THE STRONG BLACK WOMEN TROPE
So, I’m pretty sure from the title you’re already aware of what this blog post is about and if it didn’t click in your simple, closed-minded brain, maybe you need this blog post more than the Black women I’m advocating for. But for those of you who don’t know what this trope is, here’s Wikipedia’s definition:
“The strong Black woman schema, as defined by scholars, is an archetype of how the ideal Black woman should act. This has been characterized by three components: emotional restraint, independence, and caretaking.”
There’s no doubt that Black women have been conditioned to always be strong no matter the struggle. Like the U.S. Post Office rain, hail, or snow they were taught to get the job done. Whether that meant being the sole caretaker of children or grandchildren, facing stereotypes and racism in the workplace and society, or having to withstand being called “aggressive” or “rude” when simply defending themselves. For years, Black women have struggled in silence because showing vulnerability was seen as showing weakness.
I think this is a conversation not being had enough, to be honest—a very important one. I was able to interview a couple of beautiful Black women and got their insight on this topic, and I’m glad to say I was not disappointed.
My first question was when they first became aware of this trope, and here are their responses. CHINA B explained that she first noticed this trope when she took on that role having the world on your shoulders and still having to get up and strive for greatness because no one is doing it for you. I found her answer relatable for most Black and brown women; we often don’t understand the labels and stereotypes placed on us until we’re in the middle of living them.
The next question I was most excited to ask was: “How are Black women portrayed in media and television?” All four people I interviewed gave similar answers. One person said the portrayal is usually “the go-getter Black woman”—no matter what she has going on in her life, she has to get it out the mud. Nothing was ever handed to her, and she’s going to remind you every chance she gets. Often, this stereotype paints Black women in media as arrogant, cocky, materialistic, etc.
Another common representation is the struggling single mom who is usually looked down upon, poor, and suffering from some type of addiction or dealing with an ain’t-shit man who causes more pain than help. I’m shocked no one mentioned this next part, but I feel the need to bring it up: most shows on Zeus are perfect examples of poor representation in the community. And it is the community’s fault for feeding into the media and consuming everything they give us. Yes, I said us, because at one point shows like Baddies were amusing to me—until I realized how disgusting, degrading, and humiliating they are. Then we wonder why our youth today are so misled.
Let’s be honest: how many movies, TV shows, and characters thrive and profit off the pain and humiliation of Black women? And every day we allow it. We engage. We sit every Sunday waiting for the newest episode of grown women drinking, fighting, and clubbing—all for entertainment. But I digress… back to the interview.
My follow-up question during the interview was: “Were the women in your family expected to suppress emotions for the sake of others?”
I’ll answer this one myself. Growing up, I saw the women in my family carry the weight and pain of everyone else while having little to no time to focus on their own loads and burdens. From watching single mothers carry the weight of being both mother and father, to grandmothers who are the main caregivers to their grandchildren while their daughters and sons live life as if they don’t have kids—it’s a cycle we see far too often. And usually, when it’s spoken about, it becomes a joke: how “you can tell when a woman was raised by her grandmother because of the lifestyle she lives.” And trust me—it wasn’t a healthy one.
When asked what strength means to her, China B responded so beautifully:
“It means having many boulders in my way and still finding beauty even after moments of struggle. It’s easy to be bitter; it’s harder to get better.”
My last question for the ladies was: “What advice would you give younger Black and brown girls about identity and self-worth?”
Our lovely ladies responded with this:
“Self-worth comes from identifying yourself and still loving the person inside. To find your identity, you have to spend time with yourself so you don’t settle for the company you keep.”
Well, that’s all I have for you guys today. Hopefully this blog post helped anyone who needed it—and if you didn’t necessarily need it but wanted to understand more, thank you. Your willingness to learn shows more respect than you think.
Like always, con mucho amor,
Ediliana De La Cruz Perez<3<3