Listen…those of you in the Black community
who love to play respectability politics, particularly when Black women are at
the receiving end of the disrespect, can complain about how repulsive a
specific segment of Black women are all you want, but what does the act of
shaming a Black woman accomplish, exactly? Who are you brothers trying to impress,
when you loudly declare how immeasurable you've made the divide between
yourselves and those very women, in a sorry ass bid to prove how respectable
and ‘unlike them’ you really are?
As for the stereotypes about the
frightening Angry Black Woman, I’ve concluded a long time ago, that no matter
what any Black woman does, she’ll always continue to come under harsh scrutiny;
whether it’s from the white folks gaze, us Black men, other people of color, or
other Black women. Whether they’re docile, educated, upwardly mobile,
successful, or have a recurring date to have a drink with Michelle Obama,
society will always stigmatize Black female behavior. Black women aren't saints.
None of them are infallible….they’re subject to stumble, hurt, make stupid
choices, and experience the range of circumstances and emotions just like
everyone else gets to work through. But because they’re expected to continue
playing mule alongside our Black male ego and remain unflappable but silent,
they’re humanity goes unrecognized. Yes it does, I know! Anti-Black woman
sentiment and castigation doesn’t have a genuine or vested interest in what it
is exactly, that’s making young Black women tick and lash out, because it’s
much easier to gaslight, grind and ax, and to continue marginalizing them. Even
Michelle Obama isn't above the hurtful critiques, or having stereotypes attributed to her…….hum?
Black women needing to have valid critiques
and conversations about the public displays of destructive and at-risk behavior
young Black women are caught exhibiting, goes without saying. But they need to
be productive and broken down accordingly, because it’s definitely a lot deeper
than 5-6 minute viral videos.
They need to ask legitimate questions; like
why many of them support websites like World Star Hip Hop, who thrive on seeing
Black women under pressure? And why they continue to feed into the inflammatory
commentary it stimulates? And while it makes them retreat, dismissing a poor
Black woman as a hood-rat because of her lower socioeconomic lot in life, or to
say she isn’t worthy of her humanity, mental health or rehabilitation, and
deserves to have violent acts perpetrated against her for shits and giggles, is
troubling; regardless of how far away Black women distance themselves from it. For
those Black women, like Michelle Obama, Toni Morrison, and others, who have the
mental capacity and wherewithal to remove themselves from the critical gaze of
people who don’t deem them as worthy of protection and who’d rather write them
off as angry and bitter, and who rejoice at seeing them at their lowest point,
do so immediately… for your own growth, self-preservation and peace of mind;
and if you feel inclined or have the resources to do so, mentor those young
women and girls who haven’t mastered the art of navigating their circumstances.
Because continuing to pander to folks who talk over you and are adamant about
telling you who they think you are, it’s a destructive dance.
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