Tag Archives: Black Woman

Feminism vs. Womanism

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Many black women have rejected the term feminist because of the history of racial exclusion of nonwhites to the feminist movement. Before women received the right to vote (and black men had the right), white feminist and conservative suffragist leader Carrie Chapman Catt said: “[T]here is but one way to avert the danger. Cut off the vote of the slums and give it to [White] women.” Catt continued that white men should recognize “the usefulness of woman suffrage as a counterbalance to the foreign vote, and as a means of legally preserving White supremacy in the South.” This was during the first wave of feminism (early 1800s-1950s). The second wave of feminism (mid-1960s-present) has had a similar emphasis on race. Because recent feminism has focused greatly on the liberation of middle class white women from white male patriarchy, some black women have not felt that this movement is for them.

This type of emphasis is what led writer Alice Walker to develop the term womanist, and many black women, including some of us who are Christian, have embraced this label. Walker defines womanist as “[a] black feminist or feminist of color. . .who loves other women, sexually and/or nonsexually. Appreciates and prefers women’s culture. . .[and who] sometimes loves individual men, sexually and/or nonsexually. Committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. . .Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender” (from Walker’s In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens). Do you consider yourself a feminist? If not, do you think womanist is a suitable alternative to feminist? As a Christian, do you think that you should call yourself a feminist or womanist? Why or why not? I am really looking forward to hearing from you.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

Equality vs. Fair Treatment

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I believe in fair treatment and less so in equality all across the board. This may sound strange, but I’ve thought about it for awhile, and I know that I’d rather be treated fairly than equal to someone else because of the basic fact that I don’t need nor deserve what some others may have. See, if my parents had treated me and my siblings equal and not fairly, I wouldn’t have received a car that was required for an internship that I won; they would have had to buy them one, too. Or I would have been unable to use my parents’ credit card, like one of my other siblings who abused the use. When my 6th grade teacher compared me to my sister who she had the year before, my mama got her straight. “Don’t be comparing my babies. Rhonda learns differently than Sharon and you must accept who she is.” I want to be treated according to who I am (a unique child of God), what I do (my work wage should be based on my work not my race or gender), how I act (the righteousness of my personality), and what I need (regardless of what I think or how I act and the merits of each, I want God to give me what I need to develop the character to do what He needs me to do). To be treated equal is to be treated the same. To be treated fair is to be treated according to what you need. What we need, as Christians, is what God says we need. Fair treatment according to God’s standards is justice, and that’s what we should be striving for.

Copyright 2009 by Rhonda J. Smith

The Choice of Feminism

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It’s Women’s History Month. So without a doubt we have to discuss feminism. And because I’m a black woman and this blog is geared toward black women, we will also talk about Afrocentrism. But this entry will only deal with feminism.

A basic definition of feminism is a political theory and practice that seeks to gain equality for women, particularly in political, social and economic contexts. Other definitions speak to women’s freedom from male oppression in the workplace, society and in the home, as well as economic independence. Though I have never identified myself as a feminist (one who practices feminism), throughout my years I found myself engaging in activities that sought to help women. I have always organized and strategized among women, whether in my sorority or in my church. And I long believed that women should be equal to men. We are just as intelligent, talented, gifted and in many ways just more skilled than they. I believed that no man was going to hold me back or down just because I may be a threat to him. While I still believe that women must be free from male oppression, my views are more complex than freedom or equality by any means necessary. I have also learned that sometimes in God’s economy, intelligence, talent, gifts or skill have nothing to do with the person, and God’s advancement sometimes comes to the less qualified (1 Corinthians 1:27).

In my early years, I never embraced feminism because of some of its extreme teachings, such the hatred of men, and the androgynous and even masculine looks that many in the feminist movement seemed to embrace. As a Christian, I don’t embrace feminism because of some of its extreme teachings, such as hatred of men, one of its basic teachings—freedom of choice when it comes to abortion, and equality to men in every area. For the Christian I believe there has to be a parting of ways, in theory and in practice, from feminism. While we must work to ensure no woman is oppressed, our standards must be biblical and not our own.

Copyright 2009 By Rhonda J. Smith

Proper Tribute

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Now that Black History Month has come to an end and we go into Women’s History Month, I think the time is appropriate to take another inventory. In February, ask yourself how did you pay tribute to your black ancestors. Did you pour libations to invoke their spirit? Did you pray to ask that their spirit guide you? Did you boast because traffic lights, mass shoe production, refrigeration, lawn mowers, light bulb filaments, open heart surgery, gas masks, the computer and so much more would not be if it weren’t for black people? Have you been chest-out proud because of our black ancestors’ resourcefulness in developing spirituals to pass along secret messages, their bravery to escape to freedom and to help thousands more and their sheer brilliance to be able to organize, strategize, litigate, negotiate and still have room for love?

Truly these survivors had courage to stand in the face of adversity that many of us can’t even imagine, even if we’ve seen newsreels. Abolitionist Frederick Douglass said if we don’t know our history we are destined to repeat it. We must also know our history so we know our racial legacy and not believe the oppressors whose job is to convince us that blacks have not contributed and cannot contribute to any good in the world. But as we pay homage to people have we first given honor to Christ? I’m not talking about the obligatory Grammy shout out or the spiritual introduction of yourself at church (“Giving honor to God, who is the head of my life”). Is God, Jesus Christ our Lord, the motive behind what you do, why you beam, why you brag, why you give honor to whom honor is due? As we seek to remember our history as blacks and women, let’s always pay homage to Jesus Christ first, not just words off our lips, but from a mind that has been focused on Him and a transformed heart that yearns to give Him glory.

Copyright 2009 By Rhonda J. Smith

Another Black Woman Speaks

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sbwhiteThis is an interview with a former academic colleague, Shauntae Brown White, Ph.D. Dr. Brown White is an associate professor in the mass communications and English departments at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, is a Christian and is married to the Rev. Dr. Harry L. White, pastor of Watts Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC. From her credentials, many of us would consider her a strong black woman. Check out her views on being controlling:

In what ways are you controlling?
I like order in the midst of chaos. I don’t like feeling like I am out of control. But, the reality is there are many things that are out of our control. Though I have grown in this area, there are some times when I believe that my way is the better choice. However, through maturity I’ve realized that is arrogant. My way is the best for me, but that is only one option.

How has being controlling affected your relationships?

My husband hates being controlled. I tell him how to do things, especially domestically or with our girls. If there was one thing he could change about me, I think it would be it. I’ve had to learn to bite my tongue. Some things simply don’t need to be said.

I don’t really think I try to control others. But, I do pray about my future relationship with my daughters. Much of the tension in my relationship with my own mother was based on my perception of her trying to control me and me resisting. I am sure it must be very difficult to learn how to relate to your children as adults. We are their earthly protectors and guides for so long—more than 18 years. But, we have to learn how to let go and let them make their own mistakes. Of course I have a few years to negotiate this since my daughters are 6 and 3.

Why do you think you are controlling? What have you done to stop being controlling?

As I said above, some of it is arrogance. Some of it is the desire to be helpful when I see that something is “missing.” I have learned to ask the question of myself, “In the whole scheme of things, does it really matter?”

I’ve also prayed a lot in my marriage—asking the Lord to give me discernment for the things I need to mention and the words to do so, and when I need to let things go.

I’ve also developed the mantra, “If it don’t bother you, it don’t bother me.”

Do you consider yourself a strong black woman? If so, why?

I do not consider myself a Strong Black Woman. Why are black women the only ones who are expected to be strong? We never hear comments such as, “That’s a strong white woman there.” Or “Now that is a strong Asian woman.” I find strength and encouragement in the Lord. I am persistent. I am determined. I have drive. But, even a rubber band can break when there is too much tension on it. I want to have strength, but I want to also have the space to be vulnerable.