Episode 153: Rafia Zakaria on her book "Against White Feminism"

en(gender)ed

On this episode of en(gender)ed, guest host Roman James interviews feminist lawyer, human rights activist, political philosopher, columnist and author, Rafia Zakaria about her newly released book, Against White Feminism, Notes on Disruption. Roman speaks with Rafia about the historic domination of the feminist lexicon by upper middle-class white women, the de-centering of Black and Brown voices, and the role that patriarchy plays in perpetuating white supremacist, capitalist, imperialist feminism which often subjugates the very populations it asserts to be empowering.

Roman James is mama to the most wonderful, generous, and intelligent light being she ever met. Additionally, she serves as an activist and resistor of the violence imposed on women and children in the archaic American family court system having been radicalized by the institutional betrayal of the legal system. Her purpose is to thrive in her self-possession, rise above the systemic failures and leave everyone she comes in contact with better off for having met her.

During our conversation, Roman and Rafia referenced the following resources:

• Rafia’s journey to becoming a feminist.
• Rafia’s perspective on women being tasked to be disrupters.
• 1893 World’s Fair’s showcase of the “White City” and the exclusion of Black people and communities
• The controversy behind ESPN reporter Maria Taylor and Rachel Nicols
• The double standard and racism behind “culturally-coded crimes”

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