Being a woman is not easy, being black is never easy, and being a black woman is just down right complicated. To men we are "mad black women," we do not exist to white feminists, and are consistently put down when we try to bring ourselves and self-esteem up. We not only go through these major hardships, but there are some minor daily issues that as a black woman we encounter.
The list below probably includes some situations you have experienced as a black woman.
1. Waking up in the middle of the night to put your bonnet back on.
You're in the middle of the best dream where you are making more money than you ever had, the drool from the corners of your mouth has hit the floor, and it's the best sleep you have gotten in weeks.
All of a sudden you dramatically rise up from your pillow, stare at the walls of your room with a blank expression and slowly reach to feel your head. You no longer feel the satin piece of cloth, but instead the hair you took all night to get into place; to then have to put the bonnet (head tie, scarf) back on and wait for the life you do not have to faithfully continue in its tracks.
2. The first night struggle of heat-protectant styles.
You are trying to be a changed woman and stop processing your hair with heat and chemicals and decide to get braids. Not only do your friends who are not black consistently ask if you would be done soon to go out, but after sitting in the salon for five hours or more, your scalp is booming and the only thing you can do is take a pain reliever and go straight to sleep.
3. Your friends of other races are appalled when you tell them that you don't wash your hair daily.
If you have a diverse group of friends where the majority happen to not have afro textured hair, you would know that they all give this look when you tell them you do not wash your hair every day:
4. When you decide to be confrontational and honest, but it is mistaken for pushiness and aggression.
When you encounter a situation that requires you to take action, you have to do plenty of thinking. You want to get your point across, but not sound too passive. You want to be honest, but not in a rude way, and if you are too nice about the situation it becomes sugar coated. Somehow putting your foot down makes you the "angry black woman," rather than a confession to diffuse the problem that lies between you and the other person.
5. "You sound white."
It is truly annoying to be perceived as white for speaking properly. Not only is it insulting, but it adds to the negative perception people have of black people. Saying this makes it seem as if we are supposed to speak improper, and that we (black people) are not capable of speaking correctly. Speaking correctly is idolized as a "white thing," and if we do not choose to conform to what is seen as proper English by white people, we are thought of as illiterate.
