For years, Black women have been bombarded with reports suggesting that their chances of getting married are slim to none, but a closer look at the research suggests Black women needn’t torture themselves with worry.
These days it’s hard to find a Black woman who hasn’t been told that there are few Black men out in the world looking to marry a Black woman.
From academic social studies to popular blog posts, there is an incredible amount of content being produced that boldly claims that few Black women get married.
The problem is that such claims aren’t actually true.
The myth stems from a 2009 study from a pair of Yale researchers that revealed only 42 percent of the Black women involved in their study were married.
Immediately, think pieces surfaced in an attempt to discover why less than half of the Black women looking for love were actually getting married.
Some suggested that Black men are more interested in women of other races while others claimed Black men weren’t suitable for Black women because they often had lower incomes.
These, much like the initial claim that Black women aren’t getting married, are myths.
It turns out that the Yale study included all women older than 18, which dramatically skewed the numbers because most women across all races aren’t getting married that young, especially not Black women.
More accurate research reveals that Black women are getting married, but they simply get married at an older age than other races.
According to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 70 percent of Black women had never married in 2009.
By the time they were 55, however, most Black women had married.
The U.S. Census Bureau revealed that only 13 percent of Black women had never married by the age of 55.
This, according to women who participated in a study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, was because Black women were more likely to postpone marriage until they had their own financial situation in order.
“Many African-American women are needed to take care of their own financial circumstances and have to make sure that their educational and financial affairs are putting them in the position to accommodate their own needs,” a Chicago therapist, Cheryl Pugh, told the Chicago Sun-Times about the study’s results.
Overall, statistics show that the percentage of Black women getting married is actually on the rise.
The U.S. Census Bureau is also shutting down rumors that Black men are not marrying Black women.
Nearly 90 percent of Black men had Black wives in 2010, compared to only 9 percent that were married to white women.
These are all numbers that suggest the so-called civil war between Black men and women is more of a false perception created by the media than it is an actual rift in the Black community.
Very true.
Why do people think this is good or empowering info….getting married in your 50s when you're significantly less likely to give birth to your new husband's kids and got miles and miles on you is no prize to a man…. the article should be about making better choices with your body as a young woman, and understanding what it means to be respectful and loving in a relationship so you don't have to wait till your 50s before you get it.
TRUE
Actually it's an annoying regurgitation tied up with a big bow of BS covered ribbon. Keep living. Learn from your mistakes.
Well, those numbers are also skewed for that generation. Most of those women waited to get married until their children were adults and most likely married a man who also had adult children. Now women aren't have children as young and they are also getting married before the age of 32. I'm sure if the study is done again in a few years the number will less skewed. Also when you're looking at the numbers it's important to keep the phrase " systematic oppression" in your mind.
@Moses Kamau: While I agree that this is not empowering info at all my reasoning is different. A woman should learn to be loving but it is just as important for a Black women to find a loving man who respects her, treats her well, is protective, but not controlling, is very financially stable and is incredibly marriage minded. Anything else is beneath her and she should keep it moving until she meets the man with these qualities.
What they actually stated was that BY 55 only 13% of African -American women never married. Not that they marry around that age. Black women are are loving in relationships if you don't count loving as being quiet and allowing a man to walk all over you. If you count love as correction, high expectations, accountabilty, and a helping and encouraging hand in forward motion, that's how we love. It would also be beneficial to teach young men to value women and preceive having a wife as a benefit rather than a burden. Before marriage was considered as a means to build rather than something you had to build for. It would also be beneficial that the black community reduce the amount of misogyny by holding young men accountable for the same moral expectations we set for girls. How can a male be taught to measure his manhood by the number of women he gets to sleep with him and we tell our girls not to do it, when by design and proper order a male has influence over the female? A woman becomes rebellious, suspicious, and independent when she has negative interactions with males who ony count her as a notch on his "manhood" belt rather someone who she can depend on. The women of any people are a reflection of the men of those people.
I disagree. i think the information is empowering because Debunkng the Media statistic for black relationships (systematic oppression) does wonders for peoples hopes and psyche. Getting married later is understandable but i would like for us to see the benefit in growing our financial stability, personal business, ect together vs as an individual. (Unity = power). Getting caught up in the paperchase by your self is far more difficult, and stressfull…