Sojourner Truth — She is a woman and she is brave!

Sexism and racism are two major issues that have been heavily present amongst us. These two issues correlate, but there are women who experience racism and sexism differently. “Ain’t I a woman?” delivered by Sojourner Truth in 1851 at the Women’s Right Convention serves as a prime example of the prejudice acts that Black women experienced during slavery and it demonstrates how different women receive different treatment. It is as if there are women who are worthy of respect while there are other women who are degraded and labeled as those who are not meant to feel kindness from others.

Hypocrisy is one of Truth’s arguments. She wants everyone to see when men state that women must be treated kindly, they are not referring to all women.

“That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman?”

The fact that she stated this in the Women’s Right Convention is powerful. The man Truth is referring to may have been mainly suggesting that white women are in need of more rights. There is a disproportionate treatment present amongst women. Although it is not quite recognized, it is clearly visible that not every single woman is viewed as a person that will be benefiting from the Women’s Right Convention. Exclusion is present. And as a women’s right activist it is important to include all women from receiving equality.

Truth is debunking the notion that women need to be and are helped at all times by showing that she, along with other women have not had the chance to enjoy from such opportunity. She is also encouraging black women to make a stand and fight against the oppression they have experience for so long. She no longer wants black women to be submissive into believing that they do not have a voice.

The repetition of “Ain’t I a woman?” is also used to empower Black women. Truth is reinforcing her statement by constantly reminding others that she is a woman who deserves respect and kindness. The emotions of feeling deserving of rights, feeling determined and not afraid of anyone are definitely strong feelings that can be felt when reading her speech.

Personal experience is used to show women’s capability. Truth is accentuating that no man has ever helped her; she has done hard work without help. She is demanding men to look at the pain and struggle she has encountered as a woman. Help hasn’t been provided even when her children were being sold off to slavery. Nobody was there.

“Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?”

Truth questions why she hasn’t seen the same support, respect and kindness that other white women have experienced. It seems as if not all women are worthy of the title “woman.” And it makes me wonder why is it that certain group of women benefit more from others?

https://www.nps.gov/wori/learn/historyculture/sojourner-truth.html