Black History Month – Page 3

Read: Yes
Length: 285
Quick Review: Robinson writes her funnily serious memoir about comedy, culture, and being a black woman in America.

Phoebe Robinson isn’t afraid of being funny or getting honest about the realities of blackness in America. Within the first five pages, she had me laughing, but then sobered me up by talking about police brutality towards black men and women, the dream of living in a postracial world, and Obama’s optimism sparking resistance if not regression in regards to race.

If you can’t tell by the title You Can’t Touch My Hair and Other Things I Still Have to Explain she talks about black hair. I was blessed with a black roommate my freshman year of college, who explained so many things I, as a white lady, did not understand about black femininity. Black hair is not white hair, not even close. Care, styling, perception, and more is vastly different than white hair. It’s important to understand these differences WITHOUT touching a black girl’s hair. Just don’t.

Miss Robinson is an absolute feminist. I loved reading her opinions. There was one moment of utter worshipping at Miss Robinson’s feet when I read: “But in all seriousness, the infantilization of women perpetuates inequality, and when that is conflated with sex, it’s easier to reduce women to objects and strip them of the power they have over their bodies.” Yesssss. This is such an important concept to understand and have articulated. It is especially true for black women throughout history, but it is true for all women. This statement stopped me.

You Can’t Touch My Hair is honest, funny, sobering, and quick. I couldn’t put it down. Her prose and ability to draw the reader in is fabulous. I can’t wait to watch her career grow especially in these changing times.

Known as @dopequeenpheebs in the Twitter and Insta-sphere, she proves herself a queen in her memoir. Queen of pop culture. I’m about a century behind in pop culture, so I found myself with an open Google page 96.461% of her book. Basically: Thank you Phoebe for helping me learn about the world I live in! Also… Thanks for the thumb carpal tunnel.

Complete sidenote. If for some reason, Phoebe Robinson reads this. I’m from Iowa! You said Bumblefuck, Iowa. There are tons of Bumblefuck places. Iowa is totally underrated. Nebraska (outside of Omaha) is Bumblefuck. Montana, North Dakota. Tons of Bumblefucks!!! My hometown is Ames Iowa. George Washington Carver worked and researched at Iowa State, which is less than ten blocks from my front door just pass the horse stable. He is the reason everyone loves peanut butter.

Memorable Quotes
“why Forever 21’s adult-sized leggings are so small they could double as condoms for sea turtles.”
“I also love that when other people see you on boats, they think your life is literally cunnilingus from unicorns”
“I just kept this reoccurring conversation going in my head throughout my time in high school, hoping that one day, I would go to bed, wake up, and magically do something, anything, different with my life.”
“but black women have their own unique battles, a Molotov cocktail of racism and sexism.”
“I felt like I wasn’t being me but a version of me that was as nonthreatening and inoffensive as possible. But that’s the thing. Being true to oneself shouldn’t be considered threatening.”

Title: You Can’t Touch My Hair; And Other Things I Still Have to Explain
Author: Phoebe Robinson
Publisher: Plume Books (PenguinRandom House)
Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 9780143129202

Dear Black Women,

Happy Black History Month!

I have a small yet growing following on social media. So I’m going to use that platform to talk about something all month long that is really, really important to me: you.

I am a feminist. I am a white woman. My feminism includes you. My feminism is inclusive.

Women have to deal with some real bullshit. There are some upsides, though. Having to deal with being treated like less, working harder to prove we’re equal, being observed as sexual playthings years before it’s appropriate, and more because there’s a lot bullshit. We’re humans. We deserve respect. We deserve to live our lives our way without fear or judgement or interference from people who have no idea who we are.

I’m white. Those are my experiences. I’m writing this to you because you have different experiences. You don’t have the privileges I do. You have to live life in a way I never will. You have to take precautions I never will. You have to deal with microaggressions and racism I never will. You have to deal with discrimination and harassment and sexuality in ways I never will.

I’m sorry you have to go through that. I wish it weren’t your reality.

Sadly, this world is nowhere near postracial. I love that people think since we had a black president *poof* racism, finito! Those people died the moment Obama was elected because things are not ok. We – as a country, I didn’t – voted Darth Cheeto into office. Unfortunately, 53% of white women voted for that ass hat wearing mongoloid. (I hate using language like mongoloid but yikes, he’s deficient and it’s dated.) We live in a world where #blacklivesmatter is controversial. WHAT??? Ugh. (Just so we’re clear, I’m pro #blacklivesmatter.) We live in a world where black boys and men and women and children are dying because of the police. We live in a world where 1 out of 3 black males will be incarcerated at some point in their lives. We live in a world where black women wearing their hair natural is seen as a political statement. We live in a world where black women are angry and black men are dangerous. I think the only time I’ve ever heard a black woman yell in real life is at step competitions. Let’s just say, the only men I’ve seen with guns are white. This list can go on and on and on.

We all have biases. That can’t be avoided. I’m sure I have been insensitive. I hope if I am someone points it out to me, so I can learn from that experience. The thing is we can learn and do better and change and make this world fair for our children and our grandchildren. But it takes making an effort, learning, and communicating. We have to take ownership of the past and the present. (This is more of a white people issue.)

It’s sad that we have to have Black History Month. IT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED EVERYDAY!!! It’s important. Your history is my history because we’re people, we’re Americans. We need to recognize the faults we made and the faults we make. If it’s not part of the discussion how will we learn?

This month is an ode to you. Every day, I will post on social media about a fabulous black woman past or present. Narrowing it down to 28 is rough. Some may be famous, and some may be friends of mine. I think it’s important to recognize the accomplishments of women and especially black women because if we see excellence achieved by people similar to ourselves we know it’s possible. If we know it’s possible, we won’t just dream. We will act and be amazing ourselves breaking down gender walls and racial walls. Every success made by a woman and a black woman is a step forward for all of us no matter how small.

Women need to stand together. We have no chance if we don’t. Historically, white women have always benefited from the oppression of woc (women of color). Feminism has been historically white centric. When “women” were fighting to work, woc had been working for years because they didn’t have a choice. When “women” won the right to work, they depended on the low wages of woc to do the things around the house they were no longer doing because men didn’t pick up the slack. White women have benefited from the inequality.

Black women have been the leaders in change but never received any credit. A lot of the actions, ideas, and more that helped gain freedoms for white women originated in black communities… but no one cared until a white voice spoke it. A whole bunch of fashion, music, dance, etc trends over the past centuries, which have been popular in the US, have roots in black communities. Yay cultural appropriation… Totally fair and not at all offensive.

Dear Black Women. You are seen. You are important. You are spectacular. You matter. Your experiences are significant. Your voice should be heard. You are worthy. You are smart. You are funny. You are complex beings with layers upon layers of emotions, experiences, actions, dreams, and more. You deserve the best. You deserve the right to be yourself. (I hate telling women they’re beautiful because there are so many other things I can and should compliment them on, but I don’t think you hear it enough.) You are beautiful. You are a knockout just the way you are.

Love,

RaeAnna
Founder of Bookish Liaisons

P.S. I’m hoping white people read this, and learn something. We can always learn something. I have lots to learn.
P.P.S. To other nonblack women of color. You also matter!
P.P.P.S. Dear White People. If you find yourself angry: good. You obviously need an education. Also there are opinions in here that are my own. The facts I talk about are facts. They cannot be refuted. You may try; I will block you. I hope you learned.