(NOTE: Misogynoir is misogyny directed towards black women where race and gender both play roles in bias. The term was coined by queer black feminist Moya Bailey, who created the term to address misogyny directed toward black women in American visual and popular culture).
1. When you hear about black girls being sexually assaulted, do you begin to make statements about them being “fast”, “hot”, or “grown”?
2. When a black girl/woman gets pregnant and the male partner does not want the pregnancy, do you insist that she “trapped him”, instead of discussing the ability for both people to be responsible for their own contraceptive practices?
3. Do you support R. Kelly?
4. When the topic is on the needs of Black girls, do you raise your hand and ask, “What about black boys?”
5. Do you refuse to hire Black women with your argument being, “they are messy/bossy/lazy”, etc?
6. Do you insist on being the only Black woman in the room---because you view it as a competition and there can only be one of you?
7. Do you support racial or gender-justice movements, but don’t insist upon the importance of both of your identities being recognized?
8. Do you call black men who have several sexual experiences a “player/a catch/the GOAT”, but refer to his black female sexual partners as “hoes”?
9. Do you demand black women “take care of their children”, but don’t expect the same for the fathers?
10. Do you expect black girls to “help raise” their siblings, while their same-age or older brothers are not expected to do anything?
11. Do you proudly proclaim, “boys will be boys”, while punishing black girls for the same behavior?
12. Do you call your son your “sun” because the world revolves around him, but don’t think your daughters need the same support?
13. When talking about the victimization of black girls and women, do you begin to talk about false allegations (usually of black men lynched for allegations against WHITE females prior to 1970), how black girls shouldn’t put themselves in such situations, and then argue about Weinstein, the Catholic Church, etc?
14. Do you believe the statement, “raise your daughters, love your sons”?
15. Do you blame black women for “expected too much” as the reason many of them are single?
16. Do you police the dress of black girls----believing that their dress is what “causes” harm to come to them?
17. Do you mumble that black girls are “too loud”, “aggressive”, “just need to be more ladylike”?
18. Do you excuse people when they call black women and girls “bitches” or instruct them to engage in sexual acts when they are mad at something the black girl/woman said---and justify this as “the black girl/woman made him angry”?
19. Do you judge your son’s potential partner for their ability to put up with his mess/not expect much out of him/just be glad that they are with him?
20. Do you praise “struggle love” for Black women and girls as a true testament of their worth (e.g. the Ride or Die Expectation)?
Dr. Dent is a licensed psychologist. Her hardest job is being a Black Woman who centers the experiences of Black women and girls. She continues to grow and self-examine---with the goal of scoring 0 on the Internalized Misogynoir Quiz
Comments