Dear Nicki Minaj,
Next time you dress yourself in animal print clothing and dance around in a cage while being a colored woman, you should realize that you the result of years and years of male-dominated media stereotyping colored women as exotic, hypersexual, promiscuous, animal-like things. Not even human, just things, objects. Hope you’re proud of yourself and how you make colored women look. So, next time…just don’t.
Sincerely,
a disappointed young woman.While I’m not a young woman…
How about “no”.
First off, the very fact that the word “colored” is used rather than “woman of color” is WAY wrong. Like, a million times wrong. “Colored” is NOT an acceptable term. It is a racist term. Full stop.
Second, when non-Black women decide to chide Black women about how Black women are hypersexualized, objectified, etc., that is absolutely anti-Black and overstepping basic decency.
Third, I am tired of this ridiculous notion that Black women need to present themselves a certain way because they represent everyone and how they “make us look”. Nicki represents Nicki. If you don’t like her stuff, hey, that’s cool. You don’t have to. But she isn’t representing you, she isn’t the one oppressing you, and it’s pathetic to blame her for patriarchy. You have issues with how male dominated media deals with women, and women of color in particular? Take it up with men.
Fourth, do you think we can’t read the slut-shaming coded into this? We need to get past this idea that we have to tear down other women to build ourselves up. If you believe in modesty, do your modest thing. If you believe in an open sexuality, do your thing. Neither one of those needs to talk down to the other. Just do you and stop policing everyone else. If a woman has real self-respect, she won’t feel the need to tear down the ways other women express their own self-respect.
Fifth, you clearly don’t even understand Nicki’s work or how she is taking those expectations and playing on them. And that’s okay. You don’t have to agree with her. But don’t assume that you understand her intentions or methods or purpose.
Sixth, sorry, all the love, but men agreeing with this need to sit down. When men get in on this, you aren’t supporting women/women of color. You are contributing to hurting a woman of color. You don’t need to inject yourself into this.
(via poemsofthedead)
