In college, I recall having a discussion regarding Affirmative Action.  Like most Black folk, back then I assumed that Affirmative Action was for minorities…namely Blacks.  What amazed me, and most of my classmates, was a revelation by my White, male professor…

“White women have benefited more from Affirmative Action than any other minority group.”

There was a collective silence as we mulled this over.  What did he mean?  Why then would any self-respecting White woman argue against Affirmative Action?  When a White woman proclaims that Affirmative Action leads to inequality (usually them damn uber-right wing Republicans), does that not make her a hypocrite and ignorant as all get out?

WOMEN–ESPECIALLY WHITE WOMEN–ARE BRIDGING THE SALARY GAP WITH MEN, BUT BLACK AND HISPANIC WOMEN LAG FAR BEHIND.

Over the past 15 years, the gap in men’s and women’s pay has narrowed.

Today, women earn 76.4¢ for every dollar earned by men, vs. 62.5¢ in 1979.

But black women earn only 66¢ of every dollar men earn, and Hispanic women earn 58¢.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/1995/08/01/205199/index.htm

Granted these stats are over decade old, they have pretty much held up over time.  So what do they mean?

They mean that if you’re a woman, you’re screwed financially with respect to your male counterparts.  But if you’re a Black woman, you’re f*cked.  And if you’re a Latina, you’re practically giving it away.

Women are Racially Diverse, Financially United

These stats also point to a very effective tactic that has been used throughout history; Divide and Conquer.  Men, White men, have effectively pitted those who should be aligned within similar causes against one another.   Whether it’s Black against Jew or Latino against Black, minorities as a whole allow ourselves to get pimped left and right.

Looking at the numbers, it’d be financial suicide for any White woman to argue against Affirmative Action.

Looking at the numbers, it’s assanine for Black and Latina women to see themselves as apart from one another let alone White woman.

We are sisters of the same cause and yet we let our race and our politics divide us.  It therefore is no wonder that men rule the world.  Who gives a damn if he’s pussy-whipped at home when at the end of the day, they dictate the amount of pennies in our purse?