Following the death of feminist activist Gloria Steinem, familiar accusations have resurfaced: feminism convinced Black women they didn’t need men, destroyed traditional gender roles, and helped dismantle the Black family.
But women from every racial and ethnic group participated in feminism. Why, then, is feminism so often portrayed as uniquely destructive to the Black community?
Did independence make Black women abandon healthy families—or make it easier for them to leave unhealthy relationships? Would Black families be stronger if feminism had never existed? What would Black women be doing today: enjoying stable, fully supported marriages—or performing much of the same work with fewer choices and protections?
And why is one woman’s movement expected to explain decades of economic inequality, discrimination, incarceration, relationship decisions, and family instability?
This brief survey contains three main questions and is open to adults of all races and genders.
You’ve heard the accusation. Now answer the questions nobody asks.