Serena Di Benedetto

Reading note #6
Indigenous feminism: what it is and what does the future hold?
Lenard Monkman
The key concept of this article is that these Indigenous women are advocating the fight for
women’s rights when it comes to their land, bodies and their children. They want to be the voice
of Indigenous feminism and stop the stereotype of hatred amongst Indigenous people all together
and through this we see what the future holds for Indigenous women,
 Tasha Spillett shares her stories of being an indigenous women and explains how “its an
affirmation that indigenous women have always has inherent sovereignty over our bodies
over our spirits and land bases”, in simpler terms she is fighting for rights of herself as an
indigenous women, the land that she lives and advocate for the rights of her children and
their future.
 She explains that Indigenous feminism honours her relationship with the land, and her
kindship relationships with the animals and water.
 The main goal of indigenous feminism is: protecting their land and waters, and putting
their families back together again.
 She is hopeful that the conversations on feminism spark a better understanding in
Indigenous communities.
 For many, Indigenous feminism has and will always maintain integrity towards the love
of Indigenous lives and land, that is why creating the conversations of feminism for
people to understand help people be open to connecting and accepting these things.

Issues/Questions:
1. What can those who aren’t females or Indigenous do to be a feminist voice for those
Indigenous women?
2. Why are Indigenous women constantly fighting for their basic rights as women just to
protect what is theirs? (their land, children and their own bodies).