Sexism
Bell Hooks shows how the discrimination against women developed from the slavery era in America. These forms of discrimination include the denial of the right to vote, to work and earn income and a fair hearing in the law courts. Women faced more problems during the slavery era for they were considered the weaker sex. This discrimination however weighed heavily on black slave women for they were also discriminated on the basis of race.
The book recounts how women were denied the right to vote when the male gender could vote and be in the government. The lawmakers considered it prudent to deny all women the right to vote including white women whose social status was higher than that of the male slave but they granted the male slave the right to vote. Women were also denied the right to work for a salary. Courts found it against natural laws for women to work and earn income. Black women were forced to work but were paid meager wages so that they could be able to cover their basic needs. Whereas white women were caregivers and housewives.
Black women were also terrorized by men for they did not have any laws to protect and defend their dignity. Black women were raped at will by both black male slaves and white men. The narrator recounts a story of a girl named Ana who fought against a white man who attempted to rape her. Ironically, she was punished for her self defense while the predatory man was set free. The court based this argument on the basis that the defendant was female and black. Furthermore, for black women and men who worked on the plantations, women worked harder than men but they were never given the leadership role of overseer. This position which was the highest that a slave could have was reserved for the black male slave. The female slaves were never rewarded for the quality work that they did but were rather punished harshly for shoddy work.
Violence against slaves
Bell Hooks recounts horrific tales of the harsh treatment of slaves both onboard slave ships and also those who worked in the plantations or at the homes of their owners. These tales were told by observers or those who had suffered in the slavery era. The narrator tells of how black women who were regarded as weak and defenseless were often raped by their slave masters. They were also badly beaten for minute misunderstandings. The slave masters did this in an attempt to ‘break them in’ and ensure that they became docile and unresponsive to their mistreatment. On the plantations where the slaves were taken to work, they were whipped for not accomplishing a task. Simon Bradley who was a slave at the time recounts an incident where a woman was badly beaten and later burnt with candle wax because she burnt the tips of the waffles while she was making them. This violence was exerted by slave masters to their slaves in order to reinforce their authority on their slaves.
