Table of Content
As of 1992, the number of blacks making $50,000 or more was a pathetic 1 percent of the African-American population. More often than not, married couples who reached the nirvana of black middle-classdom were only able to do so by combining their incomes. Even with the burgeoning of the black middle class and the entertainment industry's highly publicized black millionaires, there simply aren't enough rappers, ball players, doctors, lawyers, or even gainfully employed brothers to satisfy the enormous demand.
Gender-biased it may be, but in a society of ever-shifting gender roles, temporarily indulging the men lucci/women coochie division of power offers a soothing semblance of order. Not to wax nostalgic for the "good old days" but those much-needed feminist advances also left our generation disconcertingly bewildered about what our "roles" are as men and women -- and how they relate to each other. As a result, women's struggle for political, economic, and social equality has always been infinitely clearer than the internal battle we wage trying to honor both our independence and our femininity. Dating is one of the few areas in my life that I get to completely indulge the latter.
Reading Group Guide
Her labeling this text as feminist is feigning to the mission of feminism and misleading to young women and people that stumble upon this book without having fully-formed their politics thinking this book could be a germane guide in their respective foundations. Still fresh, funny, and irreverent after eighteen years, When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost gives voice to the most intimate thoughts of the post-Civil Rights, post-feminist, post-soul generation. Martine Bury Jane It's a bold, cheeky, self-affirming read, and for black women in this society, there's hardly enough affirmation.
It felt like listening to an older aunt or sister and relating to them personally but then you realize that the depth of what you’re seeking from the conversation isn’t going to come. This book lacks depth, analysis, and theory which ultimately made me unlike it. Morgan writes in the afterword that she specifically wanted to stay away from theory and academic jargon for its accessibility but how do you write a book on black feminism without analysis? It comes across as as one long slightly “hotep-tress” op-ed that tends to shame women for the failures of patriarchy… the babymother chapter almost made me sick to my stomach. Like it’s Black womens fault for being thrust into the throes of single parenthood?
Music
I remember first coming across an article mention this book when doing a research paper for an African-American studies course. I have long since forgotten what the paper was about but I remember this book title. Maybe because it is such a catching title and used a term that I remember from growing up. That being said I had high hopes for this book. While I think the author deliver I did have some issues with it.
If you ask someone to define feminism, the response will vary, but there will always be at least one that will include hating men in some form. To be more clear, feminism should not be defined solely by victimization because we are so much more than that. Knowing this and not allowing it to become a superwoman cloak over one's spirit is a balancing act. What makes this book interesting to me is the how it can appear hypocritical to want to be independent, have a successful career, be a boss in all areas of life until apparently you choose not to be. I think this what Morgan means by shades of gray.
When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: A Hip-Hop Feminest Breaks It Down
Many of us are empowered enough to combine our erotic power with resources that were unimaginable to our mothers -- money, education, talent, drive, ambition, confidence, and the freedom to just "go for ours." The teenager my mom sought to protect by devising those rules was now a fully grown woman. Her values were already too deeply ingrained for me to really be at risk. I already knew that a man paying for dinner, a hotel, or an airline ticket did not entitle him to a piece of my ass. And truth be told, the same ultra-independent STRONG-BLACKWOMANisms that compelled me to go Dutch were also the ones that landed me in Frisco in the first place -- tired, unhappy, and sick of my life.
She tries not to do that but it is what she does. In particularly she blames mothers for there sons actions. She gets into the whole "mother's raise their daughters but love their sons" argument. But it negates personal responsibility and puts adult decision on the why a child is raised. If you get to twenty five years old and don't know how to open a door or act like an man than it is not entirely your mother's fault. Forthright and controversial, When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost offers a feminism committed to "keeping it real." It is that magical intersection where contrary voices meet -- the juncture where "truth is no longer black and white but subtle, intriguing shades of gray."
Genres
That part about how dudes should be able to abdicate their parental rights, and thus responsibilities, if they were clear thru a pregnancy that they didn't want to parent a child? But no matter how vehemently i disagree with some of JM's conclusions, the questions are dead on. In her attempt to auction this book as a Black feminist requirement, she’s exposed myself and several other readers to an unneeded pick-me thought disguised as feminism with a dash of "let’s try to understand Black men better". Other displeasing parts of this book include her lamentable slut-shaming of sex workers and women who partook in the sexual revolution.
I laughed and I wondered how I can make things better. She of this book ages well, some of the slang doesn't, but Black men dan women are still going through the same relationship issues they did before, although now with more popular input from social media and hoteps and self-help people and Steve gotdamned Harvey. The phenomenal commercial success of rappers Foxy Brown and Lil' Kim -- the official chickenhead patron saints -- are one example. Unlike MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, or Yo Yo, Kim and Foxy are hardly examples of Afro-femme regality, refined sensuality, or womanist strength. These baby girls -- with their history-making multi-platinum debuts -- have the lyrical personas of hyper-sexed, couture-clad hoochie mamas. Once again hip-hop holds up its unwanted mirror and drives home a little-discussed truth.
1-Feminism is not the same for all women & that's okay. I also think this can be a source of frustration and cause tension. I think this can be a great beginning of a discussion on what feminism means and how it can benefit women and men. And let me tell you, it left me with some things i GOT to talk about. I'm actively recruiting some of my girls to pick this one up and then have some dialogue.
There's probably a great book to be written about hip hop from a feminist perspective, but Chickenheads sure isn't it. What's interesting is that I bought it about 9 years ago, read half of it and loved it. Morgan claims that she wants to uplift the black community through hip hop feminism but doing so, she tears us apart, mainly black women. There is much talk about black-on-black crime and degradation. Worse, is her claim that she is seeking a feminism that holds the black community accountable and does not marginalize black women as victims. Yet, she only seems to hold black women accountable and paints trifling black men as victims and in need of love.
I had to write some notes at the end in order for this review to not come off as pure reaction but as concern for the frame of consciousness Joan Morgan was in when she wrote this in 1999. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Ronda Racha Penrice Rap Pages Whether one agrees with Morgan or not, the sister definitely makes you think.
When it comes to the division of power, men get a much better deal. With any skill, their power increases exponentially over time. Thanks to deeply embedded prejudices regarding women and aging, ours diminishes drastically with age.
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Granted this book was written awhile ago, but dang. We may not agree with these types of women's practices, but do we have to call them out their names? I have mixed feelings on this one, but it got me thinking, and I always take that as a good thing. Now what I did not like is that Morgan sort of put a lot of the blame for the state of black men on black women.
Get a FREE ebook by joining our mailing list today! Plus, receive recommendations for your next Book Club read. A very quick read, but one with a compelling and relatable message. I just wish the version I read was edited more carefully.
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