By Samhita • 18 years ago

Things we can learn…

from single mothers and their views on marriage.
via Washington Post…
Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas’s new book, “Promises I Can Keep,” explains — in their subjects’ own words — why so many poor women opt for single motherhood.
It’s not that they don’t believe in marriage, or don’t want it for themselves. They “delay” marriage until they think they have a reasonable shot at making it work. What Edin and Kefalas, both Philadelphia sociologists, found in their five-year study of 162 poor black, white and Puerto Rican single mothers is a near total disconnect between marriage and motherhood.
Break it down sisters. This is not to say that the experience of single motherhood is easy or glamorous, but it is complicated. It is also a clear rebellion to norms of hetersexual union/motherhood.
The article doesn’t paint this picture so much as get at the notion that the hopes of these women are “magic” in that they are detached from the reality they live. You can’t really make an essential statement about this, but most of my single mother friends are quite aware of the condition they are living in. What do you think?
Has anyone read the book?

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By Nia Evans • 6 years ago

Dear Betsy DeVos: Fighting for Survivors of Sexual Violence Is a Racial Justice Fight

For the past few months, I’ve seen several articles — almost exclusively written by white women — arguing that we shouldn’t enforce Title IX protections for survivors of sexual assault because the authors believe Black men are more likely to be accused. The narrative has been picked up by numerous media outlets and used by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to strip protections for survivors.

The idea that survivors’ rights are a threat to Black men leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Let me be clear: that’s not because I’m not worried about race discrimination in school discipline. We have no data to support the argument that Black men are more likely to be accused of or ...

For the past few months, I’ve seen several articles — almost exclusively written by white women — arguing that we shouldn’t enforce Title IX protections for survivors of sexual assault because the authors ...