User:Obliviousmag/Combahee River Collective

What We Believe

This chapter of the CRC statement details what is identity politics and how it functions. The CRC's meaning of the term is that Black women had a right to formulate their own agenda based on the material conditions they faced as a result of race, class, gender, and sexuality.

“ We realize that the only people who care enough about us to work consistently for our liberation are us. Our politics evolve from a healthy love for ourselves, our sisters and our community which allows us to continue our struggle and work. ”

This chapter also details the CRC's belief that the destruction of capitalism, imperialism, and patriarchy is necessary for the liberation of oppressed peoples. The CRC identified as socialists and believed that work must be organized for the collective benefit of all people, not for the benefit of profit. To this end, the CRC was in agreement with Marx's theory as it was applied to the material economic relationships he analyzed. The CRC did not advocate for lesbian separatism as they felt it left out others who were valuable to the movement.

It is well described how Black women at one point in time were almost sidelined by the women's movement which began to gain momentum. On the other hand, they also seemed left out of the Black movement, probably due to their genders. They point out sexual politics are as equally pervasive in their lives as is class and race. The main focus is the idea that it is impossible to separate race, sex, and class because all are the fundamental basis of the life of a black woman, and to recognize that “black women are inherently valuable” [Combahee River Collective, Pg. 503]

The Combahee River Collective notes that Black women are often looked down upon and that many individuals have a misconception that Black women simply want greater power. However, Black women, regardless of status or ethnicity, simply want to be included and treated properly. Black feminists all shared the idea that all Black women are intrinsically important, that their independence is necessary, and that they must share equal value and recognition with others. Ultimately, the entire purpose of the important anti-discrimination movement is inclusion rather than differentiation or exclusion, and it is the only way through which Black women can effectively tackle oppression and destroy it from its core. It is an extremely difficult journey for Black women, but their desires are relatively simple, namely to be accepted and included. Black women don’t want any special rights, they only want to be accepted and acknowledged at the same level as all other humans and citizens of society.