You may have noticed the steep increase of awareness for intersectional feminism. It’s great because younger people (like me) are becoming more aware of the social injustices through feminism/womanism. People like Rowan Blanchard and Amandla Stenberg are speaking on the subjects, which encourage others to form their own opinions. Though young people are spreading this awareness, the faces of feminism are white or light-skinned. Rowan is a young white woman and Amandla Stenberg is a lighter-skinned black woman. Would we be able to spread this news if the “new faces of feminism” were more diverse?
We all know that representation matters in society. Having diverse people in different communities can help minority or disabled children form an opinion and speak on injustices in the community. In order to get equal rights, we have to encourage a younger generation of people to become interested. Women like Viola Davis are (1) barely recognized or (2) recognized for the smallest bit of time for her speeches and empowering words. Malala Yousafzai is recognized for her story and bravery, not for the topics she speaks on. It isn’t that Amandla and Rowan have nothing to say about current topics, they just are given more coverage by the media.
It is crucial that we have role models of intersectional feminism that are Muslim, Jewish, disabled, or if they are dark-skinned to encourage women with the same qualities to speak up about injustices. Some women that have these characteristics rely on white women to be our allies and to speak for us, even though we can speak for ourselves. We should take the initiative to talk about our deep struggles. Voicing our opinions at school, work, etc. can help spread the message on the lack of diversity in intersectional feminism, instead of staying silent.
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