The Black Woman Superhero Syndrome and her Kryptonite for the Black Man
Of course this article is fueled by the latest headlines along with centuries of historical context that highlight the depravity of the black experience, particularly in America.
Within the institution of colonial slavery, the goal was not only to use people for forced labor but to create mental blockades that would allow the slave master to control those enslaved long after brute force.
The breakdown of the family structure was one such tool used to control a group. As detailed in the fictitious works called the Willie Lynch Letter, it does accurately, highlight how slave masters would humiliate and torture men in front of their women and children. Men were emasculated. Women and children were traumatized. Families were broken up and the black woman was forced to become what I deem the Nurture Warrior.
Checkmate for the colonizer.
He created a new breed of woman, who now, nurtured, from a traumatized place of fear. With that fear she was willing to do anything to protect those she loved, including suffer herself. The warrior spirit of protection needed to play front and center if those she loved were going to physically survive. With this love, she often stunted the natural growth of the men in her life. In order to protect men from the outside world she would coddle them and protect them from accountability for his sins. The increased risk of punishment often compelled her to think of the black mans survival, first.
This family breakdown created bitterness, distrust, pain, blame, separation and a divide so wide it bleeds like the slaves who bled for our freedom. The truth is, hurt people, hurt, people. However, our anger is misplaced. We were tricked for the sole purpose of disunity.
Funny, the world likes to constantly tell us how divided we are, even as we see, representation of the Nurture Warrior at every demonstration on behalf of the human rights of ALL people and primarily black men.
I am grateful to acknowledge the increased number of black men who are stepping up on behalf of black women but I am also sad to share that this seems to be a very recent collective stance. Yes, there have always been brothers who stood shoulder to shoulder on behalf of black unity, but the standard was low.
This was recently highlighted when female rap sensation, Meg the Stallion was shot and her first reaction was to protect the black man, Tory Lanez who allegedly, shot her, because as a black woman and a member of the Nurture Warrior Black Woman’s Superhero Club, she understood the very real threat of DEATH perpetuated simply by blackness and in this case male blackness. Worse, she was social media chastised for being shot, for protecting him, for snitching and can you believe…for not being hurt enough.
When I heard about this story, I felt for her, not as an individual woman, but for the collective of black women who have often felt betrayed by the very men they protect and a society that propagates their rage as misplaced and bitter.
I speak to you directly black woman. Our strength and perseverance is a superpower. A God given light that shadows us with a heavy weight, like the self inflicted burden we carry to put ourselves last. I know we will NEVER NOT be able to fight on behalf of US for our natural rights, but I do feel it is imperative that we not be treated like sh*t by those who wouldn’t even flush the toilet for us. Choose your battles and those you are willing to protect wisely.
To the black man, I speak to you. Yes you are our kryptonite but you also hold the power to save us by standing with us and for us. Together is the ONLY way we can manifest our greatest potential and rebuild our family. Only once we rebuild our family with love, trust and support will we be able to create a working infrastructure of social changes that benefit our communities.
