This is REAL, happens DAILY and speaking from personal experience it’s exhausting, damaging, and a gross inaccurate, inappropriate portrayal of talented Black women.
Black women with an alternate viewpoint(s)/opinion(s) or who refuse to stay silent when incorrect information is being distributed are not angry. Not at all. We are self-respecting, honest and passionate professionals.
We are:
1. Human beings with the inalienable right to have an opinion – even one that differs from the rest.
2. Professionals who are here because we are BAR RAISERS in our industries.
3. Confident in OUR abilities which doesn’t mean we are saying we are better than anyone else, we just know our worth and what WE can do.
4. Not mean, intimidating nor are we aggressive. We earn and keep trust because we are honest and assertive – there’s a difference.
So, I ask each of you to pause before spewing historically negative character assassinating labels on Black women. Pause and ask yourself – are YOU intimidated? Ask yourself if the reason you default to labeling a Black woman as angry is because you are use to people playing small and being passive? Does a honest, assertive Black woman’s presence make you uncomfortable? Does a Black woman stepping into her greatness challenge your comfort level because you aren’t stepping into your own?
The common theme here doesn’t have anything to do with Black women changing or do anything different, it requires you to own your stuff and do the work.
I invite every to start small? Make the manager’s pledge and actively work on being part of the solution, not perpetuating the problem.
Need more data points ? Check out this HBR article on “The Angry Black Woman Stereotype at work.”
