The fetishization of Black women in mainstream culture is no novel
notion. Black women have been seen as sexual objects since slavery. In its most
basic form, a fetish is defined as “something, such as a material object or a
non-sexual part of the body, that arouses sexual desire and may become
necessary for sexual gratification” or “An abnormally obsessive preoccupation
or attachment; a fixation.”. The objectification of Black women in regards
to their body parts is just that—a fixation.
And it’s all too prevalent. From
movies to videos, to photos on Instagram, it’s everywhere you turn. Question
however is, do Black females empower the black community when they exploit
fetishization of the hyper-sexualized black female body or is this exploitation
objectifying and therefore devalues rather than of empower the black community.
Jezebel: “The woman who was a she-devil”
was a term used to describe Black woman pre-slavery. The term itself has
biblical roots; Jezebel was the wife of Israeli King Ahab and her actions
exemplified lust. The ‘Jezebel’ Black Woman figure was stereotypically constructed
through the initial European encounter with Africans. They associated their
nakedness (which was due to the high temperature) to their lewdness and their
polygamy practices to them not being able to control their libidos. Jezebel
“the promiscuous female with an insatiable sexual appetite” came to represent
the Black woman. Depicting Black women as erotically appealing and openly
seductive was used to excuse White Slave owners abuse of their female slaves.
The sexual myth of ‘jezebel’ serves as a tool for controlling Black women and
throughout history the media exploited the Jezebel myth; using the Jezebel
image to make racism and sexism appear somewhat natural. More recently, we
still see the residual effects of this stereotype, as sexual promiscuity is
imputed on most black women, even absent specific evidence of their individual
sexual histories.
Where a “Jezebel” was what black women were defined as pre-slavery,
“Mammy” was used to explain the sexualization of black women immediately after
slavery. The History of Slavery served as the background for the “Mammy”
figure. In slavery, female slaves were often tasked with domestic duties in
White households; preparing meals, cleaning homes, and nursing/rearing their
owners children. A good portrayal of
this was ‘The Help by
Kathryn Stockett.’ These circumstances influenced
the rise of the “Mammy.” Many black feminist, most notably Melissa Harris-Perry
have argued that the “Mammy” figure was created through the imagination of
White Supremacist thought who reimagined the powerless, coerced slave girls as
comfortable consenting women. Like stated before, while originating in slavery
the “Mammy” figure was rose to prominence in the reconstruction Era. Mammy’s
were characterized as large black women with their hair tied up and no sex life
nor family of their own. She lived to take care of her white ‘family’ as she
was the premier house servant; “she could do anything better than everyone.”
She was extremely devoted to her white chargers (children she was in charge
of). Everything about the Mammy demonstrated deference to White
authority. With her idealized figure of a caregiver: amiable, loyal, maternal,
non-threatening and obedient. As her being ‘asexual’ “devoid of any personal
desires that might tempt her to sin” helped her serve as both a confidant and a
moral guide to her young charges, capable of keeping them in line. Hattie McDaniel in the film ‘Gone with the Wind’ won an Oscar for playing
this role that depicts a Black Woman as stupid and without feelings. The three
principal black characters, Mammy, Prissy and Pork, don’t even have real names
and were portrayed as simple-minded, complacent, even happy in their enslaved
existence, and filled with love for their oppressor.
Believe me this is still happening. Recently a friend of mine was once
stopped by a random man and asked to join his band as a dancer. When she asked
why that was she was told because she was black and a good dancer. My friend
was shocked because she never considered herself as ‘Beyonce’ when it comes to dancing. I was once told by some guy
while at University that he loved black women because they look sexy?! I was
shocked to hear this as surely love has no colour. The black woman has always
appear in as a bad mum, single mother or just a bad person. And it carries on
in the work place. You speak your mind and you are seen a trouble maker, as if
people expect you to be an ‘idiot’- a’mammy’ who should just be happy to have a
job. In the board room , one not to be taken seriously and always being seen as not having enough experience.
Even when it comes to pay a modern day ‘mammy’ should be happy to have a
salary. A friend of mine went on leave due to a serious illness and she is of
course black. The person covering her sickness was white and just for that time
only management thought it fit to pay the white woman more pay than my black
friend. You get my point. What was the reason for the pay disparity for
somebody doing the same job?
So when looking at any policies in the workplace, communities any place,
let’s not forget that a lot of inequalities are interlinked- race, gender, ability
etc. After all, no one would take lightly their organization being led or
having decisions made by a ‘mammy’.
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