While it may be hard for two people from widely different intersections of race and gender to understand each other, it’s not impossible once the more privileged party (in this case, the white guy) is able to recognize their shortcomings and how the intersections of race and gender affect every aspect of a black woman’s life. A white man must be willing to work toward a better understanding of how race and gender intersect differently for everyone, and he must also be prepared to speak out against the injustices that their partners will endure. Instead, remember that black women, like all people, have varying interests, backgrounds, and obstacles that they face daily. Try to think of a black woman as an individual, and not as the chosen speaker for a whole diverse group. One was a guy who was interested in talking to me, and the other was acting as his wingman. The wingman walked up to me as his friend stood beside him and screamed over the music, “You’re perfect! I wish I could say that I’m surprised and appalled by the ignorance that white men tend to show when they approach me, but I’ve come to expect it. While white men are not the only group to hold racial biases and stereotypes against black women, they tend to be the least informed on the racialized and gendered issues that black women endure.
|