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Myth #1: The black woman is already liberated.
Just bGcausG W6 don’t stay hom© in thG kitchen does not mean we have gained our
liberation. Black women continue to receive a lower salary than men in the work
force. And let us not overlook the oppression that has been done to our bodies
through sterilization. Black women are far from being liberated. But as presented,
this is simply another myth used to pull us off of the liberation track. If you tell some
one that they are free, they will not search for freedom.
Myth #2: Racism is the only oppression facing black women.
This would be true if we did not have gender, religion, sexuality, nationality, disability
and class amongst other labels to deal with daily. Forget about being a woman!
We’ve got to raise up our black men, right? Wrong. Black men are the only ones
who can raise up black men. Black women should focus on themselves first.
Myth #3: Feminists hate men.
The underlying principle that this myth embodies is a disturbing one. It assumes
that black men cannot be feminists. They can. Femisnists do not hate men, they
simply promote equality for women in all aspects of life and history or are say,
her-story. Do all black people who fight for social change hate white people.
Rarely. This is an age-old excuse used by oppressors who feel unnecessanly
threatened. Do not be moved. u
Myth #4: Women’s issues are so small and narrow; black women should
focus on the larger struggle. *u * i
This requires a definition of wliat tlie larger struggle is. It seems that the large
struggle is one that fights for human rights and dignity for all people, including
mX#5: Feminists ain’t nothing but a bunch of lesbians... (IVIy personal
^Cn'thlre are lesbians in the Black Feminist Movement, quite a few. There are
also lesbians in the Civil Rights Movement, the Labor Movement and yes, in our
5 o^n Black Student Movement. There are lesbians in law, medicine, business,
government and in church. Lesbians are even/were, get over it!
I admit that some students, old and new, may not be ready to accept the fact that
black women alona with other women of color, are still heavily oppressed.
Sociairzed tnto socfetal norms and even social justice movements surrounding other
so-called larger issues, black women are
often forced to give up one identity in ^ Smiley may be reached at
order to claim another and this should smileye@emall.unc.edu
simply stop.
October 2000