And never have these issues been more relevant to all Americans, Patterson and other researchers say. As marriage rates among blacks plummet, Patterson says he's hearing increased numbers of educated, middle-class black women speak in tones of resignation or desperation about the scarcity of similarly accomplished black men. He's also carefully listened to the misogynist lyrics of many popular rap songs. But these experts also urge caution. Millions of African American women and men, regardless of their social or economic class, enjoy healthy and respectful relationships with the opposite sex.
Millions are happily married or happily single.
Nor are these problems unique to African American men and women. Tucker and Patterson say there's evidence that suggests gender relations among white men and women may become increasingly strained for some of the same reasons. Some of the trends are clearly in the same direction. Whether they have the same disastrous effects remains to be seen. Census figures document many of these trends.