Black (Straight) and Single in America
The story itself is part of the ongoing series on CNN called Black in America. Each show focuses on a different aspect of life, last night's show was about marriage. The first thing that stuck out, aside from the title, was the assumption that A) all black women are heterosexual, and B) all black women are looking to get married. Marriage is shown as the ideal, the answer to problems such as poverty and education.
I won't pretend to know what life is like for blacks in America, but I know what it's like to be unmarried. Statistics say that I am a single mother because we choose not to take the traditional marriage route with our family. I'm getting used to the "Why are you still single?" Those types of questions are not specific to a certain race, nearly any unmarried woman past a certain point begins to feel the pressure to just settle down and get married. Screw love, just settle for the first guy who is willing.
Dionne Hill did point out a pretty good statistic on why marriage isn't happening as often as some would prefer.
Today, black women outnumber black men almost 2-to-1 in higher education. But white women are also surpassing white men in college enrollment and completion, according to the National Center on Education Statistics.
What is a rooted example in the black community is also sprouting legs among America's other racial groups. I am part of a generation of Americans who are choosing to postpone marriage while they pursue their careers.
What is a rooted example in the black community is also sprouting legs among America's other racial groups. I am part of a generation of Americans who are choosing to postpone marriage while they pursue their careers.
However it seems to me that there are other numbers she left out. Like those who want to get married but cannot legally. Or those who, like me, are in committed relationships and don't want to be legally tied to someone else. Those who simple choose not to get married, or have seen the negative sides of marriage and want nothing to do with that.
Mike Pouraryan
