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Are "We" Getting Left Behind????
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HE REPERSENTING 4 THE BLACK PEOPLE
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The ways in which Black people in general are defined by society--restrictions and images that we, over time, internalize--can have a deeply negative impact on our vision of what is possible in our lives, and make it that much more difficult for us to form lasting, loving partnerships. Education Matters Over a lifetime, college graduates on average earn twice as much as high school graduates. According to the latest stats from the U.S. Department of Education, in 2001, almost 1.7 million Black students were enrolled as undergraduates in the United States. Of that number, 63 percent were women, and 37 percent men. (Get an education young MEN, don't get left behind) Why are so many more Black women in college? There are myriad reasons--some personal, some historical, some systemic. A report from the American Council on Education suggests that in addition to troubled homes and a lack of male role models--both legacies of slavery--boys' negative experiences in school, where they are frequently identified as troublemakers and tracked into special education, set the stage early on for educational failure. The flip side is that girls are socialized and treated differently, and subject to very different expectations. It's a cliche that "we women" raise our daughters and love our sons, but there's truth in most cliches. It seems that one of the messages young Black women hear early, and often observe, in their families and communities is that they may very well not be able to depend on a male partner in achieving educational and economic success. While the fierce sense of independence that often results has many positive aspects, one of the negatives may be a skepticism about partnering and our own lowered expectations of Black men. I spent most of my childhood in a two-partner household with successful working parents. Yet I consistently heard the messages from older women in my family that I could not and should not rely on a man, should get an education so that I would never be dependent on a man, and should always have my own--private--bank account. Neither my grandmother nor my mother would have identified themselves as what they called "women's libbers," although their message was in some respects a feminist one. And while economic self-sufficiency is important, it's also true that the unspoken subtext of their advice was that it was unlikely that I would find a Black man on whom I could completely depend. I'm certain that I carried at least some of this attitude with me into my relationships with men. More Choices, Fewer Men? According to the National Center for Health Statistics, between 1990 and 2002 the birth rate for all Black women decreased 13 percent. Black teenage girls had the biggest drop of any group: 41 percent. Clearly, increasing numbers of young Black women are waiting to have children until they have completed their education, started working, and begun to achieve some financial security. Without question, these choices are good for Black women. Yet it is also true that if we continue to outpace Black men in education and income, finding eligible men with whom to build relationships will become even more difficult. This situation poses many challenges and raises many questions, including these: How do we protect Black boys from being marginalized by an educational system that bombards them with low expectations? Should we be rethinking our own notions of gender roles and family in ways that respond to our history as a people, as well as the current reality that many of our communities are facing? There are even more personal questions: How does the decision to continue our own education and postpone having children affect our relationship choices? Must heterosexual women, faced with fewer eligible and educated men, choose between celibacy and sharing a man? Or do we have to "settle" for a man who earns less money and is not as educated as we are? And is that "settling" or, more positively, is it creatively adapting our needs and desires to real-life circomestances? And what about looking for a partner outside the race? I don't have any answers yet--just lots of food for thought--but I'm convinced that these are the types of questions we need to be thinking and talking about in our families and communities. What I do know is that we can't all be Cliff and Claire Huxtable. But that doesn't mean we can't be equally loving, effective families and couples--albeit different in composition and substance. Do you feel that your level of education has affected your relationships with Black men? How so? Are we in danger of leaving our men behind as we climb the ladder of success? Can we repair our relationships by rethinking the qualities we look for in a partner? Share your viewpoint in the comments section below. I know you are thinking about it, so write about it. Young men this is what your mom don't talk about but is fully aware of. Why don't she talk about it? Who knows!!! I guess she does not care about you or your future in this country we call America. | |
If the Black woman is beginning to outperform the Black man in the workforce, there are more factors at play than level of education. This is what we need to focus on. Where are these women working, and who are they working for? Are we talking about the number of Black women who are their own businesses? Women who have become successful as a result of their innovative ideas? Or are we talking about Black women becoming more successful than Black men in white corporate America? If we are talking about the latter, then I suggest we need to look at racism. This is especially important in light of my illustrating that the educational levels between Black men and women are not that extreme. Indeed I ask outright is a primary factor in the Black woman's rapid rise over the Black man largely due to white America's preference to work with a Black woman? Is the Black woman seen to be less of a threat to white corporate America? Is the Black woman more desirable (take that however you want!!!
) to white corporate America? These questions are even more relevant when we consider that the numbers of African Americans with college degrees are in the overwhelming minority (14% of the population). Yet we are still seeing black women excel in the workforce at a more rapid pace than black men. There is clearly bias at play here. I've been very disappointed in the "gloating" done by some black women (and their white supporters!!!!
) in the media over the past few years. There are some brilliant business minds amoung Black women in this country. In no way am I trying to diminish their accomplishments. However, I think it should be apparent that in today's time Black women are given easier access to corporations than Black men. We are living in an age of "hidden racism" & conceiled discrimination. Bias often occurs in ways that aren't obvious. In the overwhelming majority of the cases, we don't control the companies that we apply to. These corporations (usually controlled by white males) are free to hire whomever they wish. In the case of a corporation that seeks to hire & promote black women over black men, bias isn't apparent (because a black person is being hired and promoted). However that doesn't mean this isn't what is happening.All this being said, Black women are becoming more successful than Black men. Many are on the verge of leaving them behind. It is causing a wedge in our community, and needs to be addressed MEN. I encourage those who are interested in looking at all the factors involved. As I've pointed out, there is more to this story than meets the eye. The black woman surpassing the black man is not something to celebrate or gloat over. If our community is to flourish, WE must both rise together!
More???.........
Black men have some bad fertilizer and rain falling ( on us ) in our lives at this time. So we must stay out of the rain as much as possible and keep dry. By enhancing our chances of getting ahead. We do have the notion get paid right. But it is all about how we go about it. We have to do more building of groups of successful thinkers and doers. Collaborating on serious issues and things that will make us grow. I often bring this to my cousins, and nephews. My family is very close knitted. One of the small can lodge a complaint up line, and have as much power as the oldest in the line in my family tree. This is something you find and recognized right away. If you come around. ( No one is allowed to take from another, bad mouth or cheat or smother ) So it is a check and balance going on my mother established with us. The large is no more powerful than the small. In my family's tree every branch yields great power. I have instilled that into my kids and they are to do the same for theirs.
Surveys are trusted, until they do not yield the desired and needed information. They are tossed and disregarded if the do not support the premise. For example ( how many have heard the poll about 2/3 of Americans think the U.S. should dismantle and never have nuclear weapons again ) they took the poll and do like the results. So now they will scrap that one and reword things to get the desired reply. Folks are tired of the president ( king ) kicking the subjects. ( Us ) Taking our taxes and giving nothing in return.
My point is black men haven't been totally put out of the game. We are survivors. As our ancestors mastered the jungle, this one will soon be mastered too. 
The set-up I will call it have worked hard all these years on this plan to keep the black men from attaining the success they deserve and desire. We are just as educated, not in the mass numbers, as black women. Because many black men of college age are behind bars. Broken in sprit, and caught up in the game. Of being dishonest, and deceptive. Putting the issue of gaining something to sustain him like a home and a education etc...last, getting the booty first is all consuming to many these days. ( wrong jungle to conquer at this time, especially if you have no time or cash to dine ) ( made me think of Destee's post about, how important is sex to you... thread )
The author spoke of woman sliding under the radar, and I agree that is part of it. They are allowed to do so many more are in the reach of white men that desire to break us up and get them for them selves. During slavery they could just take her, but now the have to fool her ( console ) and get her comfortable before they move in for the take over. This is a big factor in the attack on black men. I know this fact. if we were successful, it is known that we would not only have our beautiful black sisters at our side, but all of the white woman would be wanting us more because of our ( charisma ) lion walk pride.
BIGGMIKE always giving us knowlege we need
Report: More women, black men in prison
Black men are more likely than any other group to be locked up
WASHINGTON - The number of women in state and federal prisons is at an all-time high and growing fast, with the incarceration rate for females increasing at nearly twice that of men, the government reported Sunday.
There were 101,179 women in prisons last year, 3.6 percent more than in 2002, the Justice Department said. That marks the first time the women
