Affirmative Action Speech

by Sharon Russ
Pinellas NOW Ethnic Diversity Committee Chairwoman

After thirty-five years of Affirmative-Action Legislation and eighty years of women's voting rights, African-American women remain at the bottom of the economic rung. This may be due to the fact that African-American women have not been able to identify with gender oppression. Unlike the white female, who identified the white male as their oppressor and began a women's rights movement. Throughout African-American history, African-American females have struggled viciously alongside the Black male in the fight against racism. To their dismay Black women failed to realize that not only were they oppressed because of race, but gender was the key element for their oppression. Black women further failed to admit that the Black male played a dominant role in their oppression. Consequently , thirty-five years of Affirmative-Action legislation has failed to affirm the rights of Black women.

For instance, through Affirmative-Action legislation Black men benefitted by 67%, while the Black female benefitted by only 5%. Likewise, Black males earn 74 cents for each dollar earned by the White male, while Black females earn only 63 cents for each dollar earned by White males.

African-American women must begin a drive to affirm their rights based on gender. They must fight against sexism. When Americans refers to the Black race, they are identifying with only the Black male. Unfortunately, Black males are a contributing factor in the oppression of the Black female, stemming from the fact that the majority of African -American households in America are headed by Black females. Subsequently, Black females can no longer allow negative stereotyping by the music industry and television.

Black Entertainment Television (BET) (the only Black owned television station in the country) contributes to the delinquency of African-American teenagers by portraying African-American women as being salacious and wanton. BET seems to promote the idea that Black males must"sow their wild oats" throughout their community.

African-American women must bring to this nation's attention their demand for equal rights. African-American women can no longer remain isolated to the issue of gender. Furthermore, African-American women can no longer allow the government of America to dictate their destiny. Welfare reform played a drastic role in the set-back of single women African-American households. Women and children were kicked off welfare rolls without any follow-up care. Most of these women lacked the skills needed in order to provide for their children without any government assistance.

Black men were unaffected by budget cuts that affected families within their communities. Black men are privileged in America. They do not have to take on the responsibility of a family, with out the responsibility of a family Black men can advance in the economic arena, unlike their Black female counter parts who are stuck with raising families alone.

According to an Oct 4, U.S. News and World report article titled"Women in Prison: Like Mother Like Daughter", Black women are being jailed at a much faster rate than men. Between 1986 and 1991 the incarceration rate for drug offenses for Black women increased nearly twice as fast as for Black men , 828 percent over 429 percent. For women, generally, the incarceration rate jumped 516 percent between 1980 and 1988. The report stated the reason for this is because women who work in low level roles in drug organizations are more likely to get caught by police and are less likely to be able to cut deals with prosecutors. The sons of criminal fathers often follow them to jail. Now, police and prosecutors are seeing the trend increasingly replicated among women.

Drug and alcohol abuse can easily become a way to escape the harsh realities of life Black women are forced to endure. Unfortunately, when this happens the family structure and the community suffer. Dating back to Africa, African-American women have always been the backbone of the community. Since African-American women have been identified as the occupying force behind their communities, it is no wonder inner-city Black communities lie is ruin.

Most of the crimes committed by African-American women, such as prostitution and theft can be attributed to a drug addiction. Unfortunately, most of the drug operations in inner-city communities are headed by Black males, who have little regard for the communities they live in. Therefore, single African-American women heads of households are introduced to a life of crime due to the Black males desire to make an easy living while destroying the life of the community.

Much of the politics of the African-American community is ran by the Black male. Black women must begin to take a more active role in the politics of their communities. The biggest obstacles in the path of the Black woman's struggle to affirm her rights is : her misconception of the Black male and her inability to identify with gender oppression. In order to move forward, Black women must come to grips with the sexism that dominates our society and demand her rights on the basis of being a woman. Until Black women become gender conscious and identify the Black male as a contributor to their oppression, their struggle to overcome poverty and affirm their basic human and God given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness will continue to go unnoticed in America.

Sharon Russ
Pinellas NOW Ethnic Diversity Committee Chairwoman