In
response to your inquiry
about "womanism" I am going
to defer to Gloria Steinem,
who wrote the attached piece
for a "women's encyclopedia"
to be published next year.
I think it gives an excellent
historical perspective of
womanism. For more on this
topic, I would check out
writings by Barbara Smith
(editor of the Kitchen
Table/Women of Color Press)
and bell hooks. I know that
their work also offers more
on the subject, as does
anything by Alice Walker.
I
don't know what's out on there
on the web, but check out
New York On-Line. A few
months back there were a group
of young black women who were
hosting chats every now and
then.
Good
luck and I hope this helps.
"Womanist
and womanism are populist
and poetic synonyms for black
feminist and black feminism.
They were coined in 1983 by
Alice Walker -- African American
novelist, poet, essayist,
and activist -- in her collection
of essays, In Search
of Our Mothers' Gardens: Womanist
Prose.
As
Walker explained to The
New York Times Magazine
in 1984, "I don't choose womanism
because it is 'better' than
feminism...Since womanism
means black feminism, this
would be a non-sensical distinction.
I choose it because I prefer
the sound, the feel, the fit
of it; because I cherish the
spirit of the women (like
Sojourner) the word calls
to mind, and because I share
the old ethnic-American habit
of offering society a new
word when the old word it
is using fails to describe
behavior and change that only
a new word can help it more
fully see."
Womanism brings a racialized
and often class-located experience
to the gendered experience
suggested by feminism. It
also relects a link with history
that includes African cultural
heritage, enslavement, women's
culture, and a kinship with
other women, especially women
of color. As Walker also told
the Times, "Feminism
(all colors) definitely teaches
women they are capable, one
reason for its universal appeal.
In addition to this, womanist
(i.e. black feminist) tradition
assumes, because of our experiences
during slavery, that black
women are capable." Her original
definition made clear that
a womanist included any, "feminist
of color... Also: A woman
who loves other women, sexually
and/or nonsexually. Appreciates
and prefers women's culture,
women's emotional flexibility
(values tears as natural counterbalance
of laughter), and women's
strength. Sometimes loves
individual men, sexually and/or
non-sexually. Committed to
survival and wholeness of
entire people, male and female.
Not a separatist, except periodically,
for health. Traditionally
universalist... Loves music.
Loves dance. Loves the moon.
Loves the Spirit. Loves love
and food and roundness. Loves
struggle. Loves the Folk.
Loves herself. Regardless."
Womanist and womanism were
soon adopted by, and often
used in description of, African
American women's struggle
for self-determination and
community, past and present.
Welcomed by some for having
a stronger sound than feminist,
which shares the root of feminine
-- as Walker put it in 1983,
"Womanist is to feminist as
purple to lavender" -- womanist
and womanism helped give visibility
to the experience of African
American and other women of
color who have always been
on the forefront of movements
to overthrow the sexual and
racial caste systems, yet
who have often been marginalized
or rendered invisible in history
texts, the media, and mainstream
movements led by European
American feminists or male
civil rights leaders. Unlike
feminist and pro-feminist,
however, the definition of
womanist has yet to be extended
to men who are also working
for women's empowerment, and
that has been a source of
reluctance to use it. Others
prefer black feminism because
retaining the adjective makes
racial experience more visible,
and because failing to use
the more familiar noun might
be seen as deserting some
of its basic beliefs and/or
controversies; for instance,
the false notion that feminism
is synonomous with lesbianism,
as opposed to including all
females.
Nonetheless, the definition
of these words by a poet gave
them a joy, energy, and nuance
that invited their use. As
Walker explained in an interview
for this article: "Womanist
literally includes man within
it, just as an embryo is enclosed
by a woman's body; it's a
matter of whether or not a
man can deal with that. Furthermore,
I dislike having to add a
color in order to become visible
-- a white feminist doesn't
have to say white feminist."
Her 1983 definition of womanist
included such qualities as,
"Wanting to know more and
in greater depth that is considered
'good' for one. Interested
in grown up doings. Acting
grown up. Being grown up.
Interchangeable with another
black folk expression: 'You
trying to be grown.' Responsible.
In charge. Serious." She also
traced its populist origins
to, "the black folk expression
of mothers to female children,
'You acting womanish,' i.e.,
like a woman. Usually referring
to outrageous, audacious,
courageous or willful behavior...as
in: 'Mama, I'm walking to
Canada and I'm taking you
and a bunch of other slaves
with me.' Reply: 'It wouldn't
be the first time.'"
Incorporated
into courses in Women's Studies
and Black Studies, as well
as into common usage by readers
of Walker's writing, these
words were soon being added
to self-descriptions: for
example, a growing number
of historians felt better
described as womanist historians,
religious scholars called
themselves womanist theologians,
activists felt more included
and inclusive by talking about
womanist theory, and critics
traced a womanist creative
tradition, from modern films
like "Daughters of the Dust"
to quilts made by anonymous
black women artists during
slavery; from the timely references
in Emma Amos's paintings to
timeless patterns in Ndebele
women's murals.
In 1993, The American
Heritage Dictionary
included this new usage, and
defined womanist as: "Having
or expressing a belief in
or respect for women and their
talents and abilities beyond
the boundaries of race and
class; exhibiting a feminism
that is inclusive esp. of
Black American culture. --
n. One informed by womanist
ideals. --wom an ism n." Considering
the traditional definitions
in such classic sources as
the Oxford English Dictionary
-- which illustrated womanish
with the phrase, "a womanish
and a whorist government,"
and cited womanist as a rare
synonym for "womanizer,"--this
recognition of change in the
language was no small achievement.
As Alice Walker made clear,
womanist and womanism were
not intended to define more
narrowly or to criticize existing
terms, but to shed light on
women's experience by increasing
the number and richness of
words describing it."
—Gloria Steinem
—Amy
