Black Women Walking

I’ve posted this short film (5-7 minutes) regarding the interaction between some black women and men. Please take a look at it before you read my comments below.



The video is very moving and the fact is a lot of black men disrespect black women on a daily basis. That behavior is unacceptable and we all bear some form of blame whether we have done some of these things; stood silent when someone else committed these acts; approved of this behavior because you thought he was cute; or, didn’t discipline one of our young boys who exhibited this conduct. Although many men will accept the advice and scolding from black women who are often on the receiving end of these gestures, it’s up to men to step up and call other men out to let them know this is not how any woman should be treated. If we care anything about our communities, it is vital that black women are valued, understood and respected. In this respect, the film illustrated where we as a community (especially black men) are falling short.

Despite the true stories and feelings described, is the film an accurate portrait of how black men treat black women or generalities characterized as the norm? Are black men singled out while other men go unnoticed or undocumented leaving the impression that this behavior can only be found in the black community? Again, it is no secret that black men disrespect women. However, is there empirical data showing that this occurs more in the black community than other communities? The film leaves a distinct impression that this is a “black thing” while women in white, Latino or Asian communities do not receive the same kind of treatment.

Having lived around black men all my life, the majority of black men I know do not objectify women as the film would lead you to believe. In fact, only a few of the men I know act this way. I also have seen a lot of white and Latino men approach and objectify women in this manner at sporting events, nightclubs, college parties, or just walking down the street. Calling women out of their name or putting their hands on women is not exclusive to black men. There are countless situations where white men at college frat parties and NASCAR events or Latinos at the Puerto Rican Day Parade and Cinco de Mayo festivals do not treat women in a respectful manner. The fact that this occurs in every community, including the black community, is not something to be proud of but this film goes out of its way to depict this as something unique to black men.

Finally, by no means were the last paragraphs an attempt to dismiss the feelings of the women in this film. If we are committed to building strong black communities, the manner in how we treat each other is an essential step in this process. Again, black men need to step up and put an end to the way black women are treated by other black men. We, as black men, owe that much to our daughters, mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, cousins and friends.