Abstract
Sexual conquest and colonization performed in the name of Christianity have continually exploited Native American women. Continuously, European colonial powers have been used to create forms of inequity that have affected Indigenous women. From as early as the 16th century, images of “The New World” were produced. One would either see the “evil” Indigenous woman naked holding the head of a white settler, or an attractive woman sitting on top of food and gold. The former image represented a woman in desperate need of Christianity, while the latter represented the fertility of the land, its resources, and the women themselves. Both of these images were used as strategic tools in sexual conquest and colonization. This colonial rhetoric was carefully constructed propaganda to sexualize Native Women to encourage settlers to come to “The New World.” In the present day, Native American women experience the highest levels of sexual violence of any racial group in The United States. This interpretive work examines Christian colonial ideas and how such ideas contributed to the exploitation of Native women. This research uses comparative work of both primary and secondary sources through a feminist and queer studies research approach that considers intersectionality and cultural constructions. The results of this research reinterpret Christian colonial rhetoric that allow for a clearer understanding of the modern view of Native American women and the inequities they face.
Presenters
Sarah WilsonStudent, Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies, The University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Colonization, Human Rights, Gender, Sexuality, Indigenous, Patriarchy, Women, Religious Violence
