Lost Voices
Gender and African American Women
Too often "race" and "gender" are separated, as though one can be WOMAN without being white, black, latino, or asian. White women have most often made this false separation because, for them, being white is not seen as problematic, whereas being female is. For American women of color, it has never been possible to separate one's ethnic/color identity from gender. Alice Walker has used the concept of "womanist" to describe a consciousness that melds racial, cultural, sexual, national, economic, and political dimensions.
The four women we have been discussing are examples of this meld.
Dr. Bickley spoke to this issue when asked if she felt a stronger connection to her race than gender: Oh, absolutely, absolutely. I am black first yes, no question about it, no question about it.
For Dr. Bickley being a black woman
meant a certain class status as well: As a black female I never
had a question about whether I was going to work or not.
I was always going to work. I mean I've worked since I
was twelve years old. That was not a decision for me.