Responses on: "Do you wish to make general or specific comments regarding feminism, racism, and American feminists of color?"

Informant #1751: Feminism to me deals with men not trying to overpower women. I do not believe they should beat, harass, rape, and disrespect women in order to gain and maintain power. I believe that women and men that have the same job should receive the same pay if they have the same experience, skills, and qualifications. I think we need to move towqard a colorblind society.

Informant #1755: Only that with so many educated people on such a sophisticated planet it should not exist. I also believe that families tend to breed racists. It takes a truly remarkable individual to not see color as an issue in society. Everyone was created equally. Color is not the issue.....one's character and the way they treat themselves and others should be what is most important in this society. One could almost surmise that money or the greed created by money is what is behind all of this racist behavior. Greed seems to be the ruling behavior of society so maybe there is a parallel.

Informant #1757: It is hard to see if we are making a differents in this world.

Informant #1761: This is a very interesting topic, especially since women of color have been excluded from feminism traditionally (and also unions). I found it hard to pick only three topics of concentration since so many topics spill over into others. For example welfare/poverty/discrimination/family issues.

Informant #1768: I feel that equality should be our top priority in the U.S, and by equality i mean the same rights and privelages should be granted to every person. We do not need to make one group inferior to bridge the social gap

Informant #1774: I do not regard myself as a feminist. I do face racisim and sexism everyday.

Informant #1775: No.

Informant #1780: nope

Informant #1784: In this world today, too many people whether male or female young or old have taken too too many things personally out of context. We could've lived on this planet with enough for all but since the disobiedence long ago it hasn't worked out. so what do we do?....Try to learn with everyone and Love your neighbor no matter what happens.

Informant #1786: No, but this was a good survey. I hope that people will take the time to complete it honestly. Thanks.

Informant #1787: Feminism tries to discover and develop how women think and do things, rather than trying to succeed by using "masculine" ways of thought and methods.

Informant #1894: no thank you

Informant #2034: i believe feminism is more directed towards white women...feminism is not needed in the african amercian community...african american women should uplift the african american men and not try to compete with them...the system (white supremacy) is out to destroy our AA men and AA woem need to support them ....i believe that feminism is something more for WW seeing as how WM already have it made.

Informant #2036: Feminism is just a tool for the White Woman to show dominance over men and women of color along with the white man.

Informant #2042: most woman dont know what a feminist really is.

Informant #2077: No

Informant #2088: no

Informant #2093: I feel that white feminists and feminists of color have different struggles to battle. White feminist need to understand that we (feminists of color) have completely different issues to deal with.

Informant #2108: n/a

Informant #2124: I think that woman of color need to focus their attention on the apparent breakdown of the African american family unit.

Informant #2130: I feel feminism is not the answer to women of color. Women of color do not face the same issues as white women and they have nothing in common.

Informant #2131: I feel that race, class and gender are complex variable/mutable hierarchal variables and must be understood in the context of one another.

Informant #2157: feminism is different for white women and women of colour, especially black women. racism is insidious in the USA. feminism isn't about "downing" men, but giving women equal opportunity.

Informant #2169: Those who are effected by racism and feminism have to work twice as hard to achieve the same goal that others fight for.

Informant #2178: I hope that one day, the stigma that feminism currently has will be erased. Maybe then, more people will be open to embracing its' principles, and more people can jointly work towards making its' ideals a reality.

Informant #2207: er...no

Informant #2242: I hate the term "of color"

Informant #2247: In my opinion, American feminists of color (I prefer the term 'womanists') have often been made to choose to side with white women or men of their own color. It is a difficult situation.

Informant #2264: I don't consider myself a feminist because many of their views are too extreme. They often hate men preach against women finding fulfillment with a husband and family. I love men. I just want to be paid the same for performing the same (non-physical) work.

Informant #2284: no

Informant #2294: Parts of Feminism has really hurt the African American family structure. Feminism placed the woman in a place of economic power and that has hurt the self-esteem of the men and thus weakened the family structure.

Informant #2328: I once was a feminist, but do not agree with the "movement" because I believe it is short-sighted. There are fundamental differences between the genders, and I believe they need to be embraced and not fought against. Also, feminism expels God, and that is the main reason the movement no longer appeals to me.

Informant #2345: I am not well-versed on issues relating to feminism.

Informant #2347: We need to hear more diverse voices on the feminist front. When I think of feminist leaders, its usually white women like Gloria Steinem or Naomi Wolf. Racism is so encoded in this culture, its going to take everyone being conscious of all its manifestations not just people of color trying to address the problem.

Informant #2357: I know personally as a Black woman that I'm very skeptical of the traditional femist movement bc of the initial history were white feminist got some of there goals accomplished at the expense of other subjagated groups Black men and women in particular..

Informant #2386: No thanks.

Informant #2400: No

Informant #2425: no

Informant #2440: I think feminism has benefitted White women MUCH more than women of color. Affirmative action is a prime example, in my opinion.

Informant #2450: I don't identify myself as a feminist because the cause of equal rights transcends gender. It encompasses gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious diversity, the list goes on. In fighting for the equality of one group, we are hypocrits if we do not embrace the quest for equality of every group.

Informant #2484: No.

Informant #2498: Black Feminism in America is much more complicated White Feminism in America.

Informant #2508: I think that both the feminist and equality movement are great, and there is nothing wrong with being in both movements. We should work together to make the world a better place, but feminist of color must realize that they have diffent issues than white women and white feminist should be more understanding of racial equality as well :)

Informant #2671: Women of color must pursue their own cultural paradigm of womanism. The master's tools cannot dismantle her house to paraphrase Audre Lorde. To often white feminists will talk the talk, and leave women of color hanging. Who do you think birth and raise white men: white women do. They are the other half of the equation. Never forget that.

Informant #2732: The American feminists movement is about white american women. Not women color. There should be(if there isn't) an entirely separate movement due to different cultural issures.

Informant #2810: NO

Informant #2868: I have a sticker on my guitar case that says, "Feminism: The radical notion that women are people." That sums it up for me in a nice simplistic way.

Informant #19132: Racist makes me sad =( it's so hateful. Same thing with sexism... both sexes are great and wonderful and special in different ways!

Informant #20002: No

Informant #23626: I dislaike radical feminists

Informant #29654: yes ... one's need to be careful when dealing with the fight against racism, or feminism (or any kind of revendication) too much is .. too much ... change a situation, and it will do a comple 180° ... then come back with twice the power it had .... if you're not careful, resentment and hate will rise instead of sorting themselves

Informant #52158: Feministism has evoloved to become nothing more that a sexist movement itself.

Informant #71745: A human is a human regardless of their sex or race and anyone that thinks otherwise is uneducated and cant think freely

Informant #101749: I don't know much about feminists of color and how they differ from other feminists

Informant #102188: you are who and where you are because of books read places ventured and people met...money makes money makes money and we are in for a long conumer led recession and then everything we have as consumers been spending way to much on tvs cars clothes etc

Informant #309364: There has been improvement but we have a long way to go still.

Informant #355808: no