So before I start let me just say that I’m no Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson activist. I am not an activist at all. I just want to give some insight and knowledge to individuals who do not understand why here lately black women are genuinely upset. There are a few fads that have been occurring, but I only plan to touch base on a few. Hopefully this gives individuals a little knowledge so they don’t continue to think that we just want attention or a reason to be a “mad black woman.”
This is Sara “Saartije” Baartman. She was the most famous of at least two women, due to their large buttocks. They were exhibited as freak show attractions in the 19th century. She was placed on a stage where individuals would literally point, stare, laugh and take photos. Even after her death, for more than a century and a half later; individuals could go to the Museum of Man in Paris and view her brain, skeleton and genitalia on display.
Do you see something wrong with this? Well I do. Growing up watching cartoons this is how some of the African American characters were portrayed. I get it, we do have big noses and we do have big lips but this is a little excessive. I remember being a little girl and being ostracized for my lips as if I could control my genetics. I remember being made fun of for the braids in my hair, heck even the texture. I remember being so upset in my fourth grade class that I actually took my hair down and put it in a pony tail, just to get called “Don King” at lunch. I remember crying at night, my mother holding me close to her heart, caressing me and telling me over and over “Your black is beautiful baby girl, they just don’t understand it.”
At this point you are probably wondering why I have brought this up. I bring this up because there are many women across the nation upset, but no one understands. It’s not black women playing victim or wanting to speak on being oppressed. It’s about the fact that the world can love black culture, but in the same sentence hate black people. Now I’m not speaking for everyone. Just my point of view. The same braids I wore in elementary school and got made fun of can be put on a woman who is not of color and it is beautiful. The same lips I was born with and ostracized for, can be bought by a woman who is not of color and they are perfect. The same big, round, thick a** I was born with and told “made me fat” can be bought by a woman who is not of color and all of a sudden her body is on point. Now by no means am I angry because I have learned that you cannot fix stupid, but do not tell me how to feel. Do not tell me you understand, because you do not. You never will. I am perfectly fine in my melanin RICH skin. it took me years to understand the essence of it all, but I finally got it.
deereetoday 