By In a video from O, The Oprah Magazine’s Super Soul Sessions, Glennon Doyle Melton takes on the issue of oppression, addressing white women. She says she understands that white women are feeling fear and degradation but they must realize they are only experiencing an ounce of what people of color, religious minorities, LGBTQ+, the poor, and other marginalized groups have felt for far too long.
She also reminds everyone that the fight cannot be just against misogyny but must also take on homophobia, transphobia, classism, and poverty.
As part of a privileged group, Melton says, it took “being personally affected” to finally recognize the problem. She goes on to say, “we cannot show up for the movement and say ‘here we are’ until we say ‘we are so damn sorry it took us so long.’” She also reminds everyone that the fight cannot be just against misogyny but must also take on homophobia, transphobia, classism, and poverty.
Melton tells everyone that “the fight for civil rights is not new, we [white women] are just new to it,” and cautions against taking the role of White Savior and instead allowing for the real leaders-women of color-to take control and show you how to help. Her final message is to learn about and get to know the work of strong women like Maya Angelou, Linda Sarsour, and Carmen Perez and fight like they are fighting because “if our White feminism doesn’t become intersectional, it will become nothing.”