The Re-Branding of Black Women
Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 7:29AM There's a running inter-office joke about "strong Black women." I'd explain, but it won't be funny because it's one of those 'you had to be there to get it' insider things. But it all stems from how for the annual Do Right Men Issue years ago*, there were like fifty guys featured and we asked all fifty, "What do you love most about Black women?" The logic was, Black women get so-piled on (that was for you Psychology Today) and many feel so unappreciated, overlooked, and criticized by Black men, that it would be a nice shout out to the ladies. Don't recall the exact number, but almost all of them started out with, "they are strong..."
I didn't work on the issue referenced; it was the year before I landed at the magazine (and how I know you won't get the joke. It had to be explained to me like I was a toddler.) But in all the interviews I've done with me where I asked this question (I usually don't anymore. On occasion, I'll throw it in for filler), the guy always begins, "Well, they're strong...." And this is where the joke comes from. I don't even bother running that answer.
Over on News One, RK Beyers attempts to figure out what exactly "strong" really means and why it's the go-to adjective for Black women (at the same time, he makes his essay a lovely ode to his mama. She's got to be somewhere grinning right now.) An excerpt (click the link. It's a quick, worthwhile read):
My mother is the greatest woman that I know or know of, yet I wouldn’t describe her as “strong”.
I would describe her as clever, shrewd, and frequently outraged, intellectually curious and open to any and all possibilities.
She is kind and she is beautiful, quick with her wit, slick with her tongue, among the best in her field (database programming) and ready to be anything but wrong.
Nobody’s laughter is more sudden, startling, or contagious.
and....
We hear so much about “Strong Black Women”—recently even newly crowned NBA MVP Derrick Rose described his mother as a “Strong Black Woman”—that it almost seems as if the words “Black woman” should also, by definition, have the word “strong” implied.
But “strength” is a masculine trait.
And as the psychological warfare continues that is now trying to explain to us that Black women are the ugliest women alive because they have more testosterone than other women, forgive me if I don’t feel comfortable using any terms even remotely manly when describing someone as lovely, tender and delicate as my mother.
Oddly enough, I wouldn't call my mother strong either. And that's not a dis to Mum-zie. She's a lot of really dope things (on her good days. Like everyone else, including me, she has her moments). But "strong" doesn't pop to the forefront and would hardly be all encompassing. She's much more dimensional than that. That said, it almost seems like 'Black woman' and 'strong' so inherently go-together like no condoms and STDs that to not call a Black woman strong sounds insulting. It's not, of course.
So I wonder, Black women, what would you rather be called, if anything? If we could re-brand thru a massive PR campaign, what would the new catchphrase to describe us? I'd go with something all encompassing and effortlessly feminine like 'lovely'.
What say you?
*I did the photoshoot for the 2011 guys last week and now I'm knee deep in interviews. Good Lord! Those men? *pants* That issue is a must-have-and-keep. (And I'm not just saying that because I work there.)
Reader Comments (28)
I vote for dynamically enduring!
Savvy....black women are the original innovators and inventors.
*cue Maya* Black women are simply phenomenal.
I guess I've always thought the "strong" adjective came from an emotional strength - the emotional strength it took to get through slavery and racism and such. It's just a skip away from "Angry Black Woman." Never thought about it as a male facet though.
Definitely an interesting piece Belle! We're not monolithic.. definitely not all black women are "strong" and I don't think it should be a go-to description. Hmm I'm not even sure that I like the "branding" concept for a race-gender.. it's not like there's an appropriate description for asian women (smart?) or white women.
But if I was forced to.. maybe:
beautiful (inside & out)
dynamic
id like to be called whatever describes ME as an individual and that's a host of things dependingon the day (just keeping it honest) ..i cringe when I hear someone say 'strong black woman" it sounds so cliche and loaded...and In my city there was even a campaign in schools that the students were saying they could deal with anything because they are "strong black women" mind you these were white, asian, hispanic etc people using the phrase..not sure how other black women felt about hearing that but I was seriously irritated.
Also, when someone says 'strong black woman' i equate that with putting up with or at least being able to deal with anything...that feeds so many stereotypes
For me Honest and Genuine. @Portia I totally agree with you. I don't like the idea that black woman are seen as work horses that can endure so much.
recently my brother was killed and the compliments came in "you and your mother are so strong" simply because we did not bawl down the place or become sick with grief. I didnt feel strong, i felt like i was doing what i had to do. i agree black women are strong but it is not the only word that describes us. i do however prefer "strong" to "angry" in front of black woman.
"Despite obvious differences between males and females, feminism aimed to teach girls to aspire to be masculine and boys to be feminine. Public schools have become the focus of increasing girl-centered education and decreasing the natural inclinations of boys."
-From an article I was reading released today.
Don't back up now that's not STRONG(I'm Kidding), Black women have been promoting this junk for a looong while. It's only the effects which have prompted re-examination. Like I told you a while ago Belle and which you repeated in a later post:
FIRE THE PR LADY!!!
Strong, Independent Black Women I believe stemmed from a Yoko Ono statement/feminist article in the 70's stating women/feminist were the new "niggers" (could be wrong on that, lost link which I haven't tried to dig out again). You let them get away w/ it, you let gays get away w/it...Black women ran w/ it. Why? No Idea? .
It also explains the prev. bewildering posts re:
"Living on the "Down Low""
"When Boys Think Pink "
"The Don Lemon Non-Dilemma "
The promotion of acceptance of gays (just live your life, Damn!) and their "marriage" while constantly belittling Hetero Men, their sexuality & the very concept of marriage altogether. Simultaneously, promoting/encouraging the acceptance of as many single mother households as possible. "Independence".
-It doesn't seem to make sense, but actually it does...
Ya'll on something else,
And it ain't "black".
But black women have been doing it for so long (40 yrs),
alot of innocent black women can't even see it,
But they DO the same.
You're Socialists.
Black Russians-my preferred term. And it's prevalent in the community & promoted by black women constantly. I've known the last 6-7 yrs.
That's the ideal and black women have pulled the rest of the "Village" into to it. Where do you think the idea of "We'll give you free money, but you can't have a man in the house" came from?
GOOD NEWS I'm glad the fog is starting to lift,
BAD NEWS? You've now got 2 MAJOR problems as a result. And they're not the only ones.
My second word of choice (for black women current -to-40 yrs ago) would be Gullible.
Feminism was NOT a good idea.
I didn't realize there was a downside to being described as a "strong black woman." I personally like words like beautiful and dynamic, I feel like thats an accurate description of all the black women I know.
Just my two cents.
Giving! It is the word I think of to describe my own mother and black women give of themselves in so many ways.
We've had to endure so much as black women so I don't necessarily take issue with the term strong.
I'd prefer however, "resilient & regal" because that's what most of us are.
I don't like catchphrases. But I get that 'strong' is just something not many of us would like to burdened with, because to a degree it can be just that. I never liked it either. What made me 'strong' at like, 18, 19? I look back now and I'm like, I was still like a damn teenager, not thinking past a certain point, not prepared for life.
Sidenote:
My ex, who is White, told me once that he dates Black women exclusively because we're 'strong' and some other stuff I can't remember he said lol. But when I think about it now the experiences I had during our relationship and afterwards, there is no way he would've been able to deal with the changes that occurred within me that has me cutting toxic folk off with the quickness and not putting up with foolery. No way, no how. So he doesn't even know what it means yet he claims that's what he wants. No sir.
What does "Strong Black Woman" mean? It goes way beyond jokes and comments at your particular office. You do not need to be a historian like Henry Louise Gates to know that all the way back to days of slavery the master (or whoever the master gave permission to) would go to the slaves quarters, pick out any female he wanted and had their way with them. Did not mattered if they were married or not. Then very frequently the strong buck husband would be sold off. Leaving the women to raise the children alone... while still being a slave.
Then fast forward to the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s where the only job a black women could get was a maid for a white family. After doing that all day she would have to go home (way on the other side of town) and take care of her own family.
Then consider the man running around with different women, fathering other children, and ultimately abandoning her and leaving that black women alone to with 3 or 4 kids. Or getting locked up which still leaves her alone having to fend for herself. This happens disproportionately far more in the black community and it has been going on for generations.
This ultimately is the root of the term "Strong Black Woman"
Then you get to whatever is going on in your office? Which statistically is the result of more black women getting higher education, graduating college and finding themselves in a work environment that has few black men considered as on their level.
Which is partly why the statistics are pretty clear that interracial dating and mixed race relationships are definitely on the increase. Especially in the case of black girls seeking white men.
"If you, as a human being, as a person, are independent or strong, then you just are. Why must that become a generic label slapped on an entire race of women? Am I strong? Some say so. Am I independent? Hell yes. Is that by way of my standing as an African-American woman? Hell no. I came by my independence and strength honestly as I have two very strong-willed grandfathers...and their blood flows through my veins. I was independent before I became a woman. I was an independent child. I was a strong child who went through hell and back for the first 14 years of my life. If I am strong and independent, I bear those traits as a human being and nothing more. If I am strong and independent, that’s just who I am."
this makes me sad. because while i am definitely strong (have had to be to endure life as a black woman in this culture), i am definitely vulnerable and tender. i hurt, i bleed just like the next person. and i think sometimes black woman are seen as not even being capable of that. we are expected to be the "workhorses," as someone commented. the whole thing is dehumanizing. we a range of feelings and characteristics, even the strongest of the "strong black women," and i would love to see that portrayed in the media more too - where are the multifaceted roles for black women? you don't get to see all of our dimensions in pop culture, which perpetuates people's perceptions that we are one thing.
anyway, just sending love to all of my sisters - let's recognize that we are many things *including strong* and not let others define us.
vulnerable, pretty, genuine, intelligent, awesome!
Intelligent, sweet, loving
I remember when I read Joan Morgan's book: When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost : My Life as A Hip Hop Feminist and she talked a lot about "strong black women" and how we get tired of feeling like we have to live up to that standard. Dang, I need to go through my storage and read that again. It totally goes with this post!
I wish someone,perhaps Oprah,would take and run with this concept and make it a campaign. Black wome are dynamic. This word decribes us perfectly.
I love Craigs comment..Im glad someone other than me is noticing alllllll of that..
i don't understand why black women need any type of branding at all. why can't we just be women?
I don't see the word "strong" as masculine anymore than I see the word "weak" as feminine. To me, being strong mentally, emotionally and yes, physically, is something in which anyone of any gender should be proud. I've know very few, weak Black women.
I would say that I am resilient.
It does seem like Black woman is synonymous with strong, and I am not sure who said that. But I want no parts of it and all that it implies. An ex once called me “riveting” and I think it was absolutely the greatest compliment I have ever received. I would rather be that any day rather than “strong” and all the baggage implied.
Btw, I read the article and it was really good. But the comment that strength is a “masculine quality” didn’t sit well with me. It felt a bit traditional and staunchly grounded in rigid gender roles, though I think it’s clear from the entire article that the author is a lot more free thinking than some of his contemporaries.
I will take strong all day every day. I love my strength but I have my weaknesses too. Someone said savvy. I really like that. I do think of most of my sisters as strong along with other things...so basically from what I'm hearing here is that something that was so positive for us we have let others make it a negative...to me that is sad