Categories: All - racism - intersectionality - bias - privilege

by Anya Tisma 4 years ago

442

Intersectionality and Handmaid's Tale (AKA: My fav book ever)

The discussion centers on the intersectionality within Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, highlighting the absence of women of color in the narrative. The themes addressed include historical injustices faced by women of color, such as public lynchings, being forced to bear children for their oppressors, rape, and being stripped of their identities.

Intersectionality and Handmaid's Tale (AKA: My fav book ever)

Intersectionality and Handmaid's Tale (AKA: My fav book ever)

Intersectionality: Where different social categories overlap

"By ignoring racism, the book misses an opportunity to show how racism would manifest and evolve into a puritanical theocracy:
Lack of intersectionality

Recognize my social position, privilege, and bias. I am a white woman talking about issues regarding w.o.c .... this is important to recognize.

Main Argument

???

http://www.ruthdesouza.com/2017/05/15/the-handmaids-tale-and-intersectionality/#:~:text=Margaret%20Atwood's%20The%20Handmaid's%20Tale,dystopian%2C%20pronatalist%20society%20called%20Gilead.&text=The%20women%20of%20color%20characters,assumes%20levels%20of%20social%20mobility.

Argument #1. Topics Discussed

Themes discussed are issues w.o.c have faced yet they are left out of the narrative... once again.
Atwood states that everything in her novel happened in history at one point in time. Many of the things that happen in her novel happened to black and brown women during Jim Crow Era and Slavery.
4. Birthing "owners" children
3. Rape
2. Public Lynchings
1. Being named after Commanders

Absence of Women Of Colour

Uses experiences of white women in the novel to represent the experiences of all women.
By sending w.o.c to colonies, it allows for Atwood to be "off the hook" regarding including people of colour in her story