Anti-Blackness and the Concept of Womanhood; Black Lives Matter and Pride

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1. Sojourner Truth says:
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 mudpuddles, 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? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?
How does anti-blackness intersect with the concept of womanhood? Using examples from course material and ideas from class discussion, describe how sexism and racism shaped the idea of Black womanhood in North America? (200-300 words max)
The term “intersectionality” was coined by Black legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. However, elements of intersectionality” were first recognized in Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech that presented how oppressions related to race and gender combine to produce injustice. Anti-blackness intersects with the concept of womanhood by presenting how discrimination against Black women occurs in ways that do not fit the legal and usual definition of racism or sexism. Generally, the legal system defines sexism based upon injustices experienced by all women (including white). Similarly, racism is defined as anti-blackness hate faced by all Blacks and people of color (including Black men). As a result, Black women are not considered when addressing issues related to sexism and racism because the focus has been placed on the experiences of white women and Black men (Black Women Often). These definitions combined with intersectionality render Black women “invisible” and without any form of legal recourse. For instance, despite all women being considered as fragile, Black women are assigned heavy chores and responsibilities at the workplace. Similarly, despite the assumption that good mothers should stay at home and care for children, Black women are forced to find jobs and take their children to care facilities. Therefore, discrepancies in how sexism and racism issues are addressed have normalized discrimination against Black women in North America.
2. Why did the Black Lives Matter movement choose to occupy Pride? How is Pride connected to Black History? (200-300 words max)
Generally, Pride supports communities and individual people in the pursuit of their indisputable rights to be heard, known, understood, and be accepted for who they are. However, its activities are mostly related to the notion that “people are free to discover and love as our true selves.” This notion has been perceived as an emphasis on other minority groups but Black people. Furthermore, there were concerns about Pride’s funding and support for Pride programs run for and by black folks (Strapagiel). As a result, Black Lives Matter occupied Pride because they wanted Black people and essential Pride Programs to be recognized, especially during Pride Month. Pride, which is also referred to as Black Pride, is connected to Black history because it encourages black people to commemorate the black culture and embrace their customs. In the United States, Pride was launched by icons such as Sylvia Rivera and Marsh. P. Johnson as a response to the prevalence of white racism during the Civil Rights Movement. The launch of Pride during the Civil Rights era was undertaken using political means such as riots, gatherings, and direct attack on white supremacy. As a result, Black Lives Matter used action to occupy Pride during the parade because Pride itself is political.
3. Give me two examples of media strategies used by police as an institution to embellish their image and/or to counter criticism. (200-300 words max)
Police embellish their image and counter criticism through “Copaganda’ or programs known as “PR machine for law enforcement.” Some of the strategies used to advance “Copaganda” in the media are a depiction of diversity and badass cops. Diversity within police departments is mostly displayed in TV shows and films. The casts in the shows are usually very diverse and representative of the communities that they police. In shows such as “Law and Order" or "Chicago P.D,” there are more black officers and judges to the extent that there is only racial diversity and zero elements of racism. On the other hand, the badass cops strategy depicts officers as people who are very much invested in the safety and security of the community. For instance, in “Luther” and “Line of Duty” officers are presented as dominant, heroic agents of justice, who are effective at catching the “bad guys.” Although these strategies somehow embellish the image of police as an institution, they hide the obvious flaws that come to light when police engage in misconduct. In contrast to what TV shows and films depict, the police are inefficient, do very little, and when they are not doing too little, they are doing far too much (Frazer-Caroll). Doing far too much has become common, especially when it comes to police interactions with Black people.
4. Choose an example of Black representation in television, cinema or advertisement that you have been exposed to. Why/how do you think this image/story was produced? What impact does it have on its viewers and their attitude towards Blackness? How is that image/story echoing broader cultural tropes? (200-300 words max)
Although I have been exposed to various pieces of Black representation in the media, one that caught my attention was an advertisement video from Volkswagen in 2020. The advertisement video showed an outsized white hand pushing a Black man from a parked Golf car, before flicking him into a restaurant called “Petit Colon,” which translates to Little Colonist in French. The video was shocking, hurtful, racist, and showed that even multinational corporations lack sensitivity when it comes to issues related to race and colonialism. It is difficult to believe that the world’s largest carmaker lacks an ethics committee that reviews advertisement videos before posting on social media. Nevertheless, the content of the video implies that it was produced by the company’s advertising agency, which is not diverse and its employees have never received any form of ethical training. Although Black people still face more economic challenges than whites, their economic condition has improved significantly due to hard work and changes in policies. Therefore, not only did the video diminish the economic status of Black people, but it also promoted the idea that they belong to slavery. In a broader sense, the video in...