Please stop calling Black women “strong” and “powerful”

r/

The white women of this sub are especially guilty of that. I know it’s not said with malicious intent, but I don’t see it as complimentary and it feels more like I’m being masculinized or put on some unrealistic pedestal that circles back around to being dehumanizing.

I am not a “strong Black woman”, I am a human being and normal woman that happens to be Black. I’m naturally a very soft and gentle woman. I’m also sensitive, insecure, and never in my life have I felt “strong” or “powerful”, not do I care to.

Obviously some Black women may not feel the way I do, but then call those individual women “strong” instead of stamping that label on all of us and dismissing the pain and hurt that many of us experience because in your eyes we “can handle it”. Some of us can’t, and none of us should have to.

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  1. Ryywenn Avatar

    Great post.

  2. pegasuspish Avatar

    White woman here- thank you for saying this. Replying to my own comment with some thoughts so you can read them if you like and not read them if you don’t. 

  3. Hukthak Avatar

    I appreciate your stance and willingness to share your perspective, I’m sure many other people feel similarly.

  4. wolfhuntra Avatar

    Every woman is their own unique life. Assuming folks are a certain way by grouping/classifying is stereotypical patriarchal trash. Be yourself and relish your uniqueness. You are uniquely 1 in over 4 billion.