LaJayah Blain/ Staff Writer
African American women have been historically undermined and underappreciated. Black women have been consistently considered undesirable.
Some find them to be too strong willed, or too difficult to handle.
These negative stigmas of African American women have caused Black women to gain such negative connotations. But why?
African American women are strong-willed. They are determined and dedicated. Why does this determination and dedication make them too hard to handle ?
If a caucasian woman was to exude the same kind of confidence, they would be considered hard working or just plain confident. Why does society give black women such a negative connotation?
All women are working hard to be seen in society as equal so the breaking down of black women needs to end.
Being a woman is hard enough in the world we live in today; we are all fighting for gender equality.
African American women are not only fighting gender equality but also racial equality.
No matter how much we want to act like racism doesn’t exist, it still affects African Americans all over the country.
In the workforce, in school, even at social gatherings, black women have to put in extra efforts to be seen without these racial stereotypes and negative connotations.
We try and act like this reality doesn’t exist but it does, and it always has.
Even as young girls we were raised to behave. We were told things like “don’t be too loud in public because it makes you look ratchet.” Every other week we would go to the beauty salon and cry while we got our hair pulled and straighten so we could look presentable.
The lighter your skin was, the prettier you were considered.
How do we expect these young girls to grow up into women who appreciate themselves, when as children society made them change everything that made them who they are.
African American women are strong, beautiful, and a force to be reckoned with. The negativity placed on African American women has to end.
What do we get out of breaking each other down? Nothing.
We should focus on empowering each other. Imagine a world where we all felt welcomed, beautiful, strong, empowered, happy, and equal. That world would be utopia.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of Panther Press Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Photo by Anter Blackbird at Unsplash
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