Is this the price we have to pay?The Objectification and Oversexualization of Black Women in America

“Man... black B*@#$es have big a@$es and white B@*$@es give the Becky all the time.” “And tell me why this b@$@$ had the nerve to say she didn’t want to f*^@! Bet I won’t take her to Red Lobster again.”

I overheard the statements above while sitting in the lobby at my school campus just a few days ago, Two male-bodied individuals who I assert as Black were seated directly in front of me.  They were sharing a “private” exchange that was only meant to be heard by them, and yet I had the wonder misfortune to overhear these lines loud and clear. I couldn’t help but fight back the urge to smack both of them in the back of their heads; I began to reflect upon the misogynist undertones that were evident within these young male’s angry words.

1.   You called this young woman who decided to go on a date with you a bitch; is that what all women are objectified to nowadays? I mean she was doing you a favor.

2.      .You assume that purchasing dinner for this young woman would result in receiving sex from her as an exchange of her goods.

3.      You essentially believed that this young woman’s body was worth roundabout $20 dollars. That amount of money doesn’t even but you a full tank of gas.

      “And she better be glad she has a fat a@$ with her black self.”

That was the icebreaker and like magic the substantive value of a black woman’s’ body has once again been reduced to the pronouncement and fullness of her body parts. As a Black woman, it infuriates me to think that some of my male- counterparts would prefer to literally strip me of my education, my love of family, my spirituality, my assertiveness ,my leadership roles and other personal characteristics  that I hold dear to me and place my ultimate values on the roundness of lips, thighs, butt and breast. While I innately embrace my body, my sexuality, and wish that all women experienced an environment in which they felt empowered to do the same,  it pains me when my body image and my sexuality , which is just ONE part of my identity, is magnified to encompass my entire being. What role does the history of Black people in the United States play in this modern-day oversexualization of the Black woman? No need to think too hard. You can rewind history to just 150 years ago to find a painful glimpse of the sexual objectification of African American women in our country’s history. African American women were slaves and sold to the highest bidder.

Borrowed from history.com

The picture shown above is still very modest. Narrative accounts by former slaves and slave owners of this time have documented that typically Black women who were on the auction block to be sold to the highest bidder were stripped naked so that potential buyers could thoroughly examine their goods before making an offer. Poking, Prodding and Pulling. Any dignity that remained was thrown out of the window. Then ding ding ding! She was sold to the man with the most money to spend. This slave woman, whose life has been given a price, whose worth has been diminished to the perceived productivity emanating from her back, her legs, her arms, her bones, her soul, is now expected to do whatever this man asks because she has been paid for in full. Let us not forget that noncompliance with her owner’s wishes inevitably resulted in punishment, whether that be a verbal whipping, physical beating, rape, or death.

Now let’s return to the 21st century. A person does not have to search far to find the modern-day oversexualization and objectification of Black women on their nearest TV music channels or radio stations.

Rappers Fat Joe & Lil’ Wayne emphatically repeat to the world that they “make it rain on them h@es!”

Why must Nelly tear of her clothes with his teeth and then later slide a credit card in between her posterior.

Throughout history, this particular message regarding the worthiness of Black women in society has been made to be very clear. We are property. We are to be at the sexual disposal of any man who “invests” in us. “I took you to dinner; therefore you must have sex with me. I bought you a drink; therefore you must have sex with me. I helped you pay your light bill; therefore you must have sex with me.” And if you refuse to finish this transaction, this trading of goods, then you are potentially subjecting yourself to emotional, verbal, and physical abuse even rape or murder. To my Black women, in what ways can we solidify a positive and cohesive front in denying our placement on our modern-day auction blocks, take back our sexuality, and hold firm to the fact that we are more than our butts and thighs?