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But we all know when we have such a choice that fighting for equality as a Black person is much more important. Besides Black women hav always been liberated in their heads. They've never let their men step on them and they've always had to work for a living. Besides, equal opportunity for White women, because somehow it's a more socially acceptable cause, is actually making things harder for Blacks, especially Black men. Anyway the civil rights movement became unnecessary in 1968.

Black people have all that they need. Do you think it's time that they turned around and helped somebody else?

First of all, Black women do need feminism. There is sexism in the Black community. Although it may stem from different origins, and have different dynamics, it exists. When it is encountered it hurts. I was a t a meeting not too long along where we were discussing Ntozake Shange's play FOR COLORED GIRLS. Two of the men in the room said they felt "washed out" after seeing it. It just didn't portray Black men in a favorable light. They felt that somehow somebody should of put a good word in for the men. I mean all Black men weren't that way. One of the men then proceeded to object to The Women's Room on the grounds that it showed all men to be whimps. I do agree that all Black men or all men in general are not whimps but I see no difference between the potential offensiveness of "whimpy men" and "she's a brick house."

I'm sure every Black woman has hear Black men say things that make her cring. So how come there aren't more Black women involved in the women's movement? First of all there is a kindof "experiential myopia" in the women's movement. For instance, take one favorite feminist scenario: woman marries at very young age probably before she knows what she is doing. They have kids. Wife stays at home all day taking care of the kids. Husband dies or husband asks for a divorce is forces out in the job market for the first time. She's never worked for pay in her life. This is a viable scenario for many women. But Black women have always had to work for pay even it if was very little. The fact that they got to work as cooks and maids for White people has as much to do with being Black as it has to do with being a woman. Secondly, it is hard to tell for a Black woman where oppression is coming from. Even when women got the vote in this country there were still Black women in this country who couldn't vote because they were Black. When women began to enter the good universities of this country, there were Black women who couldn't get in because they were Black. Some of the early advances of the feminist movement did not have effect on Black women because of their color. Finally, there is a difference in the cause of sexism among Black men. Some Blacks are sexist not only because of their sex but ALSO because of White racism. Whites have always associated the more negative aspects of "maleness" with the Black male. They were considered to be oversexed, always after innocent White women, shiftless and lazy. In short they were considered to be just a different kind of ape. Black men never got to take advantage of the more positive "traditionally male" characteristics such as being a leader, being strong, having good judgment, being independent. They have missed out on the more positive aspects of manhood. Black males will have to be liberated as males first before many them will begin to take feminism seriously. For this they need the support of Black women. In short Black women have two fights to fight, each no less important than the other.

The feminist movement has done enough to consider the basic differences between the experiences of women other than the White middles class. When you are White and have enough to eat you can worry about whether or not your consciousness is sufficiently raised. If you are other than White and middle class you have a lot more to worry about before you have time to consider yourself as a woman. If the feminist movement is to attract women from different cultures they must help all women develop themselves as people. Some might have more worldly needs than others. But we have to learn to accept them all.