In a piece for Clutch magazine, Jamilah Lemieux describes why she does not approve of the term "strong black woman."
I never wanted to be a "strong Black woman"; in fact, I bristle when people call me one. I'm Black and I'm a woman and I happen to have a number of things about me that are strong: my mind, my personality, my resolve, etc. But putting them all together under that title reduces us to some sort of monolithical fembot who's able to shoulder all burdens because she's unable to feel. I don't know about all of you, but my shoulders aren't always broad enough for all your stuff and mine, and feeling? I like to feel. I need to feel.
Those three words form an umbrella that isn't big enough to cover all that I am and all that I do. I decided this long ago. I allow myself the space to mourn, to ache, to emote. I'm sensitive when it comes to my own feelings as well as to those of others. I don't do emotional auto-pilot. When my stuff is out of sorts, you gotta let me cope with that and be all in. While I'm no fragile flower, I have found that when "I need a space to fall apart" (c) Cree Summer, it's best for all parties involved to let me have that.
Read Jamilah Lemieux's entire piece at Clutch magazine.
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