Survey Explores Black American Adults’ Opinions on Equal Rights for Women and Feminism

Filed in Research & Studies on March 6, 2023

A new survey by the Pew Research Center documents how African Americans feel about the feminist movement. Nearly four out of every five Black adults agree that “it is very important for women to have equal rights with men.” Nearly 9 of every 10 Black adults with a college education agree that it is important to have equal rights for men and women

More than three quarters of Black adults agree that “the feminist movement has done a great deal or a fair amount to advance women’s rights.” But less than half of Black adults agree that the feminist movement has helped Black women. Black men are more likely than Black women to believe that the feminist movement has helped Black women. Among college-educated Black adults, 61 percent believe that the feminist movement has helped Black women. Only 45 percent of Black adults with only a high school education agree.

More than a quarter of all Black adults believe that the feminist movement has actually “hurt Black women.” And Black women are more likely than Black men to agree.

Some 42 percent of Black adults say feminism has helped White women a lot. Only 16 percent of Black adults agree that feminism has helped Black women a lot.