Fallacy: Women who submit, or live as slaves are doormats with low self esteem and weak.

Reality:  A woman who makes the choice to serve is none of those things.  In fact as a woman, and especially as a Black woman, there is nothing which shows worth, value, esteem and strength more than choosing something in submission and service we never have the opportunity to do elsewhere.

Black women are not given the space to be anything other than on guard, strong, fearless and protectors usually. That is especially true for Black women in the United States.  From chattel slavery to 45’s America and everyday in between we’ve been denied the mundane existence which our less melanated ‘peers’ enjoy.

Black women in this nation have always had to work.  Often times work HARD.  Black women have rarely been given the opportunity to be *just* mothers and raise their family.  Our children have been ripped from us in the most terroristic of fasion from ‘gatorbait’ – to auctions – to the 21st centuries version of such which we call CPS.

We are constantly told we are not desirable or beautiful.  Our features which are the athisis of European and our hair which does not naturally cascade onto our shoulders is mocked and called ugly. So few of us fit into the standard of beauty which we are told to aspire  and reach.

We are called lazy and stupid.  We are rarely protected in general society.

It takes a special person to look at the line item of things about Black women which we must absorb and wear daily to take a leap of faith, trust the process and CHOOSE to claim a space and existence which is the opposite of what we are taught from birth we must be.

Mind you we are not ALL submissive.  We do not ALL choose to serve. But to my sisters who do, stand proud and tall. You are swimming against the tide, and you are moving. You are magic.

 

Aphrodite Brown