My professor wanted us to write a piece in reaction to Sojourner Truth's speech "Ain't I a Woman" since we read her biography in class. If you have NOT read that piece, please do. It's amazing. Now scholars are saying that she did not write that piece. Regardless, the speech became the catalyst for black women's thought. Not just black feminist thought, black woman's thought in general. Anyway, here was my response to what she wrote. Hope ya'll enjoy. ;)
Here we are sisters and brothers, continuing this conversation about whom we are and where we need to go. It has been roughly 160 years since our ancestor Sojourner Truth reminded black women of our humanity. I wonder whether we ever figured it out yet. But, we congregate here, representing our different backgrounds and classifications. We pretend like we've made it simply because we don’t have to battle Jim and Jane Crow. But have we really made it? Do we really know who we are? My sisters, we come to this place with different skin hues, hair textures, and socioeconomic classifications. But aren't we still sisters? We criticize each other because she’s “so ghetto”, or “she’s so bougie”, or “she think she’s so cute because she’s light skinned.” But aren't we all sisters? We easily call each other bitch, whore, slut, and every other unpleasant term instead of calling each other friend. Aren't we still sisters? You think Sojourner would want to hear us demonizing each other based on our differences? At the end of the day, aren't we sisters? Whether we are dark skin, light skin, bronze skin, red bone with type 4B, 3D, or 2C hair, aren't we all sisters? Whether you are CEO of a fortune 500 company, a struggling college student, a single mother working two jobs, an attorney, public school teacher, or on the pole on Saturday night, aren't we all sisters? They say we have nothing in common because life has placed us in different circumstances. Yet, at the end of the day, aren't we all sisters cut from the same cloth of oppression? Don’t we all struggle with trying to be woman and black simultaneously? Don’t we ultimately speak a similar language? Aren't we all sisters?
Here we are sisters and brothers, continuing this conversation about whom we are and where we need to go. It has been roughly 160 years since our ancestor Sojourner Truth reminded black women of our humanity. I wonder whether we ever figured it out yet. But, we congregate here, representing our different backgrounds and classifications. We pretend like we've made it simply because we don’t have to battle Jim and Jane Crow. But have we really made it? Do we really know who we are? My sisters, we come to this place with different skin hues, hair textures, and socioeconomic classifications. But aren't we still sisters? We criticize each other because she’s “so ghetto”, or “she’s so bougie”, or “she think she’s so cute because she’s light skinned.” But aren't we all sisters? We easily call each other bitch, whore, slut, and every other unpleasant term instead of calling each other friend. Aren't we still sisters? You think Sojourner would want to hear us demonizing each other based on our differences? At the end of the day, aren't we sisters? Whether we are dark skin, light skin, bronze skin, red bone with type 4B, 3D, or 2C hair, aren't we all sisters? Whether you are CEO of a fortune 500 company, a struggling college student, a single mother working two jobs, an attorney, public school teacher, or on the pole on Saturday night, aren't we all sisters? They say we have nothing in common because life has placed us in different circumstances. Yet, at the end of the day, aren't we all sisters cut from the same cloth of oppression? Don’t we all struggle with trying to be woman and black simultaneously? Don’t we ultimately speak a similar language? Aren't we all sisters?
And my brothers, we need you! You leave us in a bind because we are trying to take your place and your place within our homes. We have to pretend to be a superwoman, coming to the rescue. Suddenly, we cannot be free to be human or vulnerable because we are cleaning up everyone else’s mess. You guys are not where we need you to be. If you get some change to rub together, you think you made it and don’t need us. But aren’t you my brother? Aren’t I your sister? You preach community unity, but don’t challenge your brothers to help their sisters. Instead, we are beaten down physically and emotionally so you can feel more like a man. When you think I’m being too hard on you, it is because I know you are capable of excellence. I’m merely challenging you as your sister, not allowing you to get away with mediocrity or complacency. That’s what sisters do for our brothers. Yet, we walk around angry at each other. Brother, you call me a bitch, treat me like a whore, and talk about “hitting it” when we share our intimate space with you. But, isn’t your mother a woman? Aren’t we your sister? Sister, you call him a no good nigga, nagging him, removing his manhood along with his testacies, and not allowing him to step-up and handle his business because he doesn’t do it the way you want him to do it. But isn’t he your brother? I’m tired of us loving others before we love each other. Share love, but let’s first share love with each other as family, brother and sisters under one omnipotent God. Let’s stop pretending like we don’t need each other. Sisters, can we love each other, regardless of our differences? After all, no other race has the range of beauty like we do my sistahs. Embrace all of it. Brothers, can you love us like we love you? We should be each other’s priority. Black love should not be an anomaly, yet a normalcy. Let’s strengthen our bond. Let’s build better relationships with one another.
And in 2012, that’s all this bronze skin, nappy hair sistah-student has to say about that.
Signed,
Your sistah
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