Western feminism’s timeline explained to my 8-year-old African-Asian-European nephew:

1492 – Early 18th century – A handful of privileged European men gave themselves the right to rule the world and brutally shut the door behind them.

Late 18th – Early 20th century – Educated European men declared themselves White and humanity’s standard, meaning normalized: they called themselves normal. They named Africans with dark skin, Black, meaning racialized and not normal. They placed Black people at the limit of humanity, neither fully human nor fully animal, in their blinded eyes. Meanwhile, a handful of privileged White women gained equal rights to rule womanhood and swiftly shut the door behind them.

1940s/50s – 1980s – A handful of privileged White women gained equal rights to rule the world. White middle-class women gained equal rights to rule womanhood and traditionally shut the door behind them.

1960s – Present – Racialized Black women, standing high on the strong shoulders of many ancestors, have been fighting for equal rights to rule their own lives. Their struggles tore open doors that equally resilient women from the global majority, women with disabilities, those living with medical conditions and mental health struggles, and LGBTQ+ communities have pushed further, breaking through additional barriers on the authentic path to liberation. Everybody can join, but we must always make sure to keep the door open for others, too.

In Africa, we say it takes a village to raise a child: Auntie Linda’s work done. ✅

To all adults who want to continue to grow, Western feminism has long been about power—about who gets to rule and who gets ruled. But true liberation isn’t about ruling others; it’s about breaking free from abusive and exploitative patterns and systems, and reaching true (self)-empowerment along the way.

The path to (self)-empowerment is enlightenment, as India has known for 3000 years. If you’re curious about how decolonizing science can help achieve liberation, I invite you to explore my thoughts further on my blog: https://reappearance.blog/

Happy Women’s Day to all!