What is the relation between gender, sexuality, and colonialism?

 

Colonialism throughout history has been a tool for states to extend their authority over various territories and people with an aim of economic dominance. However economic dominance had several steppingstones behind, which included sexual violence, gender discrimination coupled with racism and altering value judgements about various roles of the native people who were prey of colonists. ‘Colonialism itself was a gendered process” (Smith). One of the biggest examples of colonialism in history is occupation of American land by European which not only result in many kinds of other violence but impacted and destroyed Native American women in many ways. As this essay moves on, I will discuss the role of gender in occupation of land, mutilation of sexuality as a tool to exert dominance and the impact of such history on modern society.

Gender itself is not a biological characteristic according to many schools of thoughts. It is a set of characteristics that are socially defined to belong to certain group of people. The very definition gives one an idea how can such concept be manipulated to be used to repress a society. Europeans when came to American land found out huge difference between their gender roles and those of America. This difference was rather unacceptable and was slowly not only eradicated rather these roles were redefined into what were acceptable to them. “Native women roles were complementary rather then necessarily subservient as they were in British culture”. Native American women has more responsibilities in the domestic sphere and were holder of more power and higher social stage in comparison to British and European women. British would often criticize women doing farming as to them women were delicate, and farming was a “manly” task. These women also had more political and economic power and independence in comparison to other women of other colonies. This was again rather unacceptable for Europeans and slowly they tuned such culture out of the society which indeed was how colonialism itself was a gendered process. This however has a close relationship with the sexual representation of women and how was it affected and violated when colonists arrived.

Native women were sexually violated to exert dominance on the society as whole. When a woman appeared in front of the court in any case of barbarity and harassment household, she was advised to return to the same household and continue with the same hell again. (Smith). The colonialists guaranteed that the women had the slightest legal rights. Except for the right to take divorce and some limited property rights, they still had no typical legal rights. This oppression coupled with sexual violence resulted in demoralization of Native women. This is where the link between gender and sexuality exists in relation to colonialism. By violating the sexuality of women, they made the society surrender. By demoralizing the previously powerful women and forcing them to follow the norms that are acceptable to European culture the traditions of Native Americans collapsed. The devastation of the culture of society weakened them and thus made it easier for the colonist to over throne the tribes and tribal lords. Also, this demoralization resulted in repression of the people. Revolts at first were rare and were not very powerful. Though some revolts rose and impacted greatly to the Europeans trying to occupy but, in the end, failed. Colonialism brought the toughest phase for slave women. They were treated inhumanly and were worked to their limits on daily basis.

The inculcation of European elements in the society of Native Americans and demoralizing the gender roles had a much more impact that we can imagine. Not only the colonists destroyed the society but also creative a impression that what they were doing was right and the people who were Native to the land were indeed okay and good with what was happening to them. Pocahontas, who was the daughter of the chief Powhatan, was a subject of oppression and cruelty. She was abducted by the colonists at the age of 17. She was forced to marry a European. This however is the total opposite of what the very popular movie on her shows. In that movie she is shown as a princess who was happy supporting the European. This stereotypical thinking still exists in the society today which results in very disturbing events. Native women are 1/3 times more likely to be raped and are much more likely to suffer from violence and crimes.

Indeed we can see how colonialism related to gender and sexuality. It uses violation of sexuality and altering of gender roles in order to achieve its aims. This practice related in long lasting effects on the community and humanity as whole. Aftershocks of which we still suffer today.