Unapologetic: The Black Woman’s Struggle

By: Diamond Frazier

Sistahs, I just want to say that I love you all; from your full features, multicultural crown that is bestowed on your head to your unapologetic melanin.Being black and woman in today’s society seems to be a bad omen to those who think of us as inferior. Never have I seen or heard so much hatred thrown toward the black woman simply because she’s black and a woman.

So many black women have gone missing or have been killed in 2015 yet there is no national outcry. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to dim the light on our brothers but let’s face it, a black man’s life is held in higher regard to a black woman’s life. Correct me if I’m wrong though.

That infamous invisible target that has been placed onto our backs from slavery up until now has made us easy targets. For example the police officer who went around tormenting, raping and harassing black women of all ages because he “knew that they wouldn’t go and tell”. He preyed on women who the system would turn away and ignore. Single mothers, elderly women, women with disabilities and addictions; these women in today’s society aren’t respected and because of the lack of respect, the crimes that officer committed went without notice for a while.

I remember watching a video on Facebook that basically called out white supremacy and the appropriation of black culture. One specific quote stood out to me, the speaker said “everyone wants to be black until it’s time to be black.” Meaning, white people take our culture and run with it but as soon as they get into trouble, they suddenly have amnesia.

They don’t remember the “dreads” they TRIED to install in their hair. Or how about listening to Hip-Hop but when questioned about the lyrics it’s just for fun. Black culture has been corrupted by the same people who have corrupted black people; appropriating our struggles, achievements, happiness and tribulations by slapping a costume on it and saying that it’s ok to take someone else’s culture and make it their own.

Those same stereotypes (single mother, crack-head, hoe, etc.) are associated with the black woman. These stereotypes were placed upon black women in the 80s; where drugs were being filtered into poorer neighborhoods. The system was simple: bring in the drugs, arrest the black man, leave the black woman to protect and provide, put children into the system. It seems like our country wanted to make the stereotype a reality because I RARELY heard or saw single black mothers in the 40s-60s to mid 70s. This country basically broke the black woman down so much that these stereotypes weren’t fought against, but accepted.

We as black women never had the support that black men do because of the fact that we are black and women; when did being a woman become something to be ashamed of? Even black men are talking down about black women as if they didn’t come from one. When the hatred comes from within the black community it shows that black women really don’t have a safe-haven because any and everybody has something to add to the melting pot.

It always seemed like no matter what era, the black woman was always going to be looked at as beneath the norm; which is ok because now that we love ourselves out loud, it makes people uncomfortable. Never have I seen so many black girls and women so proud of what they are and where they come from. Fros are getting bigger, skin is getting lovelier, and the attitude is still unbothered.

We no longer give in to what society has placed in front of us, instead we’re innovating societal norms. I’m so glad that we have strong black female figures like Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Kerry Washington, Zendaya, Taraji P. Henson, Gabrielle Union, LaLa Anthony, Rihanna, etc. who embrace the fact that they ARE queens simply because of their bloodlines going back to the mother land.

They’re showing black women and girls that they can do anything as good or better than a what white America has expected and better than what our communities expected. They’re showing black women and girls to embrace and love the skin they are in; the darker the better. Black women are the roses growing from the concrete.

“Long live the rose that grew from the concrete when no one else cared.” – Tupac Shakur