Womanism

Not to be confused with Feminism.
Black and white drawing of women of African-American descent holding a large pot together above their heads
A depiction of black female unity as a core value of womanism

Womanism is a feminist movement, primarily championed by Black feminists, originating in the work of African American author Alice Walker in her 1983 book In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens. Walker coined the term "womanist" in the short story "Coming Apart" in 1979.[1][2][3] Her initial use of the term evolved to envelop a spectrum of issues and perspectives facing black women and others.[4][5] Walker defined "womanism" as embracing the courage, audacity, and self-assured demeanor of Black women, alongside their love for other women, themselves, and all of humanity. Since its inception by Walker, womanism has expanded to encompass various domains, giving rise to concepts such as Africana womanism and womanist theology or spirituality.

Womanism can be applied as a social theory based on the history and everyday experiences of Black women. According to womanist scholar Layli Maparyan (Phillips), womanist theory seeks to "restore the balance between people and the environment/nature and reconcil[e] human life with the spiritual dimension."[1]

  1. ^ a b Phillips 2006, pp. xx–xix, "Introduction. Womanism: On Its Own".
  2. ^ "Womanism". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  3. ^ Walker, Alice (1981). "Coming Apart". You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Reader was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Womanism". bmrc.lib.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-24.