Protect Black Woman Ad: Explanation
The BLM movement became a household name this past summer after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s horrific deaths. While marches were arranged to create awareness, many other issues were brought to light concerning the treatment of black women. The most disrespected person in America is the black woman; they are mistreated by society, the healthcare industry, and even their male counterparts. In light of this, “Protect Black Women” was slew across t-shirts, hoodies, and hashtags.
My topic covers the hypersexualization and critiquing of black women’s bodies starting from childhood, pushing children into developing eating disorders later in life. Black teenagers are 50% more likely to develop eating disorders than white teenagers and less likely to receive medical attention or therapy. We cannot protect black women if we’re ignoring clear signs of mental illness. The strong black woman stereotype is an excuse to ignore black female trauma, forcing us to be our own heroes. However, between racism, sexism, colorism, texurism, featurism, and backlash from our own community, it’s easy to drown under all the scrutiny.
We cannot protect black women without rescuing them from the stereotypes and mental illnesses plaguing them every day. We must acknowledge these struggles and attempt to ease black women’s plight and protect them from future threats.