The Value of Black Women: More Than a Backbone - We Are the Blueprint
The Value of Black Women: Beyond the Resilience Myth
Black women have long been celebrated for their strength and resilience. While these traits are undeniably admirable, society often weaponizes them as an excuse to deny Black women the softness, care, and recognition we deserve. This narrative not only oversimplifies the depth of Black womanhood but also places an unfair, inhumane burden on us. We are expected to hold the world on our backs while being refused the grace to stumble. Where is our sanctuary? Where is our softness? Where is our right to be human?
The Resilience Myth: A Convenient Lie
The portrayal of Black women as perpetually strong and unbreakable has deep, violent historical roots. This stereotype, which originated as a means to justify the brutalization of Black women during slavery, has shape-shifted into a modern-day excuse to ignore our pain. We are expected to endure labor, both physical and emotional, without complaint. To be the unmovable backbone of our families, our communities, our workplaces. But who holds us when we are tired?
Resilience is not an inherent trait—it is a survival mechanism. And survival is not the same as thriving. Yet, we are forced into a cycle of self-sacrifice, where our struggles are romanticized, and our pain is dismissed as part of the package.
As author Janet Autherine eloquently states, "Black women, we deserve deep and abiding love. We deserve love."
We are not mules. We are not machines. We are human beings deserving of the full spectrum of life—joy, tenderness, vulnerability, and the freedom to say, "I am tired."
Denying Softness: A Systemic Erasure
The world does not allow Black women to be soft.
We are raised with phrases like "Suck it up" and "Be strong" drilled into our consciousness before we even understand what they mean. We are expected to endure microaggressions at work, to absorb society's biases with grace, to be the glue that holds everything together without breaking. And when we do break? We are met with disbelief, indifference, or scorn.
Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, not because of genetics, but because medical professionals refuse to believe our pain is real. cdc.gov
We are underpaid, overworked, and overlooked in every industry. We are expected to lead movements, yet history erases our contributions. We are told to "stay strong" even as our backs bend under the weight of it all.
But we are more than what this world tries to reduce us to.
The Intelligence & Excellence of Black Women
Despite these systemic barriers, Black women continue to rise. We are the most educated demographic in America, with Black women earning 64.1% of bachelor's degrees, 71.5% of master's degrees, and 65.9% of doctoral, medical, and dental degrees among Black students. aauw.org
We are business owners at higher rates than any other group, leading the charge in entrepreneurship and innovation. We are the blueprint for culture, fashion, beauty, music, and politics. And yet, our contributions are stolen, repackaged, and resold to the world without credit.
Michelle Obama said it best: "If there's one thing I've learned in life, it's the power of using your voice."
Black women have always been the backbone of progress, but it is time we demand more than acknowledgment. We demand ease. We demand rest. We demand a world that does not require our suffering to function.
Redefining the Narrative: The Era of Softness & Self-Preservation
We do not exist to be the world’s emotional punching bags. We do not exist solely to nurture and uplift others while being denied that same love in return. The "strong Black woman" trope is a trap, and we are dismantling it.
Softness is our birthright. Rest is our revolution. Love—deep, intentional, unwavering love—is not something we must earn.
The world will not give us permission to embrace our softness, so we must take it. We must demand it. And most importantly, we must give it to ourselves first.
To every Black woman reading this: You do not have to prove your worth through suffering. You are enough, exactly as you are.
