Powerful and Black and Female

Tabatha G. Martin
Nov 2, 2017
2 min read

“No other group in America has so had their identity socialized out of existence as have black women… When black people are talked about the focus tends to be on black men; and when women are talked about the focus tends to be on white women.”

—

“Black women are often overlooked.

We are never granted the credit that is long overdue. We deserve to be respected. Black women have been underestimated, but it is time for us to let them know what we can do. Let’s give them something to talk about.

Black women deserve to be talked about for the right reasons; we are conversation worthy.”

I was scrolling through the INCREDIBLE AfroAmericanDream blog when this quote caught my eye. The feminist in me is feeling like unpacking some women power by responding to this post. Tranquella claims black women are overlooked, and I think she’s right. But I think she’s wrong. What I mean is this, black women are overlooked in lots of areas (claiming a space in the south or nontypical jobs, for instance), but I also think there is an air of power that is associated with black femininity. Now this is going to sound stereotypical, but hear me out. In my opinion, when people think about black women, there are a few images that come to mind: the strong black mother, the independent black woman, a strong woman. We are so past the helpless black woman. And maybe I’m letting some cinema portrayals of female black leads cloud my opinion, but is that so wrong? My head goes to Foxxy Cleopatra played by Beyonce (really anything by Beyonce but still), Minny Jackson in The Help, Viola Davis as literally ANY role, specifically Rose in Fences or her lead role in How to get Away with Murder. Countless black female portrayals in cinema are flattering portrayals. I’m not saying she never existed, the overlooked black woman. As Dear White People’s Joelle reminds us in season one, black women were fed the ideology that they needed a white prince to ride in and save them from blackness; I just think that’s behind us. I really believe black women are being given a cinematic light of power, and we as audiences should capitalize on that, to further make it a reality [make it their narrative].

ORIGINAL POST by Tranquella: https://theafroamericandream.tumblr.com/post/165232873922/group-5

#Tabatha

“No other group in America has so had their identity socialized out of existence as have black women… When black people are talked about the focus tends to be on black men; and when women are talked about the focus tends to be on white women.”

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