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We’re used to seeing women, mostly white women, get on Twitter and fight for feminism and against misogyny. But rarely, if ever, have we seen the black woman’s experience with misogyny within our own black community take center stage.
But that’s exactly what happened when #blackpowerisforblackmen started trending sometime on Tuesday. The discussion was spawned by trending topic #solidarityisforwhitewomen which dealt with the ways in which women of color are often forgotten or intentionally ignored in the world of feminism.
Shortly after that Jamilah Lemieux, Ebony’s Digital News and Life Editor, started an entirely new discussion about the ways in which black women are not only ostracized by white women but black men as well: #blackpowerisforblackmen.
The hash tag is not to be taken literally. Initially, black pride was probably meant to include black women. However misogynistic attitudes are not limited to white men. We all know they are as equally pervasive, if not more so, in the black community and black women have borne a lot of that burden. Lemieux was saying that the very same people who are promoting black equality and fighting towards the end of racism are those who oppress black women.
And because educated, black women run social media, particularly Twitter, the trending topic caught on and was trending nationally for a bit.
Check out some of the best tweets from this very necessary trending topic on the following pages.
https://twitter.com/borderlinemedia/statuses/367670839551873024
As you may have imagined, this topic didn’t go over so well with everybody. There were men and women who called it divisive and counterproductive to the struggle to end racism in this country and abroad. You know how black folk do, we’re taught not to air out our dirty laundry for the masses but to suffer in silence, behind closed doors. Apparently, it’s only possible to ride for one cause at a time. Furthermore, even if that was the case, it’s a shame more men and women don’t find it important to deal with the issues in our own homes and communities before we go out and fight the man. I’m sure there are those who were offended but those people probably didn’t take the opportunity to look at the discussion as a way for us to grow and heal ourselves. There’s work to do all around.
What do you think about this trending topic?
