Black Women Opting out of early motherhood will help with
stabilizing the Black Family
By Rachel Miller-Bradshaw
 |
| blackhealthywoman.com |
In the early 90s young black women
would rush like it was their duty to birth children in their late teens or
early twenties. Many African American women were socialized to
value the mothering role above anything else. Times have changed and
women of other cultures are focusing more on their careers and enjoying their
lives. However for black women the mindset of early motherhood still
lingers.
According to the National
Fatherhood Initiative 60% of non marital births are to women in their
twenties. 70% of African American women between the ages of 25-29
have never been married. These two statistics indicates something
quite telling, and reveals what could be one major solution to the high
percentage of single parent, female-headed households, a rising epidemic in the
Black community. If black women could engage in responsible and thoughtful
dating, using contraception and practice abstinence till age 30 the number of
out of wedlock black births will decrease.
The current economic instability
and the many social issues affecting black males in particular, such as high
unemployment, mass incarceration, and significant high school dropouts’ rates,
have all affected the number of eligible mates available to black
women. Most of the black males affected by the aforementioned issues don’t
regain their footing until their thirties and forties. Also men are
socialized to believe that their primary role is to provide financially for
their families and most will refrain from marrying until they feel they can support
a family. Research also proves that married fathers are more likely
than unmarried fathers to parent their children.
These aforementioned cause and
their effects on black males suggests that black women may want to give their
black male counterparts time to catch up. There is also a maturity
and psychological element to this discussion that must not be omitted. Young
women in their twenties are still trying to find themselves and figure out who
they are and their purpose in life. This is a journey one must
figure out alone before marrying, which could arguably be the most important
decision of one’s life. People in their thirties are more stable
emotionally and financially and are more mature in handling interacting with a
spouse and children on a daily basis. Other cultures seem to
understand this and don’t subscribe to the “I still want to be young when my
children are in their twenties” mentality that really has contributed to the
black community’s issues, specifically high non marital births for women in
their twenties.
In their 30s African American
women are better equipped with a higher likelihood of marriage, financial
stability, and youth now coupled with some experience will guarantee higher
successes of accomplishing traditional family structures. It’s
a win-win situation. Black women can still continue to value the “mother”
role while also valuing the “wife” role, and even the “career woman” role.
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