In In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens (1983), writer and activist Alice Walker coined the term "womanist," describing a womanist as someone who is "committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. Not a separatist, except periodically, for health." Which of the following statements best describes how Walker's concept of womanism differs from mainstream second-wave white feminism?
- AIt argues that Black women must postpone gender critiques until racial equality is fully achieved, whereas mainstream white feminism demanded immediate gender reforms.
- It emphasizes the collective survival and wholeness of both Black men and women, whereas mainstream second-wave white feminism often focused on gender oppression in isolation from race and class.Answer
- CIt advocates for the complete separation of Black women from both Black men and white women to build independent institutions, whereas mainstream white feminism was integrationist.
- DIt focuses exclusively on the struggles of middle-class professional women, whereas mainstream white feminism was rooted in working-class labor movements.
Answer
The correct answer is that womanism emphasizes the collective survival and wholeness of both Black men and women, whereas mainstream second-wave white feminism often focused on gender oppression in isolation from race and class.
The correct answer is correct because Alice Walker's concept of womanism explicitly stresses a commitment to the survival and wholeness of the entire community, both male and female. This stands in contrast to mainstream second-wave white feminism, which often analyzed gender inequality in isolation from racial and class dynamics, and sometimes leaned toward gender separatism.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Distinct goals and features of the Womanist movement versus mainstream second-wave feminism.
Estimated Time:1m 0s