They're going to hate me for this one...
Let's play a game. I'll say a word or phrase and then I'll follow it with connotations that the word or phrase has attached to it.
Alright...black women.
Angry
Independent
Hostile
Motivated
Belligerent
Ambitious
Bitter
Successful
Contentious
Starting to see a pattern? I know that I have been.
Now before you start writing your comments on how I am generalizing, just know that for the sake of time and my sanity I am not going to attempt to point out every exception to this claim. But I am quite aware that there are many black women who are not angry, hostile, etc. But over the years I have noticed that many black women are quick to enforce their independence by attempting to either keep others in check or speak their mind, regardless of the situation.
Establishing a position of being the H.B.I.C. is not attractive in the least. And I know a lot of girls are probably thinking...well, attraction is not the main goal of my assertiveness. The main goal is for people to know that I can handle my own and I am not the one to be F'ed with. Well, that is all great and wonderful that you are aware of yourself and wish to be placed on an equal playing field, but there is a way to go about that without seeming like you are going to "pick the world up, and then drop it on [my] fucking head".
Black women seem to have this underlying anger that rears its ugly head at times when anger is not justified. For example, if a lady at the airport accidently rolls over your foot with a suitcase, there is no need for you to go off and her(and risk getting arrested). It could be that it was a simple accident and not a case of being "disrespected". True example.
Another example I have yet to understand but also moves toward another topic all together is the issue of black men and black women. On the dating side of things that is. If one guy messes up, or turns out not to be the right one for you, women have the tendencies to hold much deeper grudges than members of any other race(from what I can tell). One guy ruins it for the next 10 guys that try to talk to you and any one of those guys could have been your future husband, but just for the fact that you let one guy get inside your head.
There is a difference between being cautious about relationships from that point and being hostile from that point out. I believe that is the main point I am trying to make on that issue. But black women have a tendency to become hostile after experiencing a bad relationship instead of more aware. It is possible to be introverted around a person you don't trust without coming off as being rude. And yeah, I speak from personal experience on that one.
So, ladies, don't take this note the wrong way. This was not written to take a stab at anyone, but more so just to state observations that have built up over the years. I'm going to have to start putting disclaimers on all my notes...its a shame.
Alright, now to go lose what remains of my brain power in Critical Theory and Criticism. I guess this was just a warm up.
-JTate
Monday, February 22, 2010
Miss Independent...and Angry?
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