Your Melanin Is Worth It!

 

Dear Black Girl,

Young and old, Your. Melanin. Is. Worth. It. You are worth all life has to offer. The pigmentation of your skin does not determine who you are, who you will be, and where you'll end up in life. This is an open letter, expressing what it feels like to be a Black Woman, period! I am a Black Girl, that will always feel like an outsider in society, no matter how successful I will be. We live in a world where, Black Women are unrepresented in various settings of life. Somehow we are "trained" to accept this unorthodox parody. Women in general, face so many adversities in society, and what's worse is that Black Women are often ignored, forgotten, and mistreated; and no one seems to care. The advocacy of Women's Rights was not created equally. When it boils down to issues pertaining to Women of Color, there is no advocacy readily available. When a Black Woman is missing or murdered, there is very little news coverage or black faces posted on flyers to spread awareness. Where did society go wrong with this?

The stereotypical opinions of Black Women have been planted like seeds, since slavery, and not much has changed, even in 2017. Black Women are never given a fair chance at life without criticism from the outside world. The exploitation of the Black Woman is very real. Black Women are often viewed as unfeminine, hyper-sexualized, bad mothers, angry, non-marriage material, and the list can go on. The bottom line is, when you do not defend women in general, you are not in defense for your daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, etc. The comments, opinions, jokes, and criticism, which often at times, are given by the men we call Brothers. The Black Man, is just as responsible for the demise of the black woman and the black family; as much as society is responsible for racism.

Black Women are awesome,  and society does not give us enough credit for what we have to contribute to the world. If you're a woman of color, you are worth REPRESENTATION in society. It does not matter how you look, how you dress, you how speak, or where you come from. You should never feel silenced by your own culture or the outside world. You can accomplish great things. Everything you do, should be done with swagger and a smile. Black Girl Magic is real, and coconut oil really glows. If you can't sit with them, create your own seat at the damn table!

Image Credit: E! Online / Kevin Winter/Getty Images for NARAS (Beyoncé, Grammys 2017)

Edited on November 29, 2017 for clarity and accuracy.