There are a lot of stereotypes and negative generalizations placed against Black women. “Yeah, they are some weave wearing, nappy headed, mouthy ass females.” These are some of the descriptors that a Black woman faces in her daily life. It is accepted in society to criticize a Black woman while we put other races, especially Caucasian women on pedestals. Which is why I decided to write a post about all of the wonderful qualities that Black women possess. This post is meant to deflect some of the negative generalizations that Black women experience. The Black woman, often copied but never duplicated.
1. We have the ability to make something out of nothing
I can recall my beautiful chocolate mom, making me spam and eggs for breakfast, cut up hot dogs with spaghetti O’s mixed in for lunch. We did not have much, but I cannot recall a day when I went hungry. That is what you call making something out of absolutely nothing. A trait that a lot of other women cannot grasp.
2. We are natural born survivors
Black women have been through so many trials and tribulations through our history that the skill of being a survivor is in our DNA. It takes a lot to make a Black woman give up on what she desires and or feel she needs.
3. We age gracefully
You ever look at certain other races and see how once they become older they wrinkle up immediately? While the age old “Black Don’t Crack” has become a mantra for Black women. Millions of Black Grandmas around the world still have beautiful skin.
4. We come in different colors and tints.
Like a Black man, a Black woman can come in every complexion you can imagine. From honey colored to cinnamon to reddish brown, to almond to the deepest of darkest chocolates. How many other ethnicities come in so many varieties? None.
5. We naturally have the features that a lot of other women from different ethnicities have to pay for.
Some may call it a gift or a curse in some cases. Especially if you are trying to shop for jeans. Black women have naturally curvy bodies and frames. Even the most petite Black woman will still have a rump to fill out her jeans just right. We have natural full lips that do not need collagen or special lipstick to create a mock fullness. Even our hair is naturally thicker than many other ethnicities. It can grow to be full and long and keep a beautiful curl or lay just right.
6. We have swagga through the roof.
Have you ever noticed an older Black woman that you admired because… Well, it was something about her that you could not put your finger on. Whether it was the way she dressed, how when she entered a room every man in it turned their head, or how her heart was so big that people immediately drew to her. This is what the younger generation call swagga. The way the person walks, talks, the slightest body language is almost hypnotic for onlookers. Even Black female performers have their own untouchable swagga that cannot be duplicated. From Tina Turner’s iconic presence to Beyonce’ command of a stage to Tyra and Naomi who have a cat walk that you cannot buy. We bring a certain level of confidence to our everyday life and our work like no one else can and it shines through.
By: LJ Knight and Shawna J
yeahshesaidit.com
Yes we know how to pay peter and paulwithout bugging out.
I love the fact we do come in different shades.
Yes the number 1 my mother did the same thing. That where i get my strength from RIP mom.
Now we need to embrace each other. Lift each other up.
Generalization is wrong. This article had potentials.
THIS MADE ME HAPPY TO READ…I WAS A LIL’ SAD & CRYING EARLIER TODAY…BUT THIS MADE ME SMILE…BLACK WOMEN ARE THEE MOST BEAUTIFUL ON THE WORLD
Yeah, they are some weave wearing, nappy headed, mouthy *** females..
_____THIS STATEMENT WAS IGNORANT___
____I WILL NO-LONGER COME TO THIS SITE__
_____LET BLACK WOMEN LIVE IN PEACE_
You need to re-read the article PHILLY_STAND_UP.
LJ is quoting comments often made about Black women to make her point.
PhillyStandUp is a genius. Smh.
Aww, God always seems to know when we need. Thanks for that article Sis. Lord knows I often feel the pain to the depths of my soul as to why so many brothers give up on us. I needed another reminder as to just how special Black Women are.
Thanks for the article.
@ Monique Black Women truly are special. I am so blessed to be one.
I love this sooo much I just shared it with all my girls. GOOD LOOK!
I agreed 6xs and actually there are 7 reasons. Our hair We can rock it any way we want.
I AGREE W/ ALL THIS AND OUR SWAGG IS SO SERIOUS LOL WE DO NOT HAVE TO TRY HARD AT IT AT ALL!
Very good article. Will go into my favorite bookmarks. Thank you.
I love this article and commend you for a job well done. I am printing all this out so I can share with others and tell myself these things everyday, especially when I see commercials that leave us out of the running for what constitutes beauty. Thank you again.
LJ Knight and Shawna J, all I can say is wow. Your article really brightened up my night. I love yall for this and wholeheardedly agree. We black women, black ladies, are a beautiful, resilient, and unique bunch, and this article reminds me of the many reasons I should be proud to be a black woman.
Love the article hun. It just made my night. Black is sooooooo beautiful
cool article number one is VERY true I even experiment in the kitchen all the time.
@ Lady lol@(lift each other up) hypocritical???
We need to hear this because somehow we’re being fazed out of visibility!
Now we have two non-black Homecoming Queens at two HBCUs, not being racist, but there’s an under current. Latina actresses getting roles that used to go to sistas, opposite brothas, ain’t hatin’ just sayin…hip hop stars now date the rainbow and we’re being moved over in the music videos to reach a wider demographic, everybody has pop flavor because we don’t buy enough.
Images are powerful, why media is so controlled. Television commercials now present many more interracial couples, getting two birds with one stone and also reflective of our current social landscape.
Times have changed and we’ve become more intergrated than ever before as we’re now apart of a global community, love has no color and the color of one’s skin or gender shouldn’t have special entitlement or prejudices in an ideal world.
Brothas trying to save our daughters, I love it, get involved, Hil Harper and others.
Black Women are absolutely fabulous for so many reasons, especially, those listed above!!!
We have to work harder to support each other, minimize our idolatry of one or two artists, it’s killin’ business! The stan bit is played and the world is passing us by while we focus on who has or is going to flop, swagger jacking, who’s weave wasn’t tight that particular day, who looks like a man, who’s trying too hard, leave women athletes alone who rock hard bodies, the same body that give them power, wins and championships, stop thinking we need teams instead of unity and mutual respect. Because as Jill Scott stated in an Essence article a few years back, “Sistas are playing out”…referencing why so many black men date outside of their race…it’s a slave mentality for many, not all, they want what they think makes them equal to white men, my opinion.
I wouldn’t be any other woman than a black one, proud and beautiful, Mya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman” says it so well. Nikki Giovanni, Audre Lorde, Sonia Sanchez, Susan L. Taylor, these sistas and many others share in words what it means to be a beautiful black woman, the women around you, in you…so divine…powerful. Nikki’s “Ego Trippin”…a negro classic…
BS, keep on sharing, this is wonderful…your timing is impeccable!
I work with teen girls in a rough inner city and see some jacked up conditions, they really new us!
I feel like we’re ‘the’ ultimate woman. Not only for the reasons you listed but for other reasons. We just ARE the best and we should never forget it.
Yes we are so strong..now if we could only be united…..
Only 6.
Thank you for the positivity, in todays world w/ all that is said & is brought against Black women, it is so nice to be reminded of how firece we TRULY are =).
@ Tanya, united how? You mean no more hate? Like haters vs. stans stuff? That will never happen, but we can be hopeful.
Im with Bee above.
I read the title of the article before clicking to read and I said to myself “Only 6???”. LOL. We have way more than 6 reasons! :-)
I love being a black woman for all of the reasons listed above and more; although society makes it hard for us (along with other black women) to be ourselves and not compare ourselves to the images they want us to portray! All in all WE are Diamonds!!!
Nice article.
There are plenty more reasons where that came from…And if we could only learn to respect ourselves and not have the black man run over us now that would be awesome…but I definently agree we are beautiful people
“We bring a certain level of confidence to our everyday life and our work like no one else can and it shines through.”
WELL SAID.