Taraji Henson Explains Why She Rejects The ‘Strong Black Woman’ Label

[hewontgo]

#TarajiPHenson explains why she finds the term "strong Black woman" to be problematic https://t.co/ISijr2XlBJ
- ET Canada (@ETCanada) July 5, 2020
Taraji P. Henson thinks the term is far more problematic than most people realize

Comments

[snortingcoke]

honestly i agree. the strong ____ woman trope is damaging in a lot of ways, and black women suffer the most from it.

[snortingcoke]

@lana del rey

[bellwetherr]

this is the truth

[numara]

absolutely. i could talk about this for hours so instead, let me just say, JUSTICE for reese/carter!!!!!!

[blankstare]

Don't even get me started on Reese and Carter!

[numara]

just another in a long line of shows actually featuring non-lightskinned black women that will never let them get a happy ending 🙂

[blankstare]

Same ol shit. Different show.

[stuffedpanda]

Very true and she should say it. The whole idea that strength seems to revolve around discarding empathy and ignoring your own emotions if not putting it on a backburner is trash.

[swearwolves]

I feel kinda uncomfy speaking on this because I’m not black (please tell me if I am stepping on toes), but I can only imagine how many black women have completely burnt out mentally and emotionally because of exactly what you said. It makes me think of Audre Lorde’s writing on self-care.

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”

How can black women (and I think this can also be applied to other minority groups) be expected to care for their communities when they aren’t given the opportunities to care for themselves first?

[kawaiiairbender]

“It dehumanizes our pain. It belittles our tears. It belittles our pain... We don’t magically rebound from pain."

:(

Yes.

I have never subscribed to the strong black woman label. I know how weak I am and can be.

But I have somehow became someone who is always 'fine.' I have a hard being vulberable to people.

[whowants_candy]

I'm so happy to see black women acknowledging/opening up about being weak. On an individual level the "strong black woman" trope can be so damaging, especially to young black women and girls, because you feel like a failure when you can't hold it together because society expects you to be able to handle anything. Like, I remember when my co-worker experienced a miscarriage, one of the white women in the office "consoled" her by saying that she was lucky that she's a strong black woman, because she's get over it quickly.

[thrysus]

jesus fucking christ

[msbombtastic]

WHAT?????????

[crispy1088]

She's right, I hate that stereotype type too it's very damaging.