Why Do White Men (and Others) Keep Attacking Black Women?
Fear of the Professional Black Woman
Since her inception into this country as human capital, the need to control the Black woman has been a high priority. From slave masters on plantations to press secretaries at the White House, the Black woman’s positioning in the family unit and even in the social and political structure of our society renders her either a powerful ally or a dangerous enemy.
From recent media coverage, one might gather that it is improper for a Black woman to stand in dissent to the prevailing social images, fashion standards, or political views of the day. She can (if she looks right) be seen, but not heard as long as she is financially, socially, sexually, and politically malleable. That said, we can begin to understand the surplus of Scandal-like story lines on television with Black women paired and mated with a White male counterpart when this was frowned upon, and at times even condemned. It is this scripted imagery and the manufactured stereotypes that are constantly pushed through media in an attempt to reduce the broadly valuable contributions of Black women of every kind.
In recent history, former First Lady, Michelle Obama, tennis champions, Venus and Serena Williams, and Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Douglass, have all been repeatedly and publicly criticized, insulted, and even likened to animals. No one mentions their level of education, their professional accomplishments, or their philanthropic contributions. They are only reduced to their looks or someones perception of their looks. Likewise, Black girls and women have been dragged, thrown, groped, raped, kidnapped, and choked in classrooms, swimming pools, colleges, and malls across the country while the world watches, yet nothing seems to change. It has had an adverse effect on how Black women are seen and treated by people every day.
Just this week there was a surge of very public attacks by White men on Black women. The growing trend in media and politics seems to be an effort to publicly denigrate Black women. This onslaught could be interpreted by some as an attempt to dismiss her influence while shutting down her staunch intellectual and political prowess. This week alone, a veteran Black reporter was commanded to “stop shaking your head,” and, essentially, told to stop voicing her opinion, as if she is without autonomy and without a seat at the proverbial “table” in this post-slavery America. And in an unwarranted and rather disgusting attack, Representative Maxine Waters was publicly mocked by commentator, Bill O’Reilly about her choice of a hairstyle, an irrelevant issue, especially in a time when the very security of this country is at risk.
As a Black woman, I find this behavior insulting and demeaning; as an educated, free thinking individual, I consider this treatment trite and reflective of the country’s hateful culture. I am personally interested in how the attacks on Black women can end so that we can engage in the pursuit of happiness like any other “American” citizen. That said, I believe now is the time for us to engage in activism, especially when the Black woman is better situated, than in any other time in history, to affect change for our own good and the good of our children.
I do know that the onus is not on Black women to combat the dismissive, racist, and even misogynistic tendencies of our white, male counterparts (and others), but I would offer that it is exceedingly important that we find a way to divest ourselves of the emotional injury, however, warranted, produced by the constant assaults. We can’t afford to merely be victims when we see these tactics for what they are — mere distractions concocted to render us defensive and defenseless, rather than engaged in the pursuit of fairness and justice for all. It seems as if #BlackWomenAtWork got it right on Twitter this week. Their response went viral as women unified to protest Bill O’Reilly’s asinine attack on Representative Waters. In this vein, we must be vocal in our protest of our own mistreatment. We must note it when it happens and call it what it is.
. . . But a hashtag isn’t enough.
We must not just talk about it; we have to be about it BEFORE the next viral video. Let us be proactive, not reactive by doing a few things consistently.
1. Let us become more accepting of ourselves and each other.
Black women are not monolithic. We are diverse in our thinking and our affiliations. We represent many different belief systems. We all live, love, work, and express ourselves differently. Consequently, we have a right to publicly voice these opinions and to demand fair representation in our leadership, but we also should enjoy the feeling of being supported and respected when we speak out. No woman should fear an attack from other women just because of our differences in ideals.
2. Stop straining to fit into the molds they make for us.
Let us realize that beauty is diverse. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Black women come in more colors than any other race of women. To demand that Black women or ANY women conform to ONE standard of beauty is ridiculous and impossible. It is important that we not work to fit the images created for us instead of creating them for ourselves. So yes, rock that wig, that weave, extensions, that natural, and those locks on any given day if that is your best you. We must also cast off judgment of our sisters, especially in ways that weigh so heavily on self image, body image, and self esteem, becoming self assured, not willing to reject self to accept society’s values when they are not all encompassing.
3. Let us raise our daughters AND sons to be the change we want to see.
We must realize from whence these assaults have come and fortify ourselves and our children against them while also raising the coming generations of boys and girls who feel free enough to break away from the stereotypes and boundaries that have kept us all from our best selves as individuals, as a community, and as a country.
Summarily, Black women and those who love and support us do not have to fall silent in in fear, shame, or the age old expected obeisance to systemic racism in the wake of hateful personal attacks. When this is realized and embraced, there will be a lack of viral response by consumers and the nature of what is news will change. There will no longer be consumers of empty hateful news that only targets certain groups of people. Ultimately, when we all begin to stand for what is right, unwarranted personal attacks on Black women (or any women) by White men and anyone else will cease to occur for they will be fruitless in an empty stadium and they will fall on deaf ears of individuals focused on the things that are real and that matter.
