I think community progress starts with first realizing and addressing problems internally then branching out to external problems- do you do your makeup before brushing your teeth? Not only is Wendy Williams an extremely successful black woman in daytime television and her other mogul ventures, she's also a mother and a wife. Ignoring her practically self-made empire and neglecting to address her as who she really is may seem "funny" but not only is continuing to call Wendy a man several steps back for the black community, it continues to perpetuate a racist and transphobic agenda that is bigger than the here and now.
If you don't believe this is actually a problem here's a few examples for you:
Just Be a Little More Feminine?
Black women in America are the least protected or defended citizens yet statistically becoming to be the most successful group. The way society has spoke about black women has been so insidious. Whether it's the narrative of "the mad black woman," or black women "looking" too masculine or black women never being the ideal of beauty in this country it's infuriating to watch as a beautiful black woman continues to receive such disgusting criticisms from her own community. When FLOTUS Michelle Obama came under fire for looking too masculine and possibly even being transgender by the opposing party, the black community as a whole rushed to the defense of our first lady. When successful black female athletes such as Serena Williams, Laila Ali and now unfortunately Simone Biles come under fire for being too masculine and potentially men because they are better than others it just reconfirms that we have to be supportive and stand tall for black women in America.
Transphobia, Never okay!
Even if it's all in good fun, which I don't believe it is, calling a cis woman "a man" to imply that somehow if she was transgender she would be less of a woman is not only ignorant it's disgusting. The black community still has several problems with the gay community and before you can ever say "Black Lives Matter" you need to realize that mixed in those "Black Lives" there are also "Trans Lives" and "Gay Lives" that also need support. Loving your blackness also means acceptance of others and spewing hate against a biological woman in such a way is transphobic and will never be okay.
Woman=Hard, Black=Harder, Black Woman=?
Being a woman is still extremely difficult in this country and being a black woman is near impossible especially when it seems like the only people on your side rooting for your success is other black women. Black people, we have to do better and be supportive in a way that no one else is going to be because society can be cruel and relentless but you personally have to be the solution to the problem and start with self-love because in the words of a very famous drag queen, RuPaul, "If you don't love yourself, how the hell are you going to love somebody else!"
