Introduction 

Feminism positively impacts the lives of a significant number of women; however, that number of women is disproportionately white and privileged (Sa'ar, 2005). The origins of Western feminism are steeped in colonialism, such that the movement is widely interpreted as a form of ideological imperialism (Sa'ar, 2005). Throughout this paper, mentions of Western feminism (unless defined as historical) are referencing mainstream contemporary Western feminism (Sa'ar, 2005). Mainstream Western feminism is defined as the liberal, Marxist, radical/cultural and social feminist ideologies (Sa'ar, 2005). These ideologies heavily differ; however, "they are unified and hegemonic in their exclusion of the U.S. Third World feminism" (Sa'ar, 2005). Western feminism arises from a privileged, white perspective centring exclusively on gender discrimination, dismissing the societal factors that uniquely affect women of colour (WOC) and discounting the contributions of WOC to second-wave feminism (Sa'ar, 2005). Recognizing the post-colonial and decolonial feminist lens is vital in understanding the hegemonic structures of Western feminism (Diebold, 2021). Consequently, when uncovering the colonialism lurking in Western feminism, it is crucial to examine how colonist sentiments are perpetuated by driving WOC to assimilate into eurocentric ideologies standards of femininity and reject WOC's autonomy in combatting gendered oppression.

Assimilation: The White Struggle For Equality

Colonialism has structurally altered Western feminism so that solidarity with WOC is often preformative and conditional. In their thesis, Davanger develops the idea of latent ethnocentrism, the structural bias to a superior group-Self that influences knowledge production and ideology (Davanger, 2018). Davanger identifies latent eurocentrism present in the Western feminist movement with several case studies such as the WOC-led #MeToo online protest and the 2017 U.S Women's March, wherein issues related to WOC received less attention from white feminists (Davanger, 2018). Davanger also found that WOC are reprimanded for "lacking solidarity" as feminists when discussing WOC-centric issues online (Davanger, 2018). These studies demonstrate that colonialism is present in Western feminism with eurocentric systemic bias and continues to oppress WOC with censorship, blocking progress on matters disproportionately affecting WOC. Furthermore, for WOC to engage in and benefit from mainstream feminism, they must take the 'liberal bargain.' The 'liberal bargain' is the phenomenon wherein "some members of marginalized groups internalize liberal epistemology to maximize security and optimize their life options" due to their disadvantaged position of liberal order (Sa'ar, 2005). Within Western feminism, WOC are incentivized to assimilate to Western feminist ideals, giving up their histories and adopting liberal modes of thinking for upward mobility within society (Sa'ar, 2005). Thus, conditioning marginalized groups, such as WOC, to minimize encounters with symbolic forms of sexism or racism (Sa'ar, 2005). As such, the 'liberal bargain' demonstrates the current effects of colonialism by oppressing the voices and perspectives of WOC and effectively whitewashing the feminist movement into conforming to a eurocentric view of gender-based issues and excluding the societal factors unique to WOC. Overall, colonialism has prevented WOC and WOC issues from being addressed in Western feminism due to structural eurocentric bias in the movement. 

Conformity: The Excuse for Dehumanization

Eurocentric standards of femininity have contributed to the disempowerment and dehumanization of WOC, and Western feminism is complicit. WOC's inability to adhere to the eurocentric standards of feminity and beauty oppress them in Western feminism. Western feminist theories exclude race in discourse, resulting in the 'unmarked' feminine subject, assumed white, effectively naturalizing and embedding the privilege of whiteness and eurocentrism in feminist theory as the 'normal' (Hoskin, 2013). Furthermore, when not invisible, the racially unmarked femme has historically been caricatured by the negative stereotypes and the historically lower status associated with their racial communities (Accapadi, 2007). Accapadi elaborates that "when there is conflict among women, the norms under which these conflicts are managed are based on White societal norms," the white woman inherently will 'win' (Accapadi, 2007). Thus, demonstrating that WOC are disempowered by colonialism in Western feminism as they are disadvantaged when engaging in racial discourse because eurocentric societal norms and white fragility can censor them. In addition, colonialism in Western feminism dehumanizes WOC by inherently holding them to a lesser standard of humanity and femininity. Additionally, Western feminism is complicit in aiding colonialism with the normalization of violence against Indigenous women. Eurocentric feminity lies in the reproductive and sexual value of the European woman (Diebold, 2021). Historically, Indigenous women threatened the patriarchy with their power in pre-colonial society; as such, they were sexually demonized and dehumanized by the eurocentric values of patriarchy, resulting in the structural normalization of gendered violence against Indigenous women as a form of patriarchal control (Diebold, 2021). Radical feminist frameworks distort the links of colonialism and racial inequality to Indigenous femicide by upholding the colonist frameworks of gendered violence with their narrow identification of femicide (Diebold, 2021). Ultimately, the inability of radical feminism to address the femicide of Indigenous women and its structural roots in patriarchal notions of acceptable womanhood and gendered violence indicates that colonialism has rendered Western feminism unable to address racialized gender violence in any meaningful way. In summary, the eurocentric precedent of feminity and its role in dismissing the voices and issues regarding WOC in Western feminism demonstrates colonial oppression's continued effect in contemporary times.

Rejection of Autonomy: The ‘Correct’ Feminism

Western feminism infantilizes WOC, encouraging a lack of autonomy when addressing the issues that disproportionately affect them. This phenomenon is prominent in the contemporary sex work discourse. Migrant sex workers, particularly from the global South, are othered and infantilized, labelled future victims of transnational sex trafficking rather than autonomous adults (Valadier, 2013). Furthermore, Western feminists reduce the migrant sex workers to passive subjects of the imperialist interventions of First World countries, instead substituting their native voices with the voice of colonial helpers who create legislation to regulate their bodies and movements (Valadier, 2013). Thus, the eurocentric superiority of Western feminists being weaponized against migrant sex workers to regulate their autonomy is another form of current colonialism oppressing WOC. Additionally, Western feminism dictates what is empowering for women with a eurocentric bias, often discounting the methods of combatting oppression adopted by the "Third World Woman" (Mohanty, 1988). Western feminism believes the "Third World Woman" to be a monolith, generalizing the cultural practices of WOC, believing practices such as veiling as solely detrimental to feminism as sexual oppression, and the women who engage in such practices objects of the patriarchy lacking in autonomy (Mohanty, 1988). However, Mohanty reveals that 'oppressive' cultural practices can also be reclaimed by WOC for their empowerment: "Iranian middle class women veiled themselves during the 1979 revolution to indicate solidarity with their veiled working class sisters...wearing the veil is both an oppositional and revolutionary gesture on the part of Iranian middle class women'' (Mohanty, 1988). By generalizing the cultural practices of WOC, Western feminism insinuates that WOC cannot be agents of their liberation without the intervention of eurocentric ideals, indicating that colonist sentiments continue to affect WOC negatively in the modern day. In summary, Western feminism denies the autonomy and ability of Third World feminists and WOC, perpetuating colonist values of eurocentric superiority. 

Conclusion 

Colonialism continues to oppress WOC today, with structural eurocentrism in Western feminism forcing WOC to assimilate and conform to eurocentric ideologies and feminity, rejecting the agency WOC have in addressing gender issues. WOC must embody eurocentric modes of feminist thinking, abandoning histories of racialized gendered discrimination to assimilate to benefit in the inherently eurocentric views of Western feminism. WOC's inability to conform to patriarchal and eurocentric notions of femininity is weaponized to censor the voices of WOC when engaging in racial discourse and overlooked in addressing structural gendered violence. Furthermore, Western feminism infantilizes and removes agency from WOC when addressing gendered oppression affecting them. These phenomena reveal the structural colonialism within the Western feminist movement and its current role in oppressing marginalized groups of women. Therefore, the hegemonic and eurocentric structure of mainstream Western feminism must be addressed to achieve true gender equity for all women. 

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