Teach Your Kids About Badass Black Women
Beyoncé videos and children’s books to teach intersectional feminism
Today, my 4-year-old and I had a great talk about institutionalized racism and intersectional feminism.
Actually, we had a ton of tiny talks, while watching lots of Beyoncé videos.
I sometimes overtalk on subjects I’m passionate about, like the struggle against racism and sexism. But I’m finally realizing we’ve got to reach people where they’re at, and where my 4-year-old is at is that she loves dancing and cute clothes.
How do you start a conversation with your kid about race?
People of color have conversations about race by necessity. White people sometimes try to put off talking about race, because it makes them nervous.
My kid is a white-passing Jew. I’m a Jew who reads as ethnically ambiguous. I grew up feeling othered, and I’m doing what I can to raise an ally.
Today, Beyoncé helped us talk about race, but usually, we turn to children’s books. So many children’s books that explicitly deal with race center on two topics: slavery and the civil rights era.
