In honour of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2017
The Black Woman’s Reality
Why do you restrict our women?
Black men, answer this:
Why is it that Black women must meet your requirements but not get out of hand?
We must do the most but expect the least…
We must cross our knees to be deemed “wholesome”
But when we don’t, we’re not “worth the trouble”
Black men, tell me why you love the features natural to us
On anyone but the originators
The ones who hear you complain about dark skin and praise lighter complexions
But when a white girl gets a tan it’s somehow an invention
The creators of the “box braids” and the big waists who apparently,
Aren’t worthy of the same praise
The very people who will vouch for you at any given time
But who you slander whenever we are honest about the colourism and misogyny that define a Black woman’s life
Why do you label our women?
This, I’d like to know
Why is an independent black woman “intimidating”?
And a successful one a shrewd?
Why is it that there must always be a negative attribute associated with her positive attitude?
How does her natural hair say that she doesn’t care?
Why should her weave determine her worth?
Why do her curves make her an idealized object?
Or her lack thereof results in her not being “Black enough”?
Why do you label us to avoid seeing our diversity?
Why must we feel the need to comply?
Why do you mistreat our women?
Black men, tell me please:
Be she transgender, gay, mixed or mentally ill
You are quick to silence us, but beg for our help
You will let us rally behind you when one of your own passes
Yet when we ask for the same we are immediately denied
The justification being that Black women aren’t worth the time
“How can we help, when this is their fight?”
The exhaustion we feel being pushed to the side
Is worsened by the fact that we are constantly deprived
Of the support, the love and the understanding we need
This, unfortunately, is the Black Woman’s reality
***
This poem was written to honour Black women, and to show the strength we display in our communities, families and everyday lives. Here, I attempted to show some of the struggles we face and the drive we have to overcome them. I am proud to be a black woman, and I hope that anyone who is struggling with their self-love takes something from this poem. Happy International Women’s Day!
About the writer
Ililli Ahmed is an 11th grade student who loves onion rings, equality and Beyoncé (not in that order). In the past, she’s written articles for Radio-Canada, and is a regular youth contributor for ‘Black Ottawa Scene’. Ililli is also co-president of many school clubs, such as the Feminism Club. Her role models are her parents and Olivia Pope from Scandal. You can contact her at [email protected].