theory, and those few who are risk becoming a stereotype for all women of color. (Ortega 2006) White women have the privilege of being ignorant to the problems of women of color. Let me explain, since racism is not something white women experience, these women don’t have to look critically at how the systems and institutions of their society serve to marginalize colored women, and therefore only focus on patriarchy as it is experienced by white …show more content…
(Crenshaw 1991) White women are seen without the filter of race, simply as women; they are the default. Women of color do not have that privilege, and are thus judged immediately and treated in a manner consistent with their perceived race. Aboriginal women in Canada, for example, are 4.5 times more likely to be murdered than white women. (Bhatia 2015) This is an issue addressed by Callingbull, in her recent twitter campaign. Women of color are overrepresented in poverty as well, and the unemployment rate in this group is far higher than that of white women. (Crenshaw 1991) Women of color are more likely to be victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape than white women. (Crenshaw 1991) This encapsulates only a meager portion of the oppression experienced by women of