Often contemporary feminists will integrate Indigenous issues into their causes, or even champion Aboriginal causes through their own struggles against patriarchy. Post-structualist feminism has provided an excellent framework for the development of Indigenous critical perspectives. However, while well intended, feminist activism can sometimes be disempowering and even racist towards Aboriginal people, resulting in the same kind of dispossession as that inflicted by colonial governments.
Rape Is Everybody's Business
This can be seen in the feminist response to misleading media claims that rape was defended by Aboriginal communities as "men's business". Anglo feminists proclaimed that "rape is everybody's business". But when the untruth of the claims was challenged by Aboriginal feminists, the dominant culture feminists asserted their race privelege and then framed their Indigenous opponents as savage, angry, simple and lacking "manners".
(For more detail about this, check out my blog and links to related articles, Rape Is A White Privelege.)
Public Debate And Race Privelege
Any attempt by Aboriginal feminists to engage in debate with their Anglo counterparts is seen as a violent attack, with "victims" claiming that they are intimidated and bullied. And any attempt at public debate between Indigenous feminists is portrayed by other feminists as "in-fighting". So in Australian feminism, public debate and challenge is very much constructed as a "white privelege".
The "rape is everybody's business" catch-cry basically dismisses traditional Indigenous gender domains*. It also carries the assumption that Aboriginal people don't have the right or ability to manage their own affairs, and must be scrutinised and regulated by "everybody". The Australian government and media have recently launched massive propaganda campaigns using horror stories of rape and child abuse to justify "tough measures" involving the destruction of any hopes for Indigenous autonomy. The rhetoric is surprisingly similar to that of the feminists on the same issue, culminating in the assumption that Indigenous self-governance is impossible.
So once again, the "good guys (sic)" find themselves working for the enemy.
Men's And Women's Business
*Here's an excerpt from my blog Chicks With Didges explaining the need for seperate men's and women's business, and how this can come into conflict with feminist agendas.
"There is energy produced by male activity that is often described in Aboriginal Englishes as "sour". This can make women and children very sick. (It's also what makes crocodiles prefer girl meat!) At the same time, women's cultural activity (eg weaving) produces energy that can be harmful for men.
That's why there's women's business and men's business. I think that is something that gives women power, in fact. Domains of solidarity and autonomy.
Western ideals of "equality" won't stand for such a thing. But this "equality" business is not there to empower women - it is designed to strip them of their secret places and increase patriarchal control over women's business. As a result, most female domains are now dominated by men in the west. Ironic, eh?
So I think there must always be women's business, to maintain the female centres of power that are the seat of creation. I would go as far as to say that creation is beginning to unravel because women are no longer singing it from their sacred places and through sacred activity.
So, although it is in conflict with my post-structural feminist ideology (another female domain now dominated by male thinkers like myself, thanks to the mythical construct of "equality"), I will still never let my daughter play the didgeridoo. Same way I wouldn't let my son weave dillybags."
