Transnational Feminism and Black Women’s Lived Experiences

This entry explores the theory of Transnational Feminism as a useful approach for uncovering ways in which global capitalism, patriarchy, racism, classism, and sexism intersect to perpetuate black women’s oppression around the world. While geopolitical

contexts may influence how differently women’s experiences are shaped, there are often similar patterns of oppression. The convergence of these patterns reveals colonial patriarchy and racialised slavery as the major causes of black women’s oppression. On this note, the entry identifies that such systems of oppression are not unique to a particular region but are experienced by black women globally. Therefore, this work explores the lived experiences of black women in Africa, the Caribbean, and America as case studies. It discusses both the diverse forms of discrimination that they face and the historical, social, and political structures that continue to sustain their marginalisation. This research is also largely concerned with illuminating how a combination of the conceptual frameworks of Transnational Feminism and intersectionality can be effectively deployed to expose how oppressive structures globalise women’s experiences. In doing so, the entry indicates how collective and transnational developments encourage solidarity-building and commitment to the freedom of all women, regardless of their national, sexual, cultural, or geopolitical identity.