Masculinisation of Black Women

Authour: Thelma Nnadi

What is the impact of this?

The masculinisation and defeminisation of black women/girls contributes to the societal acceptance of violence against us. It demonises black women's resistance to our human trafficking, enslavement and sexual violence. Black girls are seen as capable of handling their harassment themselves (like men) and less in need of protection. Leading to far fewer rape convictions than white women.

The idea that black women possess these inherently masculine traits contributes to the idea that we are able to bear inhuman levels of pain. Even privilege cannot absolve us of this trope, Michelle Obama has been misgendered. Serena Williams has had to navigate the world under the description of masculine and domineering.

Caster Semenya

A South African woman middle-distance runner, has faced scrutiny over her perceived masculinity for the last ten years. A two-time Olympic gold winner who’s story illustrates the way people of colour can be scrutinised when their bodies fall outside gender norms or don’t look like their white female competitors. She has been sidelined and forced to undergo sex testing to prove she’s a woman.

This begs the question: Had she been a gender-conforming, straight white girl who just was faster than others, would they have ever put her body on display for Europeans to gawk at?

Her treatment was the legacy of colonialism.

Former slave turned abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth, gave a speech, known as “Ain’t I a Woman” at the Ohio Women’s Right Convention:

“That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere.

Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman?

Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted and gathered into barns, and no man could head me!

And ain’t I a woman?

I could work as much and eat as much as a man — when I could get it — and bear the lash as well!

And ain’t I a woman? ”