The racial and gender hierarchy allow black women to have more in common with black men than white women. White women and black women do not share the same social location. Racial discrimination in terms of the social hierarchy precedes everything else. Black women and men faced oppression like no other and were the lowest minority. 

Black men and women were both taken, sold, bought, and owned. Both were treated as property, forced to work hard labor, and subjected to the same excruciating punishments. Both men and women were categorized as slaves and were treated as nothing more than property. Yet, black women had different roles on plantations. Black women were seen as property that could deliver more property. According to Angela Davis*, a black woman’s ability to reproduce was highly valued. Slave owners acknowledged that owning black women will help multiply their slave count. Unfortunately, this discourse led to sexualized violence. Slave owners would force enslaved men and women to have intercourse as well as rape black women in order to produce more slaves. Sexual violence was used to degrade and remind enslaved people that they were property. Black women also served as care givers for white families. Although they were perceived as “natural” caregivers for white families, they were not equal to white women. 

Because of their social location, black women experienced different forms of oppression than white women in antebellum America. The patriarchy oppressed white women by limiting their rights and only allowing them to take on roles as wife and mother. Disappointing but privileged compared to enslaved, black women. Black women did not have rights as they were merely property. They system of coverture recognized white women granting them the privilege of being covered by their husbands and legal personhood. White women were held to the dominant discourses of femininity, and motherhood. White women were seen as passive, weak, and nurturing while black women were not viewed nor treated as women, delicate, or free individuals. Black women were not held to the mainstream gender discourses of femininity as white women were. 

 Black women maintained faith during the antebellum years. Harriet Jacobs’ book, Incidents In The Life of a Slave Girl* , conveys a powerful message about the strength and perseverance of black women. Enslaved women resisted enslavement by teaching themselves how to read, write, and escape. Harriet Jacobs prepared for her escape by spending seven years in an attic. Her mental strength during the seven years of living in a confined space is inspiring. She found light during those seven years looking out of a loophole by reminding herself that she is free from Dr. Flint and soon to be free from enslavement. The small attic symbolized her social location and oppression she will face because of her race and gender. Black feminists today resist genderism, sexism, racism, and much more. Because of acknowledged social locations, many black feminists used intersectional discourses before Kimberle Crenshaw developed intersectionality.

The system of slavery continues to impact the black community today because the racist discourses it was built on, also founded our government systems. Systemic racism and anti-black racism is upheld by many Americans. After the abolishment of slavery mass incarceration of black people became the new source of free labor. To this day there is still a huge population of convicted black people and the rights of many black citizens are not honored. The rejection to a speedy trial and the use of racial profiling in court are two things that BIPOC survivors are met with after defending themselves. Survived and Punished* is an organization that advocates for people of color who have been criminalized due to their survival of domestic and sexual violence. Systemic racism is a huge injustice and has sparked the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement, and many other social justice organizations for BIPOC.

Black Women and other POC are oppressed in multiple categories of their social location. Black women are still not equal to white women in many ways. BIPOC are not included in white feminism and instead have adapted intersectional feminism. Black lives has continued to not matter in our society and that needs to change. Intersectional feminism is our best hope of conquering all “isms” and making BIPOC lives actually matter.