She said she battled with the notion of being a feminist—not because she didn’t believe in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. She simply defined her feminism differently than some woman. She believed, and we all agreed, that being a black woman came with an additional fight for social, political, and economic equality. Being a black woman revealed the ignorance and discriminatory behavior of others. Being a black woman that spoke with passion and assertiveness labeled her as angry or aggressive. Being a black woman that performed with confidence and independence, she has become arrogant. Being a black women whose kinks and coils or freeform locs and beaded braids were deemed ghetto and inappropriate for the workplace. How can these negative connotation and ignorance be ignored? These are specific experiences that have oppressed a black woman since the beginning of history and later created cultural bias and social influences from others. So before she chanted, “We Should All Be Feminists,” she chants, “We Should All Be Black Feminists”–those that believe in the social, political, and economic equality of a black woman.”

Do you believe we should all work together to remove barriers and break through glass ceilings that attempts to paralyze the black women?

Are you a feminist?