Black Woman by Scottie Lowe

I AM a Magnificent Black woman and as such . . . 

· I will not trade, barter or sell my body for any amount of money because in doing so I know that I devalue my divine self, my sisters, and I enable men to believe that women are objects to be purchased. 

· I will experience healthy instances of fear, insecurity, pain and depression without feeling as if I am less of a woman. 

· I will hold my sons accountable for their wrongdoings, I will teach and guide them to be selfless, to be considerate, and I will give them consequences for their actions when they behave in ways that are self destructive or cause harm to others. 

· I will raise my daughters to believe in their inherent value as human beings and not teach them to use men for money or that their appearance, skin tone, hair length, or body parts give them value.

· I will NOT entertain, engage, flirt with, or become involved with a married partner, a partner who is engaged, or anyone who is in a committed relationship with another person. I will respect myself enough to choose solitude over adultery. 

· I will set healthy boundaries for myself and I will not tolerate physical, emotional, or sexual abuse from any person. 

· I will not defend the actions of Black women when they are reprehensible. I am equally willing to call out the pathologies of Black women as I am Black men. I don't feel the need to defend the actions of my gender simply because we share the same chromosomal makeup.

· I will enter into each new relationship expecting the best. I will come to every relationship with an open mind and an open heart. 

· I will express my concerns and feelings with my partner without projecting negativity. I will take the time to listen carefully without getting defensive. I will take the time to collect my thoughts and speak from a place of calmness before I express my concerns. I will make sure I’m not arguing just to be right and that my concerns are valid. 

· I will not judge men on the size of their wallets, the size of their penis, their car, or their job. I will judge men based on their integrity, their character, their compassion, their vision, their progressiveness. While I look for certain beliefs systems to be the same, I'm open minded enough to know the difference between differing lifestyle choices and differing core values.