BeyoncƩ Made Me Think: How lucky am I to be born a black woman!
āThe most disrespected person in America is the black womanāĀ Ā ā Malcolm X
They want everything about black women, but black women. Ā That is our truth. These are the things we whisper in to each other in hair salons, in our secret spaces that are just our own
āThey want Becky with the good hair.āĀ Ā ā Beyonce, Lemonade
There are critiques in me that wanted to say BeyoncĆ© is overrated. Parts of me that might have resented her unknowingly because arguably, BeyoncĆ© is a child of wealth and privilege: born of the middle class, light-skinned Creole, and beautiful beyond argument. To say her success is predestined. To say she is simply selected by the music and success gods because she fit a palatable mold is insulting to she and we.Ā
Because, when she gives us the best in black girl magic ā from Serena Williams, to Amandla Stenberg, Ā to Ibeyi, to Zendaya, to Winnie Harlow, to QuvenzhanĆ© Wallis, to Chloe and Halle. When she gives us images of us in our own hoods. In our own truths. When she gives lyrics and imagery, rhythm and blues, art and practice. Her werk can not be denied or diminished to stoke the flames of my own insecurities.Ā
āDid he convince you he was a god / Her heaven will be a love without betrayal.āĀ Ā ā BeyoncĆ©, Lemonade
I could write a doctoral dissertation on the imagery of black men in the form of lovers and fathers in her visual album, but Iāll leave that to the likes of my bestie Dr. Osbourne. Instead, I will simply say: Wow!
BeyoncƩ captured the best and worst of us:
Our flesh and our essence in form of culture.
She did something black women have been taught to be fearful of doing: being us. Can you imagine success in the form of unapologetic authenticity? Corn rows, full lips, black love in black skin. Plural Yaaaaaaaaaaassssā all around.
Beyonce made me think: āhow lucky am I to be born a black woman!ā
āYour mother is a woman and women like her can not be contained.āĀ Ā ā BeyoncĆ©, Lemonade
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