In the article, Feminism and Womanism, author Carmen Mojica clarifies in the first

few sentences that after researching and soul searching, she cannot identify herself as a Feminist.
Her definition of Feminism goes as follows, Feminism is female-centered and revolves around
the empowerment of the female in a patriarchal society. It also focuses on equality across the
board for men and women (Mojica). She then goes on to describe Black Feminism as a
movement that is family centered, and that it is the acknowledgement that women of color
have been oppressed by sexism and racism, that there was a failure to recognize and address
these issues in the Feminist Movement and the Black Liberation Movement, and that women of
color have their own agenda that neither movement can take on. (Mojica). Specifically
explaining that black women have a hard time associating themselves with the Feminist
movement because of how men are seen from the perspective of white feminists. Mojicas article
illustrates the struggle both black men and women have endured throughout history, and points
out that whereas white women have had to fight to be equal to white men, black men and women
have always been equal in regards to the unequal worth they have when compared to the white
man. In simpler terms, black feminists do not see black men as the oppressors that white feminist
see white men as. Although some would say that black women are welcome and included in the
Feminist movement, Mojica makes it clear that white feminists will never truly understand the
positions and obstacles that black women are faced with every day.
I really loved the definition of Womanism that Mojica provides. The article states, The
theory of Womanism is committed to the survival and wholeness of all people, including men as
well. Rather than supporting separatism, Womanism promotes universalism, (Mojica). In my
journey of figuring out where I stand on various issues in life, specifically the topic of Feminism,
I have been strongly influenced by my religious views. For a long time, I struggled with what the
Bible says and what the world says. I think Mojica states it perfectly when she addresses the
pursuit that Womanism has for a united love between men and women. I believe that we, (men
and women), were made by God equal in worth, but also made with different strengths and
weaknesses. Some people may object and say that both men and women are equally able to do
anything and everything, yet I would argue that men and women were created to complement
each others traits. Overall, this article helped me reorient my thought process, and has left me in
a place where I would consider myself a Womanist.
This article does a great job at expanding the world of women's movements. Mojica
conveys a message to the reader that makes it clear that there is not a single party that will be
able to include every fight for womens equality. It is important to understand that there are many
different groups of women in this world, and you cannot conform them and place them all into
one box. However, these differences are no excuse for us as women to not support one another in
our separate endeavors. As Mojica puts it, Its a matter of recognizing that there are clear and
distinct differences that each group of women must address before being able to tackle things
together, (Mojica). While each organization may have different goals, agendas, and struggles, it
is vital to each groups survival that we stand together and work as a united front.

Works Cited
Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic
Writing. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print

Mojica, Carmen. "Feminism and Womanism." Gender Across Borders RSS. N.p., 29 Mar. 2011.
Web. 24 Sept. 2016.