STUDY: Marriage Eludes High-Achieving Black Women
From MSNBC.com
Michelle Obama may have become an archetypal African-American female success story – law career, strong marriage, happy children – but the reality is often very different for other highly educated black women.
They face a series of challenges in navigating education, career, marriage and child-bearing, dilemmas that often leave them single and childless even when they’d prefer marriage and family, according to a research study recently presented at the American Sociological Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco.
Yale researchers Natalie Nitsche and Hannah Brueckner argued that “marriage chances for highly educated black women have declined over time relative to white women.” Women of both races with postgraduate educations “face particularly hard choices between career and motherhood,” they said, “but especially in the absence of a reliable partner.”
And there’s the rub. As noted in a recent Sexploration column, contrary to old media reports, most educated, professional women who want to marry can and do marry. But the picture is less bright for high-achieving black women because “marriage markets” for them have deteriorated to the point that many remain unmarried, the researchers found. Since these women also feel pressured not to become single mothers, they often go childless as well, the researchers found.
In the study, Nitsche and Brueckner used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey of 50,000 households dating back to the 1970s to tease out data points on race, gender, education, marriage and fertility.
Among black women with postgraduate educations born between 1956 and 1960, the median age at which they gave birth for the first time was 34 years old. This was about the same as it was for white women in the same demographic. But once white women reached their 30s, many more of them did give birth, often more than once. Many black women did not. The rate of childlessness among this group of black women rose from 30 percent for those born between 1950 and 1955, to 45 percent for those born between 1956 and 1960.
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Comments
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DannyRuel8-23-2009 1:44 pm
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Blake278-23-2009 12:25 pm
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King_SirisII8-21-2009 7:26 pm
« Previous 1 2I believe the reason there has been a Major decline in marriage is because it no longer is institutionalized in Faith. Marriage is now a business. It has lost its original intent. The terms and conditions of an American marriage is that Both partners are Equal. A religious marriage the Father is the Head of the House. What woman, of any race, will want to be in a business, or marriage, with a partner that is less educated and less financially secure? The answer is a woman who places her faith and moral values in fraudulent paper. Minority men know better than anyone, that it benefits the woman more than the man to be in a marriage. So why be in one? I’ve come to learn in an American marriage, God is not the head of the House, it is the State Government. Its a 3 way contract where the Government is the parent of the Husband and wife. I found that most women deceive themselves and their men to commit and submit to the state and now we have the total decline of a strong “faith based” family unit. Does this sound like a plan ladies and gentlemen?
The reality of this decline in family is a divide and concur tactic. The PEOPLE who fall for this deception are the fools that will doom us all. Why has so many women of color deceived into keeping up with the Jones”? Is it because they want to be the head of the house? They long to be so much in control. They justify their actions by providing a paper that proves they were educated by some university that only teaches students what they want you to know. Or by some status symbol by having a high paying Job. But 95% of the time those highly educated sistas and latinas stay slaves to the lender being in debt to some student loans. Often times 20 to 30 years. These symbols are actually worthless in the end if you have no love, no family, no happiness. Im not saying a woman should lower her standards but they should reevaluate their position. If a woman wants a business partner, she should start a business. If she wants a marriage, she should submit to God. After all, Marriage in its original intent and definition means a Lifelong (until death do us part)partnership under the rules of religion.
Wow “King,” I don’t think you missed a beat with your blog. As you mentioned, this can be argued both ways. Also the fact that their are more women than men. Yet and still, the standards set by society have the people in it confused so to say. It is a “beautiful thang” to see success at it’s finest. And I say Congratulations to all that have overcome those obstacles to obtain this place. But it seems that women who achieve this place themselves on a “one seated” platform and feel no one is good enough to share that spot with them. Now this does not apply to all, however, it does apply. It can be intimidating, well not more so intimidating, but embarrassing when a woman tries to treat a man as inferior. Especially in a committed relationship. It always pushes competition and a constant “power struggle.” If you can find some one who is willing to listening and take action when given constructive criticism, then it’s a possibility that you’ve found yourself a god fearing person. But women let me ask, is that really what you are looking for????
Wow, I really don’t know where to begin. After reading thru the various post,(some enlightening, others just sad), I’m going to take a shot in the dark. As a college educated black man I don’t believe there is a shortage of “good black men”, whether highly educated or not. Does a degree now make a black man “equal” or equate to him “holding” up his end? If so why? It could be argued both ways, but from my personal observation I’d have to say no.
I have an uncle who has been a business owner for over 25 years with only a high school education and is very wealthy. Owns numerous nice cars and homes, yet he drives a pick up around and wears coveralls on the regular. When I asked him why his response was because it gives him a better perspective on the women that he encounters. I didn’t understand this at the time(I was 12)but now I do. Too many black women put an emphasis on material things and what can you do for ME verses what can you do for US. Period.
You want an educated man? How would your conversations be different? I hardly ever talk about the theory of relativity or the creation of black holes. How about a discussion about politics? Or are you just reverberating what was said on the local news? How about the theory of Darwinism? No? These subjects don’t interest you?
It kills me when black women say they want an educated black man when in fact you just want financial security,(which there is nothing wrong with) and you don’t need a degree for this. Maybe some black men are jealous, but I believe most are not. I could care less if a black woman dates outside of her race, as long as it’s for love and not because they have a degree and now think they are too good for a black man. That’s just saddening to me.
If you only desire the big house and the fancy cars, more power to you. Hope they tend to you when you are sick and I hope they bring comfort to you when all seems lost. And I truly commend those that are doing it on their own. I just hope these nice things don’t define who you are, for when and if you lose these things are you yourself lost? Are you now nothing without the gold? Sad when black queens compare themselves to mere mortals. Gold diggers have no color, but they all have the same attitude…