Tag Archives: Black Woman

Feminist Notions

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I told you I have never considered myself a feminist, but consider the notions I had as a strong black woman (and maybe you did or still do have) that could be considered feminist:

    1) Men and women are equal in all ways.
    2) I don’t need a man to provide for or protect me.
    3) We will split everything 50/50 in my marriage (bills, duties, etc.).
    4) I’m not in favor of abortion for me, but I believe women should have a choice to decide what they want to do with their own bodies.
    5) You should be able to love whoever finds you loveable and you find loveable, no matter what gender.

As I examine my former thoughts, I realize that I gave priority to my womanhood; I considered my existence by giving preference to my female desires with little or no regard to the negative effects on men or children. These feminist notions truly are from the human spirit and not the Holy Spirit, but they made me feel good about myself and humanity. I believed that humanity could evolve from the bondages of patriarchal boundaries by removing the boundaries to freely choose unrestrained egalitarianism or even matriarchy.

Yes, we are free to choose, but we are not free to choose any natural consequences of our decisions. When we as Christians decide what’s best for us apart from God, we have eliminated Him as God in our life and have taken the throne (Judges 17:6, 21:25). Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), and if we believe that, our decisions have to reflect that.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

God's Priorities

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As I have discussed in previous entries, with any worldview there are extremists. There is the extreme feminist, even among Christians. The radical feminist theologian challenges the authority of the Bible by judging it from her point of view. She also considers the Bible just as inspired as other texts and uses them equally to inform her views.

The extreme Afrocentrist is a black supremacist. She believes that people of African descent are superior to those of other races in all ways, including intellect and culture. It is dangerous to align yourself with either theory because of the extremes. I took a leap and called myself, for the most part, an Afrocentrist, because of Dr. Asante’s emphasis to bring Afrocentrism to the table along with other views; this has been his original intent.

Some may say I should be brave and call myself a feminist. After all, “You do believe in women’s rights.” And even though it seems a newspaper first called women advocating women’s rights feminists (http://tinyurl.com/dc88a7) , and not the women themselves, I am still hesitant because I don’t agree with some major issues being advocated, such as all the tentacles placed under reproductive rights (like abortion rights and contraception as birth control). Must I use a term determined for me just because it seems accurate or do I determine the label based on my prescribed priorities?

I keep asking myself, “Why, Christian, do you look to the world to name and define you when God has already given you parameters in His holy word?” While I cannot deny the racial and gender experiences that I have had in this world, I must use as a starting point the book that has declared me a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). God has prescribed priorities for me, and these are where I need to get my labels. So as I continue to develop a new theory for the Christian who is female and black, I will base what my focus should be and how I should be treated based upon what God says about Christian women and blacks. The next few entries should be really interesting. In the meantime, check out some of the Scriptures that have helped to inform my view: Psalm 9:9, 10:18, 103:6; Isaiah 58:6; Acts 2:17-18, 10:38; Ezekiel 22:29-31; Titus 2:3-5; Jeremiah 9:17-21; Leviticus 19:15; Ephesians 4:11; Galatians 3:28).

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Sheroe List

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100greatestafricanamericans
For his book “100 Greatest African Americans,” Dr. Molefi Asante used five factors for his selection criteria:

    1. “significance in the general progress of African Americans toward full equality in the American social and political system”
    2. “self-sacrifice and a willingness to take great risks for the collective good”
    3. “unusual will and determination in the face of great danger and against the most stubborn odds”
    4. “a consistent posture toward raising the social, cultural and economic status of African Americans”
    5. “personal achievement that reveals the best qualities of the African American people”

As Christian women who are black, how can we develop criteria for a Christian womanhood that includes the racial part of us without compromising biblical mandates? I would love your feedback to help me solidify a new theory, one that I have been developing for years.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Afrocentrism

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Dr. Molefi Asante

Dr. Molefi Asante

“You’re Afrocentric,” people often say to me, referring to my hair or the way I often dress. This is because I’ve worn my hair in its natural state for the past 17 years and don African clothes. Hair and clothes are just outward expressions, though, and don’t necessarily reflect a person’s worldview. Afrocentrism or Afrocentricity is much more than hair and clothes. This theory explores African identity from the perspective of African people throughout the world. Afrocentrism, developed by scholar Molefi Kete Asante, Ph.D. (though many more before him advanced the concept), more than two decades ago, also seeks to look at the world by emphasizing the contributions of people of African descent. If you practice Afrocentrism you are an Afrocentrist and your view is Afrocentric.

This concept has gone from the classroom and into everyday life, as seen in the comments toward me. As this concept has spread many have rejected it because of the view that Afrocentrists seek to displace other views in favor of Afrocentrism. Dr. Asante says that his goal is to have Afrocentrism as one view among many. The goal of Afrocentrism is not to displace but to come along side other worldviews to offer an alternative view, one through the eyes of people who have often been marginalized and made to embrace other cultures (i.e., European) without regard to their own (http://tinyurl.com/conpew). This theory, like feminism and just about any other worldview, has extremists. The extreme Afrocentrist may believe in black supremacy and seek to replace all other worldviews.

So some women who call themselves strong black women consider themselves Afrocentric. And though I’m recovering from my strong black woman status, I consider myself, for the most part, an Afrocentrist. Beyond my clothes and hair, my personal goal is for people to see, hear and understand all of me, not just the Christian me, but the black me and the woman me. I have to be on guard so that Afrocentrism doesn’t become extreme in me and I forget that Christ has called me to be a minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). In a non-biblical way, people can reconcile by seeing each other and not trying to be the other. But higher than that is the way of Christ, where true reconciliation is with God the Father through a relationship with Jesus Christ. As I seek to have people understand me, the first way I need to promote is the way of Christ.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Africana Womanism

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In my college days in search to self identity as a black woman living in America, I read a lot of literature. One of my favorite authors during my quest was scholar bell hooks. She has a no-holds barred approach to discussing race and black women’s place or misplace in society. She often says black women need to define ourselves and self-actualize, that is become who we defined ourselves to be. That resonated with me as one who always thought there was nothing wrong with my natural hair; I decided that I was okay with a kinky mane so I reverted to natural and was not ashamed.

Professor Clenora Hudson-Weems, Ph.D., author of Africana Womanism: Reclaiming Ourselves, also believes in self-definition. Though her theory sounds like Alice Walker’s womanism, Dr. Hudson-Weems takes exception to Walker’s term (see previous entry). She believes that the great emphases shouldn’t be on the woman, her sexuality and culture and that the comparison between feminism and womanism are too closely aligned. Her Africana womanist, in contrast, “is significantly different from the mainstream feminist, particularly in her perspective on and approach to issues in society” (24). Dr. Hudson-Weems advances her position with the following 18 characteristics of Africana womanism: self-namer; self-definer; family-centered; in concert with males in struggle; flexible roles; genuine sisterhood; strength; male compatible; respected; recognized; whole; authentic; spirituality; respectful of elders; adaptable; ambitious; mothering; and nurturing.

For the most part, I like her list. But as you already guessed it, I take exception to some of the characteristics, especially the first two. Do you, from your own opinion, name and define who you are or do you claim the name and definition that Christ has given you? As a Christian who is black and a woman, I must accept my God-given blackness and womanhood and never deny these aspects of me. But before I am black and woman I am a Christian and must embrace what Christ says about me.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith