Over the past couple weeks, two eloquent and powerful WoC bloggers have decided to leave the blogosphere due to ignorance from white feminists. This saddens me, because I regularly read and subscribed to bfp's blog and read blackamazon's posts on many an occasion. They wrote with passion, insight, and integrity, and I already miss their presence. I've been following these events for a while, but didn't know what to say about it all until now. First off, here are a few links.

• I'll start with Aaminah's post of support, because I support women doing things for ourselves that keep us healthy. Sometimes these things will be very unpopular, but in the end we all have to figure out what is best for us and decide where our energies should go. I would love it if these strong women would keep a copy of their blogs online (comments disabled) for reference, but again it is their decision to do as they wish with their words. I wish them the best.


• Angry Black Woman's On Feminism, Part 2.


• Diary of an Anxious Black Woman's Sometimes Words Fail, Sometimes Words Aren't Necessary


• Oh No a WoC Ph.D.'s Celebrating Feminist and Multicultural Presses, so we know who genuinely supports and seeks out WoC writers. I support and am participating in the girlcott of Seal Press as well.


• Dear White Feminists: the Open Letter and Update. Check out the images from Amanda Marcotte's book, and lots of updated information on the events and the "sincere" apologies.


• Racialicious: Does Feminism Have to Address Race? Fuck yeah, it should. Some of the comments quoted here make me livid.

Please let me know if you have any more I should read.

I haven't subscribed to any of the "general" feminist blogs for some time, because they weren't bringing up issues that I felt were very important. I don't think I will be adding them back to my rss feed, either. There are many amazing women of color bloggers that write very well and focus on the intersection of race and sex out there. I also get tired of the clique-ism that goes on at the major feminist blogs. It seems to be mainly about how well you can get to know the "in-crowd" during the comments. It's quite infuriating!

I think this post on Oh You Pretty Things says what I'm thinking very well. I'm not always good at speaking up (online or in person), but I should make more of an effort to do so. Not in order to drown out the WoC writers, but to add my support and spread the knowledge further.

I can understand why many WoC are abandoning the term "feminist", and I support their choice in that. It's disappointing to hear, but we do need to do some major housecleaning and teaching in the white feminist communities so we can truly make feminism an inclusive and powerful movement. It hasn't been from the time white women became involved, and it hasn't changed. We've got a lot of work to do, white feminists. Come on, let's get it started!