Abstract
One day in the 1700’s, a sef-proclaimed genius stood on a podium in front of a crowd of slavers. He intended to speak about the best way to control slaves. His recommendations were carried out with precision and have had a lasting effect on black people to this day. He advised them to place the darker slaves against the lighter slaves. He advised them to destroy the black family structure and see that the men do not respect the women. His name was Willie Lynch.
Today, some black women seem to reject their own natural beauty. They want to chemically process their hair to look more like that of a Caucasian’s hair. They will even insult another black woman who chooses to retain her African features. They will snare at one another for silly reasons like the man they are with or the clothes they wear.
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"Self Destruction: Black women vs. Black women".
Black men have been awful towards black women for a long time (Just like Mr. Lynch would have wanted it). Physical, sexual and emotional abuse endured by black women has been such a hindrance to self-esteem that it is difficult to determine whether or not the enslavement was worse.
The above reasons are excellent explanations for the reason black women seem to tear one another down. None of the above statements are acceptable excuses, but they tell the story of pain and offer insight. The only way healing can come is through unity, education and recognition of the problem.
There is a historical, subliminal explanation (based on the mental enslavement of black people during centuries of the African holocaust) which hovers over the three reasons black women hurt one another. First, many black women have low self-esteem. Secondly, according to author Raymond Sturgis, black women are an abused group who suffer at the hands of black men. Finally, they have an instinctive distrustful, defense mechanism which comes across as rude (and hurtful at times), but they are really just maintaining a prickly wall that keeps other women away. Lack of trust is a natural expectation among people who have a tendency to hurt one another.
It is understandable why so many black women choose to favor the images of White beauty. This includes fair complexion, straight hair and lighter eyes. There was a time when women purposefully tried to lighten their skin with make-up. Today, they still infuse severely toxic chemicals into their scalp to destroy the natural, kinky texture of their hair. While the media plays an influential role, the biggest influence is historical abuse that has been passed down from one generation to the next. The African slaves were taught to be ashamed of themselves and their black features (including their own hair). Willie Lynch proposed a method for controlling slaves and putting the light slaves against the darker ones has continued to prevail. The treatment of slaves has had a haunting effect on the self-esteem of black people. Still ashamed of black features, women display the shame and displace it onto one another through rude behaviors. Lastly, (in accordance to the plans of Willie Lynch) black men have damaged black women with harmful name-calling, neglect in relationships and physical abuse. Not only does it add to the reasons for low self-esteem, but it makes black women ultra-competitive against one another for the last remaining, decent black men available. Jealousy among black women breeds the distrustful and hateful behavior which seems incurable.
In summary, low self-esteem, internal hurt and lack of trust are all under the 400-year-umbrella of physical & mental enslavement which still lives in the soul of many black women to this day. Black men need to stand accountable for the contributions they have made to the damage suffered by black women. The old saying, hurt people hurt people is true and it shows so brightly among black women (Ford, 2012). However, healing is made possible by close knit sororities, church groups and education. Recognizing the issue is the key to ending the problem.
- Ford, B. (2012, September 24). Why Are Black Women Hurting Each Other? | BlackandMarriedWithKids.com. Retrieved from http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2012/09/why-are-black-women-hurting-each-other/
- Lynch, Willie (2014). “Willie Lynch letter: The Making of a Slave.” Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. N.p.. Web. 3 Jun Retrieved from
- Sturgis, Raymond (2011). Why Do Black Men Hurt their Women?: Discovering Why Black Men Cause So Much Hurt On Women They Love. European Union: Sturgis Publications
