Addressing the intersections of racism, colonialism, and patriarchy for the elimination of racial discrimination

It is a moment to once again raise our voices on the urgent and ongoing need to confront the legacies of colonialism, systemic racism, and the intersecting systems of oppression that continue to fill our hearts with pain and fear because of the real-life adverse impacts on the people and planet.

We take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment and intentionality to recognize and act upon the wisdom, experiences and voices of black women, women of color, lesbian, bisexual, trans, queer, and indigenous women, in all their diversities, who have faced historical and contemporary discrimination and exclusion, who–as a consequence–often live in poverty and in invisibility, and more importantly take concrete actions to address the root causes of such injustice in all its forms. 

It is important to first understand the complex historical and contemporary intersections of racism, colonialism, and patriarchy, and how they reinforce each other to create direct and disproportionate harm in the lives of marginalized individuals and communities. To effectively address these systemic issues, we must deepen our understanding of their root causes and take decisive, strategic actions to dismantle them. As part of MenEngage’s concrete commitment to action, we recognize that critical to this task-both understanding and acting-is listening to, centering, and elevating the voices, analyses, and demands of those who experience or are at the center of these oppressive systems. Their lived experiences and insights are essential in informing and guiding our efforts to dismantle the ruling power structures and achieve justice (MenEngage Alliance, 2021, Ubuntu Declaration and Call for Action). Simply acting without a clear understanding of what needs to be done, or without being informed and led by the knowledge and analysis of those most affected, can be counterproductive to the vision of racial justice and justice in general. Being an ally, an agent of change, requires not only understanding the oppressive systems and one’s own position within them, but also committing to accountability and action that is rooted in the leadership of those on the margins for their contributions towards dismantling the ruling power structures.

Why? Because racism is about a system of oppression and discrimination, and systems change when people and societies, as a collective, change. 

As a global Alliance working with men and boys for gender justice, an intersectional approach to our work is needed because when we challenge patriarchy, a system that privileges male dominance and enforces rigid gender norms, we also challenge the racial hierarchies that perpetuate inequalities and oppressions. 

An intersectional approach allows us to recognize how our lived experiences are not based on a single identity or independent categories such as woman or man, rich or poor, black or white or brown. Rather, we experience our lives at the intersections of various categories of identities simultaneously. This is why we experience both privilege and marginalization as intersectional, multiple, and simultaneous processes.

For instance, within a patriarchal system all men are privileged over women. Drawing upon the work of Kimberle Crenshaw, a law professor and civil rights activist, who coined the term intersectionality, we also recognize that within the same patriarchal system racialized men often face distressing and harmful stereotypes. These stereotypes portray them as hypermasculine, aggressive, or threatening, which justifies their marginalization and violence against them (think of brown-Muslim men as terrorists, Chinese men as effeminate, or Black men as thugs). At the same time, white masculinity is often praised as the normative ideal, reinforcing white supremacy and privileging white men over all others. These dynamics are not only harmful to men of color but also perpetuate broader systems of racial and gender inequality. For example, Frank Rudy Cooper, professor of law and gender justice advocate, notes “heterosexual black men’s subordination of women and gays implies acceptance of the idea that some identity hierarchies are legitimate and thereby tacitly acknowledges the legitimacy of the racial hierarchy that oppresses us.”

This is why, by challenging these harmful and exploitative practices of masculinities, built on hierarchies of exclusion and power, and promoting transformative masculinities, MenEngage Alliance aims to promote transformative masculinities that align with equity, justice, and inclusion.

Transformative masculinities are essential for practicing racial justice because they encourage men to critically examine their roles within systems of power and privilege. This involves rejecting dominant norms of masculinity that perpetuate violence, control, and emotional suppression, and instead embracing values of care, solidarity, and accountability. For racial justice to be achieved, men must actively challenge the ways in which patriarchy and racism intersect to oppress marginalized communities. This includes leveraging their privilege to amplify the voices of those most affected by systemic injustice and working to redistribute power within institutions and communities.

Furthermore, the rise of white supremacist, far-right movements globally underscores the urgency of addressing the intersections of masculinities, patriarchy, and racial justice. These ideologies often rely on rigid gender norms and ethnonationalist narratives to mobilize support and polarize societies. These movements reinforce harmful masculinities that perpetuate racism, xenophobia, and exclusion. By promoting transformative masculinities, MenEngage Alliance aims to counter these narratives and build solidarity across diverse communities.

As Audre Lorde, a Black, Lesbian, feminist, disabled, poet, reminds us, “We share a common interest, survival, and it cannot be pursued in isolation from others simply because their differences make us uncomfortable.” (Lorde’s address: “Learning from the 60s” as part of the celebration of the Malcolm X weekend at Harvard University, February, 1982.) 

Lastly, shifting the focus internally, MenEngage Alliance also acknowledges the importance and urgency of making space for rigorous discussions about systemic racism and white supremacy within our own coordination and governance structures, as well as supporting member organizations to do the same. MenEngage Alliance commits to an ongoing process of collective self-reflection, self-education and taking practical, yet bold, steps to address the root causes of the manifestations of systemic racism and white supremacy in our organising, programs, policies, practices and strategies.

poster image by vectorjuice from freepik