“Womanism, as conventionally employed in black culture, can refer to gender traits or can identify social/political consciousness. Womanism represents an expectation and experience of female knowledge, competence, and responsibilities that are beyond those associated either with youth or with the gender traits traditionally assigned females in Western culture. (Contributed by Deborah king of the Women 's Studies Encyclopedia) It is significant to note that while black males, regardless of their ages, have been stereotypically addressed as "boys," black females were supposedly denigrated by being referred to as "women" rather than "ladies." However, the connotations of "women" within the black community have …show more content…
I didn’t want to wake her up. I wanted to enjoy and preserve that calm, peaceful look on her face, I wanted to think she would always be that happy, so I would never be unhappy again either." ( Anne Moody,page 75) A large part of what womanism is about is stepping into and owning the qualities associated with being Black woman. In this quote the character does this by asserting and affirming some of these positive qualities. Particularly, she emphasis the importance of the quality of peace and calm. These qualities are adult qualities in that they have move past the worried insecurity of childhood. Further, more subtly, the quality of perseverance is being promoted. Perseverance, is also an adult quality of being able to handle hardship with ease and grace. This is important for the individuals in the womanist movement as they fight against inequality and