Africana womanism is a distinct philosophy rooted in diaspora identity

Evidence

Hudson-Weems argues for a distinction between Western feminism and African feminism through what she terms, “Africana womanist” and “mainstream feminist views”. In her postulations, the Africana womanist is significantly different from the mainstream Western feminist, particularly in her perspective on and approach to issues in society given the different historical realities and present stance in society for Western and African women. Africana feminism, or womanism, is rooted in Africana philosophy – an identity narrative articulated by people of African descent residing in the diasporas worldwide. Hudson-Weems further argues that while the direct experiences of African women on the continent may differ from the direct experiences of Africana women in the diaspora, the sum total of their being relates to a history of exclusion and discrimination owing to patriarchy, colonialism and slavery. — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 924

Categorization

• DEFINE: Hudson-Weems’s Africana womanism as distinct from Western feminism.
• XREF: Clarifies the Africana womanism concept central to African feminist philosophy literature.