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I chose this diagram because sometimes I get confused between the three. I also learned that gender and sexuality are not just social identities but personal identities.

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I really liked this picture because of the reality of this quote. Women are discriminated against because they are female and get paid less then men. This picture couldn't be anymore true.

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Australian women earn 18% less than men which amounts to $1 million less over a lifetime. While women are more likely to complete university, they still learn $2,000 less than men in their first year...

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What I liked about this video is that she explains masculinity as a tactic of acceptance as well as being "masculine" and "unmasculine"

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Masculinities - Raewyn Connell interview at Women's Worlds 2011

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I thought this was SO interesting. This Native American culture says that there can be a feminine man and a masculine woman. These people are traditionally to be sacred in this culture. I think it is funny how different cultures accept this and some do not.

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This transgender women is to be considered a "third sex". This women was born in Thailand, and this is her story (below). It is illegal to be gay in Thailand, let alone be transgender. They don't have any rights for individuals like Katheoy.

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Transgenders are openly accepted rather than stigmatised in Thailand, and popular stereotypes have them working in showy cabarets where tourists may openly gawk. This is not entirely untrue. But life is not easy beyond the glitz and glamour, they say. They struggle to eke a living. They struggle to find true love.

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This introduced me to what privilege and oppression really was.

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"Privilege" is a word you'll hear often in social justice spaces, both offline and online.

Some people understand the concept easily. Others - and I was like this - find the concept confusing and need a little more help.
If you're willing to learn about privilege, but you don't know where to start, you've come to the right place!
Before we get started, I want to clarify that this article is not entirely comprehensive. That is to say, it's not going to explain everything there is to know about privilege. But it'll give you a good foundation on the basics.

Think of privilege not as a single lesson, but as a field of study. To truly understand privilege, we must keep reading, learning, and thinking critically.

Defining Privilege

The origins of the term "privilege" can be traced back to the 1930s, when WEB DuBois wrote about the "psychological wage" that allowed whites to feel superior to black people. In 1988, Peggy McIntosh fleshed out the idea of privilege in a paper called "White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences through Work in Women's Studies."
We can define privilege as a set of unearned benefits given to people who fit into a specific social group.
Society grants privilege to people because of certain aspects of their identity. Aspects of a person's identity can include race, class, gender, sexual orientation, language, geographical location, ability, and religion, to name a few.

But big concepts like privilege are so much more than their basic definitions! For many, this definition on its own raises more questions than it answers. So here are a few things about privilege that everyone should know.

1. Privilege is the other side of oppression.

It's often easier to notice oppression than privilege.

It's definitely easier to notice the oppression you personally experience than the privileges you experience since being mistreated is likely to leave a bigger impression on you than being treated fairly.

So consider the ways in which you are oppressed: How are you disadvantaged because of the way society treats aspects of your identity? Are you a woman? Are you disabled? Does your sexuality fall under the queer umbrella? Are you poor? Do you have a mental illness or a learning disability? Are you a person of color? Are you gender non-conforming?

All of these things could make life difficult because society disenfranchises people who fit into those social groups. We call this oppression.

But what about the people society doesn't disenfranchise? What about the people society empowers at our expense? We call that privilege.
Privilege is simply the opposite of oppression.
2. We need to understand privilege in the context of power systems.

Society is affected by a number of different power systems: patriarchy, white supremacy, heterosexism, cissexism, and classism - to name a few. These systems interact together in one giant system called the kyriarchy.
Privileged groups have power over oppressed groups.
Privileged people are more likely to be in positions of power - for example, they're more likely to dominate politics, be economically well-off, have influence over the media, and hold executive positions in companies.

Privileged people can use their positions to benefit people like themselves - in other words, other privileged people.

In a patriarchal society, women do not have institutional power (at least, not based on their gender). In a white supremacist society, people of color don't have race-based institutional power. And so on.

It's important to bear this in mind because privilege doesn't go both ways. Female privilege does not exist because women don't have institutional power. Similarly, black privilege, trans privilege, and poor privilege don't exist because those groups do not have institutional power.

It's also important to remember because people often look at privilege individually rather than systemically. While individual experiences are important, we have to try to understand privilege in terms of systems and social patterns. We're looking at the rule, not the exception to the rule.

3. Privileges and oppressions affect each other, but they don't negate each other.

I experience my queerness in relation to my womanhood. I experience these aspects of my identity in relation to my experience as a mentally ill person, as someone who's white, as someone who is South African, as someone who is able-bodied, as someone who is cisgender.

All aspects of our identities - whether those aspects are oppressed or privileged by society - interact with one another. We experience the aspects of our identities collectively and simultaneously, not individually.

The interaction between different aspects of our identities is often referred to as an intersection. The term intersectionality was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, who used it to describe the experiences of black women - who experience both sexism and racism.

While all women experience sexism, the sexism that black women experience is unique in that it is informed by racism.

To illustrate with another example, mental illness is often stigmatized. As a mentally-ill woman, I have been told that my post-traumatic stress disorder is "just PMS" and a result of me "being an over-sensitive woman." This is an intersection between ableism and misogyny.

The aspects of our identities that are privileged can also affect the aspects that are oppressed. Yes, privilege and oppression intersect - but they don't negate one another.

Often, people believe that they can't experience privilege because they also experience oppression. A common example is the idea that poor white people don't experience white privilege because they are poor. But this is not the case.

Being poor does not negate the fact that you, as a white person, are less likely to become the victim of police brutality in most countries around the world, for example.

Being poor is an oppression, yes, but this doesn't cancel out the fact that you can still benefit from white privilege.

As Phoenix Calida wrote:

"Privilege simply means that under the exact same set of circumstances you're in, life would be harder without your privilege.

Being poor is hard. Being poor and disabled is harder.

Being a woman is hard. Being a trans woman is harder.

Being a white woman is hard, being a woman of color is harder.

Being a black man is hard, being a gay black man is harder."

Let's look at the example of people who are both poor and white. Being white means that you have access to resources which could help you survive. You're more likely to have a support network of relatively well-off people. You can use these networks to look for a job.

If you go to a job interview, you are more likely to be interviewed by a white person, as white people are more likely to be in executive positions. People in positions of power are usually the same race as you, so if they are racially prejudiced, it's likely that they would be prejudiced in your favor.

A poor black person, on the other hand, will not have access to those resources, is unlikely to be of the same race as people in power, and is more likely to be harmed by racial prejudice.

So once again: Being white and poor is hard, but being black and poor is harder.

4. Privilege describes what everyone should experience.

When we use the word "privilege" in the context of social justice, it means something slightly different to the way it's used by most people in their everyday environment.

Often we think of privilege as "special advantages." We frequently hear the phrase, "X is a privilege, not a right," conveying the idea that X is something special that shouldn't be expected.
Because of the way we use "privilege" in our day-to-day lives, people often get upset when others point out some of their privileges.
A male acquaintance of mine initially struggled to understand the concept of privilege. He once said to me, "Men don't often experience gender-based street harassment, but that's not a privilege. It's something everyone should expect."

Correct. Everyone should expect to be treated that way. Everyone has a right to be treated that way. The problem is that certain people aren't treated that way.

To illustrate: Nobody should be treated as if they are untrustworthy based on their race. But often, people of color - particularly black people - are mistrusted because of prejudice towards their race.

White people, however, don't experience this systemic, race-based prejudice. We call this "white privilege" because people who are white are free from racial oppression.
We don't use the term "privilege" because we don't think everyone deserves this treatment. We call privilege "privilege" because we acknowledge that not everyone experiences it.
5. Privilege doesn't mean you didn't work hard.

People often get defensive when someone points out that they have privilege. And I totally understand why - before I fully understood privilege, I acted the same way.

Many people think that having privilege means you have had an easy life. As such, they feel personally attacked when people point out their privilege. To them, it feels as if someone is saying that they haven't worked hard or endured any difficulties.
But this is not what privilege means.
You can be privileged and still have a difficult life. Privilege doesn't mean that your life is easy, but rather that it's easier than others.

I saw this brilliant analogy comparing white privilege and bike commuting in a car-friendly city, and it inspired me to broaden the analogy to privilege in general.

So let's say both you and your friend decide to go cycling. You decide to cycle for the same distance, but you take different routes. You take a route that is a bit bumpy. More often than not, you go down roads that are at a slight decline. It's very hot, but the wind is at usually at your back. You eventually get to your destination, but you're sunburnt, your legs are aching, you're out of breath, and you have a cramp.

When you eventually meet up with your friend, she says that the ride was awful for her. It was also bumpy. The road she took was at an incline the entire time. She was even more sunburnt than you because she had no sunscreen. At one point, a strong gust of wind blew her over and she hurt her foot. She ran out of water halfway through. When she hears about your route, she remarks that your experience seemed easier than hers.

Does that mean that you didn't cycle to the best of your ability? Does it mean that you didn't face obstacles? Does it mean that you didn't work hard? No. What it means is that you didn't face the obstacles she faced.

Privilege doesn't mean your life is easy or that you didn't work hard. It simply means that you don't have to face the obstacles others have to endure. It means that life is more difficult for those who don't have the systemic privilege you have.

So What Now?

Often, people think that feminists and social justice activists point out people's privilege to make them feel guilty. This isn't the case at all!
We don't want you to feel guilty. We want you to join us in challenging the systems that privilege some people and oppress others.
Guilt is an unhelpful feeling: It makes us feel ashamed, which prevents us from speaking out and bringing about change. As Jamie Utt notes, " If privilege guilt prevents me from acting against oppression, then it is simply another tool of oppression. "

You don't need to feel guilty for having privilege because having privilege is not your fault: It's not something you chose. But what you can choose is to push back against your privilege and to use it in a way that challenges oppressive systems instead of perpetuating them.
So what can you - as a person who experiences privilege - do?
Understanding privilege is a start, so you've already made the first move! Yay!

There's a great deal of information out there on the Internet, so I'd firstly recommend that you read more about the concepts of oppression and privilege in order to expand your understanding. The links in this article are a good place to start.
But merely understanding privilege is not enough. We need to take action.
Listen to people who experience oppression. Learn about how you can work in solidarity with oppressed groups. Join feminist and activist communities in order to support those you have privilege over. Focus on teaching other privileged people about their privilege.

Above all else, bear in mind that your privilege exists.

Sian Ferguson is a Contributing Writer at Everyday Feminism. She is a South African feminist currently studying toward a Bachelors of Social Science degree majoring in English Language and Literature and Gender Studies at the University of Cape Town. She has been featured as a guest writer on websites such as Women24 and Foxy Box, while also writing for her personal blog. In her spare time, she tweets excessively @sianfergs, reads about current affairs, and spends time with her gorgeous group of friends. Read her articles here.

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Privilege 101: A Quick and Dirty Guide - Everyday Feminism

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"Privilege" is a word you'll hear often in social justice spaces, both offline and online. Some people understand the concept easily. Others - and I was like this - find the concept confusing and need a little more help. If you're willing to learn about privilege, but you don't know where to start, you've come to the right place!

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There are so many different types of social oppression that I had no idea existed till today. This article explains 12 different types.

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In a social justice context, oppression is what happens when individuals or groups of people are discriminated against or otherwise treated unjustly, whether by the government, private organizations, individuals, or other groups. (The word comes from the Latin root "opprimere," which means "pressed down.") Here are 12 different forms of oppression-although the list is by no means comprehensive.

The categories describe patterns of behavior and not necessarily belief systems. A person can have strong beliefs in favor of social equality and still practice oppression through their actions. In many cases, these categories of oppression overlap in such a way that one person can potentially deal with multiple forms of oppression and privilege at the same time. The experience of multiple and differing forms of oppression is described by the term " intersectionality."

Cisgenderism or Cisnormativity

Cisgender refers to people whose gender identity is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. Cisgenderism or cisnormativity is a form of oppression that assumes that everyone who is assigned male at birth exists as a man and everyone who is assigned female at birth exists as a woman. Cisgenderism discriminates against and does not take into account people who do not identify with their assigned sex at birth, and the gender roles associated with them or those who do not have clearly defined or binary gender roles (binary transgender people or nonbinary transgender people).

Colonialism

Colonialism is a social pattern in which people who are born in a given country are treated differently from those who immigrate to it, usually to the benefit of a specific identifiable group of powerful immigrants. This involves a process of powerful immigrants overtaking the country and holistically exploiting its resources.

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What Are the Most Common Types of Social Oppression and Their Origins?

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In a social justice context, oppression is what happens when individuals or groups of people are discriminated against or otherwise treated unjustly, whether by the government, private organizations, individuals, or other groups. (The word comes from the Latin root "opprimere," which means "pressed down.") Here are 12 different forms of oppression-although the list is by no means comprehensive.

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Ways women are oppressed without knowing...

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Ways women are oppressed without knowing...

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This is an example of the more obvious ways in which male supremacy oppresses women.

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This article is trying to determine the difference between discrimination and oppression. This is a different view of the argument.

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I have pulled this brief post together to try to explain the difference between discrimination and oppression.,I will, in a later post, attempt to demonstrate the application of both of these concepts to both women and to trans individuals. This piece is, however, intended to be descriptive and to set out the difference between discrimination and oppression.

Undoubtedly, discrimination and oppression can be difficult to separate, and many situations may contain elements of both discrimination and oppression.

Discrimination is the treatment of a person specifically based upon their (perceived) membership of a certain group. It can, itself, be fairly innocuous and free from any prejudice, to being positive. For example, many types of 'affirmative action' involve positive discrimination, even if discrimination has the purpose of redress the balance in favour of an already oppressed group. Discrimination can also be blatantly evil.

An innocuous example of discrimination would (one would hope!) be a woman's request to see a female doctor over an intimate matter. An example of damaging discrimination could be given as the Jim Crowe Laws, which operated in the Southern USA until just 1965, and led to the segregation of black citizens from the rest of the population.

Oppression differs from discrimination in that oppression is always negative. It is also exercised by one more powerful group (class of people) over another, and is often long-lasting; for example the slavery of African people, as permitted by many governments at many points over the last few hundred years. It can even extend to the oppression of a country's entire population, as in North Korea or the Stalinist USSR.

As an example, consider the Jews interned by the Nazis from the 1930s to the end of the last war. The victims were selected for internment because they were Jewish (which is discrimination) and they were then made to live in appalling accommodations and lost their businesses and valuables (which is, of course, the oppression).

Thus Discrimination:

can be unharmful or even positive;

is not necessarily far-reaching in scope; and

is something that can be done by ordinary people.

But Oppression:

is always negative;

is always far-reaching in scope; and

is exercised by a dominant group of people over a less powerful group.

Oppression is cultural, or systemic, and is based on power. It is justified or legitimised through the proclaimed superiority of the oppressor over the oppressed (or subjected class) and this superiority becomes self-justifying. and so there is a distorted, unequal relationship between the ruling class and the oppressed class.

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Discrimination and Oppression - Miranda Yardley

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I have pulled this brief post together to try to explain the difference between discrimination and oppression.,I will, in a later post, attempt to demonstrate the application of both of these concepts to both women and to trans individuals. This piece is, however, intended to be descriptive and to set out the difference between discrimination and oppression....

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What I like about this article is that it explains what oppression does to the women's brain and there health in general.

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Violence against women can cause long-term physical and mental health problems. Violence and abuse affect not just the women involved but also their children, families, and communities. These effects include harm to an individual's health, possibly long-term harm to children, and harm to communities such as lost work and homelessness.

What are the short-term physical effects of violence against women?

The short-term physical effects of violence can include minor injuries or serious conditions. They can include bruises, cuts, broken bones, or injuries to organs and other parts inside of your body. Some physical injuries are difficult or impossible to see without scans, x-rays, or other tests done by a doctor or nurse.

Short-term physical effects of sexual violence can include:

If you are pregnant, a physical injury can hurt you and the unborn child. This is also true in some cases of sexual assault.

If you are sexually assaulted by the person you live with, and you have children in the home, think about your children's safety also. Violence in the home often includes child abuse.¹ Many children who witness violence in the home are also victims of physical abuse.² Learn more about the effects of domestic violence on children.
If you are injured in a physical or sexual assault, call 911.

What are the long-term physical effects of violence against women?

Violence against women, including sexual or physical violence, is linked to many long-term health problems. These can include: ³

Arthritis

Asthma

Chronic pain

Digestive problems such as stomach ulcers

Heart problems

Irritable bowel syndrome

Nightmares and problems sleeping

Migraine headaches

Sexual problems such as pain during sex

Stress

Problems with the immune system

Many women also have mental health problems after violence. To cope with the effects of the violence, some women start misusing alcohol or drugs or engage in risky behaviors, such as having unprotected sex. Sexual violence can also affect someone's perception of their own bodies, leading to unhealthy eating patterns or eating disorders. If you are experiencing these problems, know that you are not alone. There are resources that can help you cope with these challenges.

How is traumatic brain injury related to domestic violence?

A serious risk of physical abuse is concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI) from being hit on the head or falling and hitting your head. TBI can cause:⁴

Headache or a feeling of pressure

Loss of consciousness

Confusion

Dizziness

Nausea and vomiting

Slurred speech

Memory loss

Trouble concentrating

Sleep loss

Some symptoms of TBI may take a few days to show up. Over a longer time, TBI can cause depression and anxiety. TBI can also cause problems with your thoughts, including the ability to make a plan and carry it out. This can make it more difficult for a woman in an abusive relationship to leave. Even if you think you are OK after hitting your head, talk to you doctor or nurse if you have any of these symptoms. Treatment for TBI can help.

What are the mental health effects of violence against women?

If you have experienced a physical or sexual assault, you may feel many emotions - fear, confusion, anger, or even being numb and not feeling much of anything. You may feel guilt or shame over being assaulted. Some people try to minimize the abuse or hide it by covering bruises and making excuses for the abuser.

If you've been physically or sexually assaulted or abused, know that it is not your fault. Getting help for assault or abuse can help prevent long-term mental health effects and other health problems.

Long-term mental health effects of violence against women can include:⁵

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This can be a result of experiencing trauma or having a shocking or scary experience, such as sexual assault or physical abuse.⁶ You may be easily startled, feel tense or on edge, have difficulty sleeping, or have angry outbursts. You may also have trouble remembering things or have negative thoughts about yourself or others. If you think you have PTSD, talk to a mental health professional.

Depression. Depression is a serious illness, but you can get help to feel better. If you are feeling depressed, talk to a mental health professional.

Anxiety. This can be general anxiety about everything, or it can be a sudden attack of intense fear. Anxiety can get worse over time and interfere with your daily life. If you are experiencing anxiety, you can get help from a mental health professional.

Other effects can include shutting people out, not wanting to do things you once enjoyed, not being able to trust others, and having low-esteem.¹

Many women who have experienced violence cope with this trauma by using drugs, drinking alcohol, smoking, or overeating. Research shows that about 90% of women with substance use problems had experienced physical or sexual violence.⁷

Substance use may make you feel better in the moment, but it ends up making you feel worse in the long-term. Drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or overeating will not help you forget or overcome the experience. Get help if you're thinking about or have been using alcohol or drugs to cope.

Who can help women who have been abused or assaulted?

After you get help for physical injuries, a mental health professional can help you cope with emotional concerns. A counselor or therapist can work with you to deal with your emotions in healthy ways, build your self-esteem, and help you develop coping skills. You can ask your doctor for the name of a therapist, or you can search an online list of mental health services. Learn more about getting help for your mental health.

Victims of sexual assault can also talk for free with someone who is trained to help through the National Sexual Assault Hotline over the phone at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or online.

What are some other effects of violence against women?

Violence against women has physical and mental health effects, but it can also affect the lives of women who are abused in other ways:

Work. Experiencing a trauma like sexual violence may interfere with someone's ability to work. Half of women who experienced sexual assault had to quit or were forced to leave their jobs in the first year after the assault. Total lifetime income loss for these women is nearly $250,000 each.⁸

Home. Many women are forced to leave their homes to find safety because of violence. Research shows that half of all homeless women and children became homeless while trying to escape intimate partner violence.⁹

School. Women in college who are sexually assaulted may be afraid to report the assault and continue their education. But Title IX laws require schools to provide extra support for sexual assault victims in college. Schools can help enforce no-contact orders with an abuser and provide mental health counseling and school tutoring.

Children. Women with children may stay with an abusive partner because they fear losing custody or contact with their children.

Sometimes, violence against women ends in death. More than half of women who are murdered each year are killed by an intimate partner.¹⁰ One in 10 of these women experienced violence in the month before their death. If you have experienced abuse, contact a hotline at 800-799-SAFE (800-799-7233), or learn more ways to get help.

Did we answer your question about the effects of violence against women?

For more information about the effects of violence against women, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or check out the following resources from other organizations:

Sources

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Intimate Partner Violence: Consequences.

2. Modi, M.N., Palmer, S., Armstrong, A. (2014). The Role of Violence Against Women Act in Addressing Intimate Partner Violence: A Public Health Issue. Journal of Women's Health; 23(3): 253-259.

3. Smith, S.G., Chen, J., Basile, K.C., Gilbert, L.K., Merrick, M.T., Patel, N., et al. (2017). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010-2012 State Report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

4. Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. (2016). Recognize TBI and Concussion.

5. Delara, M. (2016). Mental Health Consequences and Risk Factors of Physical Intimate Partner Violence. Mental Health in Family Medicine; 12: 119-125.

6. Jina, R., Thomas, L.S. (2013). Health consequences of sexual violence against women. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology; 27: 15-26.

7. Beijer, U., Scheffel Birath, C., DeMartinis, V., Af Klinteberg, B. (2015). Facets of Male Violence Against Women With Substance Abuse Problems: Women With a Residence and Homeless Women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence; Dec 4. pii: 0886260515618211.

8. National Alliance to End Sexual Violence. (2011). The Costs and Consequences of Sexual Violence and Cost-Effective Solutions.

9. Goodman, L.A., Fels, K., Glenn, C., Benitez, J. (2011). No Safe Place: Sexual Assault in the Lives of Homeless Women. National Resource Center on Domestic Violence.

10. Petrosky, E., Blair, J.M., Betz, C.J., Fowler, K.A., Jack, S.P.D., Lyons, B.H. (2017). Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women and the Role of Intimate Partner Violence - United States, 2003-2014. MMWR; 66: 741-746.

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Violence against women can cause long-term physical and mental health problems. Violence and abuse affect not just the women involved but also their children, families, and communities. These effects include harm to an individual's health, possibly long-term harm to children, and harm to communities such as lost work and homelessness.

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"Intersectional feminism doesn’t mean anything if white women still struggle to support and advocate for those who’s identities cross intersections that are foreign to theirs." LOVED this quote.

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"I built a white feminist temple. Now I'm tearing it down."-Layla Saad

I'll always be here for Kimberle Crenshaw. She gave a name to the face of compounded oppression that women like me survive on the daily. Women who live in constant danger at the intersection of race and gender. What I was not here for was the concept of intersectional feminism. The notion that white women will magically take accountability for their dismissal, bias, and mean girl spirit and become the kind of gals who are all about passing the mic to black and brown sisters... unheard of.

It wasn't until I re-read Angela Davis's Women, Race, & Class that I had a change of heart. A biography about American women's liberation from slavery to present, Women, Race, & Class uses history and factual resources to spell out what white women have yet to comprehend; their ignorance and apathy towards the struggle of black women has been to the detriment of any could-be collective feminist movement. While white women were exercising their freedom, black women were fighting to stay alive on the plantation field. When black Americans pleaded with white feminists to support their efforts to gain the right for black men to vote, Susan B Anthony spoke against it. She, along with Elizabeth Stanton and a slew of other white feminists demanded that women be granted the right to vote before Blacks, despite the mass lynchings, race riots, and the KKK, which destroyed black communities simply because they had the voting power to do so. White feminists chose self-interest over the lives of black people. This fundamental decision was the beginning of what is now known as white feminism.

I became convinced that Women, Race, & Class would bring about a massive come-to-Jesus moment to white women who failed to see the racial violence in their detachment from non-white women and non-white issues. It was also around this time that I started watching lectures and interviews by Kimberle Crenshaw to learn more about the intersections women experience (gender + race + sexual orientation, gender + race + physical handicap, gender + race + ethnicity).

If intersectionality was a train, I was the conductor. I ranted on and on about both the concept and the term to anyone who would listen. I spoke about it to college students at SUNY Old Westbury. I even created an intersectional book club for cisgender and trans women. I was all in.

Intersectional feminism doesn't mean anything if white women still struggle to support and advocate for those who's identities cross intersections that are foreign to theirs.

As the honeymoon wore off, I began to notice some things I hadn't before. For starters, many white women announced themselves as intersectional feminists, yet, were still completely detached from the lives and issues of cis and trans black women and women of color. I also noticed that black women and women of color weren't too quick to join the intersectional movement either. Instincts and too many bad experiences in white-centered environments made them very distrustful of intersectional feminism.

As time progressed, any hope that intersectional feminism would be this magical path to racial and cultural harmony between white women and non-white women disappeared. Despite the legion of spaces dedicated to intersectionalism-including my own book club, it always seemed that every environment was divided by race. I know what sisterhood is and I know what white women think sisterhood is; they got it all wrong.

Deep down inside I knew what the problem was, I just didn't have the heart to admit it. Intersectional feminism doesn't mean anything if white women still struggle to support and advocate for those who's identities cross intersections that are foreign to theirs.

Meanwhile, the sisterhood between black women of color and non-black women of color has become increasingly stronger. Social and racial justice warriors are creating spaces exclusively for non-white women, allowing us to exhale, grow, and continue strengthening our collective goals and organic connection. It seemed as though all that time standing on the outside made us realize, "We are in this. Together."

I was beginning to lose sight of the role white women were supposed to play in this whole intersectional feminist thing when the wrongful arrest of Chikesia Clemons happened.

Chikesia and her cousin Canita were dining at a Waffle House-not the same Waffle House where four Black people were massacred by a white man. A different Waffle House (Stay. Out. Of. Waffle House). After a request for cutlery, Chikesia was told she'd be charged fifty cents for it. Upon challenging this fee, employees did the thing they always do when they're free to enable white supremacy without judgement: they called the police. This resulted in an unnecessarily aggressive, humiliating arrest that left Ms Clemons face down, hands cuffed, and breasts exposed.

I waited for the moment when white women were going to learn how to pronounce Chikesia's name and fight for her justice with the same conviction they would fight for their own, Parkland style. I'm not a fool; I expected nothing from white feminists, or even the run-of-the-mill standard feminists-the ones who cap out of convenience rather than conviction. Still, I sincerely expected... something from intersectional feminists. I expected them to show everyone what true sisterhood looks like. No doubt, there were more than a few white women who spoke Chikesia's name and donated to her GoFundMe's campaign that's raising money for her lawyer fees. But, in regard to the collective white woman... *crickets*.

What happened to Chikesia has all the ingredients that require radical feminist action. She was wrongfully arrested. Her body, exposed to the world for every hater and prospective employee to see. The intersection of being a woman in black skin could have cost her her life. Sadly, the women who are in need of protest, protection, and sisterhood most, black women, are the ones who get it least. Even when a black woman creates a term and a concept to describe just how dangerous it is to be a black woman, white women take it, run with it, build over the fundamentals, and save no room for black women. Fucking ironic.

Sure, breaking up is hard to do, but, it's also healthy. As a black woman who lives in a country that can arrest me for needing to eat with a fork, murder me for not putting out my cigarette, demote me for wearing my hair natural, and do everything to convince me that I'm not pretty, I'm not composed, I'm not smart, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not... I'm not putting up with this idea anymore.

I find myself at the end of my intersectional feminist road. It's time to hop into survival mode, ditch this dumpster fire, and live by a black feminist agenda. One mapped out by the pros. Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Patrisse Cullors, Angela Davis, Kola Boof, and all the other sisters who stay convinced that we need to divest from white feminism and invest in black and brown women, nurture our black magic, and hold one another to a higher esteem.

Black feminism gives me everything I need. Removal of any and all environments that hold no space for me and my sisters, a sisterhood bonded in dedication towards the progress and liberation of all of us, and freedom from the respectability politics that strangle us.

When I live life as a black feminist who's dedicated to a black feminist agenda, I'm doing all the things that I did before, only, I'm centered inside the collective goal. I can hold space for all my marginalized sisters, rather than feel as though I have to compete with them for the few vacant 'minority' slots reserved at intersectional functions. In the words of Gabrielle Union, "I don't want to be at your table at all. I built a house over there."

We can't all be black feminists. It's something you're born into, it isn't acquired. However, we can all and we should all adopt a black feminist agenda. When black women win, mankind wins.

I've broken up with plenty of people and things before due to my conviction, but leaving intersectional feminism is way different. It becomes easier to stop loving someone or something when you accept the fact that it does not love you back. At the end of the day, if intersectional feminism holds no space for Chikesia, it damn sure doesn't care about me.
This post was originally published on Medium. Tamela J Gordon is a writer, black feminist, and creator of the women's empowerment group, Sisters with Aspiration.

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Why I'm giving up on intersectional feminism

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"I built a white feminist temple. Now I'm tearing it down."-Layla Saad I'll always be here for Kimberle Crenshaw. She gave a name to the face of compounded oppression that women like me survive on the daily. Women who live in constant danger at the intersection of race and gender.

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I enjoyed how she brought in pizza to this video and topic.

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On Intersectionality in Feminism and Pizza | Akilah Obviously

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I wanted to post this because it is a big issue and explains 4 main ways women are being paid less and discriminated against.

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Women across the country on Tuesday are wearing red to show how far "in the red" they are compared with their male counterparts.

April 10 is being dubbed "Equal Pay Day" because it symbolizes how far into 2018 women need to work to catch up to what men earned in 2017.

And there are still plenty of questions about why women earn less than men, despite gains in education and skills.

The facts are incontrovertible: Women earned 80.5 cents for every $1 earned by men in 2016, according to the most recent Census data.

The difference between what men and women earn isn't just academic: Women on average are losing out on $10,086 in pay each year because of the pay gap, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families. That contributes to higher levels of poverty and income inequality -- as well as leaving women less secure in their retirements.

So why do women earn less than men? As the Economic Policy Institute's Elise Gould and Jessica Schieder note in a report, it's impossible to " mansplain away." Not only does the gap exists, but research points to a complicated mix of bias and occupational choices that create a pervasive cycle of lower earnings for women.

1. Lower pay for women starts with "occupational segregation"

Economists are increasingly examining the role of "occupational segregation," or how women and men are steered toward different occupations. For instance, girls are often encouraged to enter "soft" professions such as education, while boys are routed into math or science-related fields.

A Kindergarten teacher will never earn as much as a financier.

Because many women are less likely to be encouraged to study higher-paying fields, they are placed on a track for lower life-long earnings.

The Department of Labor points to occupational segregation as causing much of the pay gap, according to a report on women's pay and the wage gap. Women tend to disproportionately work in lower-paid fields, while men dominate higher-paid industries.

Progress on eliminating occupational segregation has stalled since the early 2000s, according to the American Association of University Women.

2. Pay is unequal right out of college

Not all of the gender wage gap can be explained by occupational choice, however. Women are paid less than men in their first jobs after college, even when adjusting for their occupations and field of study.

One year after graduating from college, women with a computer science degree -- a high-earning field -- are earning 77 cents for each $1 earned by their male classmates with the same degree, according to the American Association of University Women.

Because women tend to earn higher grades than men, the gap isn't due to academic differences between the genders, they noted.

From their first job, women can get locked into permanently lower pay, given subsequent employers often base their salary offers on what job candidates previously earned.

3. Women get hit with a "motherhood penalty"

The biggest pay hit happens when women have children, leading to what researchers call a "motherhood penalty."

University of Massachusetts sociology professor Michelle Budig found women's earnings slip 4 percent for each child they have. Men's earnings, by comparison, get a bump when they have children.

Employers may believe women aren't as committed to their jobs after they have children, although compensation research firm Payscale found that men actually prioritize family obligations more than women workers.

Yet it's true that women are bearing the burden of childcare and household work. Women spend twice as much time as men caring for or helping children and other household members. They're also twice as likely to do housework on a typical day than men, according to the American Time Use Survey.

4. Women lose pay gains when they step out of the workforce

Another side of the motherhood penalty is the impact felt by some women if they step away from work to care for children or family members.

It's a decision primarily taken by women, with Pew Research Center noting that the country had 10.4 million stay-at-home mothers in 2012, compared with about 2 million stay-at-home dads.

Stepping out of the workforce has lasting implications for a woman's salary and financial health. A woman who earns $44,000 per year and decides to take 5 years out of the workforce to care for a child will lose out on wages of $220,000.

But her losses grow considerably larger when considering the lost retirement savings and wage growth. All together, her income loss will reach almost $707,000, according to the Center for American Progress.

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Women across the country on Tuesday are wearing red to show how far "in the red" they are compared with their male counterparts. April 10 is being dubbed "Equal Pay Day" because it symbolizes how far into 2018 women need to work to catch up to what men earned in 2017.

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This video and article explains the Bill of rights targeting transgender children.

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CLEVELAND- It is being called the latest attempt by anti-LGBTQ extremists inside the Ohio Statehouse, targeting transgender youth.

"Teens already have so many things that they have to consider and the obstacles that they're faced with every day."

Jackson Siegel, youth program coordinator at Cleveland's LGBT Community Center, responds to House Bill 658 or the Parent's Rights Bill.

Sponsored by Republican House Representatives Ron Brinkman and Paul Zeltwanger, the bill would allow parents to deny transgender children the right to transition.

It is a proposal that hits close to home for Siegel who is a transgender man.

"It becomes more difficult as individuals get older, so we have secondary sex characteristics that develop as a function of puberty. These all become extremely difficult and more arduous in the transition process if the resources aren't there for individuals to begin this during their teenage years."

This legislation was inspired following a recent court ruling by the Ohio First District Court of Appeals in which the grandparents of a 17-year old trans boy were awarded custody, after his family tried to force him into conversion therapy.

Adding to the controversy, the bill would also require teachers to "out" transgender kids to their parent or guardians, if a child demonstrates a desire to be treated opposite of their biological sex.

Siegel said, "We need to empower these youth to be able to make these decisions in a timeline that works best for them. And to take that away, is going to have such negative implications."

Opponents add the proposed law seems frivolous since children under 18 already need parental consent to begin hormone treatment.

The bill was introduced in the Ohio Statehouse last week.

Support in the general assembly is too early to tell.

Siegel adds, "We do not support this bill because we are firm believers in elevating and enriching the lives of LGBT people."

FOX 8 did reach out to the sponsors of this bill for comment; our calls and emails were not returned.

But in testimony back in May, Rep. Brinkman said quote, "Parents have a fundamental right to decide what is best for their children."

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Parent's Rights Bill targeting transgender children generating strong Northeast Ohio opposition

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CLEVELAND- It is being called the latest attempt by anti-LGBTQ extremists inside the Ohio Statehouse, targeting transgender youth. "Teens already have so many things that they have to consider and the obstacles that they're faced with every day." Jackson Siegel, youth program coordinator at Cleveland's LGBT Community Center, responds to House Bill 658 or the Parent's Rights Bill.

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Sarah McBride was the first transgender speaker at a major political event. This is sad, it shouldn't matter that she is transgender or a woman or man, someone is speaking about something they feel passionate about.

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Sarah McBride, first transgender speaker at major political convention, addresses DNC 2016

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LBTQ advocates protest about transgender women getting put in detention facilities.

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LGBTQ activists will be joining millions of people Saturday, June 30 in marches nationwide to protest refugee family separation and the treatment of detainees.

Many LGBTQ immigrants, particularly transgender women, have suffered in detention facilities that often put them in dangerous situations. Sadly, trans Honduran immigrant, Roxsana Hernández died in detention May 25 after being housed in one of the detention facilities nicknamed "ice boxes" for their bitterly cold temperatures. Roxsana was one of many Honduran immigrants who caravaned to the United States, fleeing violence.

Los Angeles activist Jorge Gutierrez, Executive Director of Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement is one of many LGBTQ leaders on the forefront of the issue. He also organized a memorial for Roxsana. "Roxsana's death has infuriated me, but it has re-energized my commitment to abolish ICE, CBP and all prisons. I was one of the first people to talk to her family in Honduras and sharing such painful news with them about their sister broke my heart. So we owe it to Roxsana ... the children in cages, the parents being criminalized and all undocumented people that are experiencing violence at the hands of ICE and CBP to abolish the whole damn deportation machine. We must win!"

The call to abolish ICE, a department created after 9/11, is not new, but it recently got more attention, especially with the win in New York of progressive candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who has also called for abolishing ICE.

Asked what LGBTQ people can do beyond the marches this week, Gutierrez urged the community to support LGBTQ and immigrant rights organizations and to stay in the fight. "LGBTQ people need to show up and demand for the abolishing of ICE, prisons, and all cages. Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera were against prison so we must continue their fight and legacy."
To find a rally on Sat. June 30, visit MoveOn.org or Families Belong Together

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LGBTQ advocates get ready to March June 30

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LGBTQ activists will be joining millions of people Saturday, June 30 in marches nationwide to protest refugee family separation and the treatment of detainees. Many LGBTQ immigrants, particularly transgender women, have suffered in detention facilities that often put them in dangerous situations.

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Saudi arabian women are now allowed to drive. WOW. I thought they were driving until I saw this post that it just got passed so they can drive now.

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These Saudi Women Have Been Imprisoned For Their Activism

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Saudi Arabia's women are finally able to drive. But activists like Loujain al-Hathloul who campaigned for that freedom are stuck in prison.

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Thought this post was interesting about how the BET Awards are less popular then before.

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The BET Awards are one of the few platforms where Black entertainers receive their fair due. Hip-hop artists get to perform for a national audience normally denied to them by other awarding bodies like the Grammys, Emmys, and of course, the Oscars. They do all of this with the awareness that anti-Blackness runs deep around the world, and that having spaces that are "for us by us" isn't just sentimental. It's vital. But Sunday night's awards left quite a bit to be desired. They went with a Wakanda theme that felt stale and way overcooked, given that Black Panther was released six months ago. Host Jamie Foxx, who can usually be counted on to bring the funny, crashed and burned at several moments in the show - including a bit where he mocked comedian Mo'Nique's calling out Netflix for low-balling her on a comedy special offer. There weren't even many big fashion or beauty moments for us to stan. But most bothersome were the moments in which BET revealed that it still hasn't committed to intersectionality as a framework for Black liberation.

I was excited when the pre-show opened with a performance from queer bounce artist, Big Freedia. The awards always take place in June, which is National Pride Month, and Sunday night's event fell on the same day as the official Pride celebration major in cities like New York, Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago. I thought that this powerful opening from a twerking Freedia certainly meant that the show would incorporate some kind of nod to the Black LGBTQ+ community. It did not. Pre-show host Terrence J interviewed Freedia without a single mention of Pride, or even the experience of being queer in hip-hop. As the night progressed, it was clear that none of the showrunners put much thought into LGBTQ+ sensitivity at all.

The shoutouts to the late XXXtentacion were also questionable. During his performance, Meek Mill wore a hoodie with the 20-year-old's face on it. He was also featured prominently in the In Memoriam video montage. Foxx followed the moment up with a lecture to the younger generation about gun violence and better decision-making. But XXXtentacion was not an example of such positive thinking. He nearly beat his gay cellmate to death for looking at him funny while incarcerated. In 2015, he was arrested for beating up his pregnant girlfriend, holding her head under water, threatening to kill her, taking her phone, and holding her hostage. When Pitchfork broke a gripping testimony from the ex-girlfriend in question in September, he responded to critics by threatening to "fuck y'all little sisters in their throats ... Anybody that called me a domestic abuser, I'm finna domestically abuse ya'll little sisters' pussy from the back." In an interview with the Miami New Times, the young rapper said he was against feminism and thought that systemic racial oppression was over.

The decision to include this controversial figure at various moments in the show was just one of the things that betrayed the narrow lens through which the powers that be at BET view Black communities. The lack of women performers - there were seven total, three of whom were doing a tribute to Anita Baker, in comparison to 14 male performers - was another missed opportunity to really to be ahead of the curve. But the BET Awards have never been known for their radicalism. While the MTV Movie & TV Awards have introduced genderless categories and included LGBTQ+ nominees in their best kiss category, the BET Awards are stubbornly singing the same old predictable tunes. Every year, viewers tune in - last night many people called it a Black Twitter family reunion - hoping for a production that moves us forward, only to be disappointed.

The shallow progressiveness of the BET Awards - and honestly the entire network - is reflective of "old school" Black values. They seem to be satisfied with simply targeting a Black audience, but BET is not changing with the times, even though it needs to. They rely on a version of Black excellence that centers on straight Black men as leaders and pillars of the Black community. Heteronormative family structures are uplifted as a guiding light so that only gender roles and sexual expression that are in service of that model are celebrated. Respectability politics swaddle conversations about racial progress and liberation, allowing BET to pat itself on the back for being "woke," without critiquing its own limited framework. It's unfortunate that the BET Awards are one of the only award shows where Black artists get the shine and recognition that they deserve, because they have yet to deliver on a celebration of Blackness that truly validates all of us.

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The BET Awards Used To Lead; Now They're Falling Behind

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The BET Awards are one of the few platforms where Black entertainers receive their fair due. Hip-hop artists get to perform for a national audience normally denied to them by other awarding bodies like the Grammys, Emmys, and of course, the Oscars.

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This post was very interesting and empowering. They all have a voice now!

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ROME - Once a victim of human trafficking and today an activist for the defense of human dignity, a young Nigerian woman was recognized by the U.S. Department of State on Thursday for her efforts in the fight against modern-day slavery.

Blessing Okoedion acknowledged being "very, very emotional" ahead of receiving the "TIP Report Hero Acting to End Modern Slavery Award" in a phone interview with Crux.

The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report has been released in June of every year since 2011, offering an assessment of nation's efforts to combat human trafficking. To date, the State Department has honored 110 "individuals around the world who have devoted their lives to the fight against human trafficking," and Okoedion is the newest recipient.

"The word hero is a proper call to do more and also in a sense an encouragement, encouraging me and us involved in the anti-human trafficking movement that there are people who are behind them and they are not just alone," Okoedion said.

The TIP report project also aims at promoting and sharing the individual stories of award winners in order to galvanize activism against human trafficking across the globe. Okoedion's story, which she details in her 2017 book, The Courage of Freedom: A Woman Escaped from the Hell of Trafficking, co-written with Italian journalist Anna Pozzi, echoes that of many young women around the world who are conned into leaving their homes and forced into prostitution.

A graduate in computer science living in Benin City, Nigeria, Okoedion was tricked by a religious woman into travelling to Europe for work, only to find once she arrived in Italy in 2013 that the computer shop she was supposed to work in did not exist. The young girl was thrown onto the streets and forced into prostitution, from which she rebelled and eventually escaped thanks to the Orsuline religious sisters who took her to Casa Rut, a safehouse in the southern Italian town of Caserta.

It was with the sisters, said Okoedion, who is now 31, that she began to find her dignity, voice and self-respect. She credits Orsuline Sister Rita Giaretta, founder of Casa Rut with helping her escape.

"She doesn't just reintegrate you in society, but she also gives you a voice," Okoedion said about the nun. Ever since, she has been working to help others who have been caught in the global spider web of human trafficking.

Recent data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that in 2016 over 11,000 Nigerian women, most of them underage, have been brought to Italy by traffickers to work in the sex trade, which earns up to $32 billion a year in the country.

These numbers are "discouraging," Okoedion said, given that the Orsuline nuns have been working for over 20 years towards putting a halt to this practice, and Nigeria has also added anti-trafficking policies. Knowing that for every woman forced into trafficking another is being saved and helped to regain her dignity is a source of encouragement for the activist.

"This is how I endure," she said.

Everybody "has to get involved," Okoedion said with passion, "because every human being has a right to freedom. These people should not be denied this freedom, they should not be denied [the right] to live the life that God has meant for them. We have to fight for them."

She spoke similar words in an audience with Pope Francis in May, when she asked the pope how she can help youth become conscious of this "crime against humanity," underlining the fact that many clients, and even traffickers, are Catholics.

Francis called those who take part in "torturing a woman" criminals, and he invited youth to reject this mentality.

"I ask for forgiveness for all the Catholics who commit this criminal act," the pope said.

"The response that Pope Francis gave was very encouraging in speaking to youth especially," Okoedion said. "We, the leaders of tomorrow, not just young people but also those coming of age, [are called] to make this society a better place."

Fighting the mentality is just as important as fighting human traffickers, the activist insisted, pointing to the fact that the growing numbers of victims of trafficking respond to an increase in demand.

"We have to work on the culture of demand," Okoedion said, adding that the next step is "changing the mentality, that no human should be seen as property, no human should be seen as something that you can just buy, use and throw away."

Too often, the TIP award winner said, people claim that human trafficking is only a government problem, or simply born from corruption. Claiming ignorance is no longer an excuse, she continued, saying that "no one should close their eyes to what is happening right under our noses."

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), over 40 million people lived in a condition of modern slavery in 2016, with numbers on the rise. In light of these staggering numbers, Okoedion believes that no one should be exempt from being informed and taking action.

"Everyone should put his or her hands on the desk to fight against human trafficking that is digging deep into our society," she said.

Her desire is that the TIP Report award will offer hope, especially for trafficked women, that they have a right to freedom and that they don't need their parents or country's support to earn their dignity, because "there are many people in the world who are fighting for their freedom."

"I dedicate this award to many women victims of human trafficking, to survivors. This award is for us all, an encouragement to all of them. [It's] an encouragement for all those living in fear that it's possible to get out of the den of human traffickers," Okoedion said.

As the young Nigerian, deceived into leaving her home and exploited on the streets, prepared to receive the award in Washington, D.C., she was aware of being a model for many others just like her.

"It doesn't matter the background you come from, we have to be a voice to everybody, so everybody can live in absolute freedom," she said.

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Trafficking survivor and anti-slavery activist gives voice to others like her

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ROME - Once a victim of human trafficking and today an activist for the defense of human dignity, a young Nigerian woman was recognized by the U.S. Department of State on Thursday for her efforts in the fight against modern-day slavery.

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This activist group is known for pushing buttons and crossing lines. They are all about eating animals who have lives too.

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Previously, I've written about Direct Action Everywhere (DXE), an extreme activist group that believes in animal liberation (all animals need to be given the same "freedoms" as humans). DXE's opposition to the mere existence of animal agriculture is clear, with founder Wayne Hsiung stating, "We are trying to destroy animal agriculture," when speaking at the 2016 National Animal Rights Conference.

DXE is known for crossing lines and breaking laws in the name of activism. They have made numerous unauthorized visits to farms (they call these "stealth visits") and entered barns to take photos or videos of alleged cruelty.

In some instances, they have stolen animals during these visits. DXE has also held protests at farms and food companies in addition to various other publicity stunts (holding "funerals" for animals, placing flowers in the meat case at a grocery store, putting stickers on egg cartons in stores, etc.).

In late May, DXE conducted its largest "open rescue" yet, with a group of about 500 activists descending on an egg farm in Petaluma, Cal. (a supplier to Whole Foods, previously the target of a DXE 'investigation') who entered barns, removing 37 birds. After law enforcement got involved, around 40 activists were arrested. The whole incident was broadcast live on Facebook.

Be Prepared
Unfortunately, farms, processing plants and any other locations that are involved in the process of producing meat, poultry, milk and eggs need to prepare to potentially face similar incidents, as the perpetrators are already calling for others to follow their lead. Now is the time to review security procedures and consider taking additional measures such as installing gates, fences and locks. The Alliance has many farm security resources that we would be glad to share with you.

The Alliance also is constantly consulting with security and crisis experts so it can provide farmers with the most up-do-date resources and advice. Public relations agency kglobal has an Animal Agricultural Crisis Team who provided the following suggestions:

All producers are potential targets for activists, no matter the size or even location of your operation. You should meet with local law enforcement agents right now in preparation for any possible protest or undercover expose and get a lawyer's advice to prepare for any possibility. Local laws are going to vary based on variables like whether a permit is required for the protest assembly, etc. The more proactive producers are (especially if they hear rumors about a threat or if there has been a nearby protest), the better position they'll be in if an event materializes.

Crisis plans should be created with a crisis expert team, including legal counsel if possible, and various scenarios should be explored as soon as possible. Without a plan in place, you can be more easily victimized by the activists who know their plan.

Don't give protesters ammunition through any kind of confrontation. Especially do not get into a public confrontation with news media.

If possible, record video of any protestor trespassing and/or stealing of property or animals. Record as much of the event, including actions of law enforcement agents.

Follow the Animal Agriculture Alliance cautions to secure and lock buildings, maintain security cameras and not physically or verbally threaten protesters during an attack. Consistent messaging and knowing what owners and staff should and shouldn't do under crisis circumstances are crucial to practice as part of your crisis planning.

While we hope no other producer will ever have to face this type of situation, prior planning and preparation can help prevent a crisis from escalating. The Alliance will continue doing everything it can to help protect animal agriculture from the threats of extreme activism.

Editor's Note: Hannah Thompson-Weeman is Communications Director at the Animal Agriculture Alliance. The opinions in this commentary are expressly those of the author. For more insights into activist activity and farm security, visit www.animalagalliance.org or contact us at info@animalagalliance.org. For additional hiring and farm security resources, contact hthompson@animalagalliance.org or visit www.animalagalliance.org.

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Producers Need to Be Prepared for Large-Scale Activist Protests

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Previously, I've written about Direct Action Everywhere (DXE), an extreme activist group that believes in animal liberation (all animals need to be given the same "freedoms" as humans). DXE's opposition to the mere existence of animal agriculture is clear, with founder Wayne Hsiung stating, "We are trying to destroy animal agriculture," when speaking at the 2016 National Animal Rights Conference.