Black Women Are Keeping it Real on Twitter With These Hashtags Addressing Workplace Racism
Black women are taking to Twitter to tell their stories about dealing with racism at work.
Here is yet another example of why Black Twitter is a national treasure:
Bill O' Reilly was being his usual "ain't shit" self on Tuesday, during an episode of Fox & Friends, when he slighted Congresswoman Maxine Waters over a comment she made about the lack of true patriotism amongst Trump supporters. "I didn't hear a word she said. I was looking at her James Brown wig," he said in a failed attempt at humor.
His offensive comments, intended to discredit a highly accomplished black woman based on her appearance—as well as another incident in which White House Press Secretary Sean Spencer told April Ryan, the White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, to "stop shaking her head" during a press conference—have sparked a conversation on social media about the racism that black women face in the workplace.
Several woman have taken to Twitter to share their experiences, using the hashtag #BlackWomenAtWork, and are helping create dialogue around the all too common issue.
Comparing their fake/sun tanned skin with my naturally brown skin "look, I'm darker" ? #BlackWomenAtWork
— Stacey (@StaceyLC43) March 29, 2017
#BlackWomenAtWork . Stop asking us are we mad because we are not walking around with a goofy grin just to make you feel comfortable.
— ✨✨Esha✨✨ (@yepitsesha) March 29, 2017
#BlackWomenAtWork Where commanding respect is considered 'having an attitude'
— CailínDeasDonn (@AlysInTheWorld) March 29, 2017
If we had a dollar every time someone asks about our hair, we could reduce the racial and gender pay gap #BlackWomenAtWork
— Courtney M (@CL_McCluney) March 29, 2017
These #BlackWomenAtWork hashtags got me over here hotter than fish grease. 140 characters ain't enough pic.twitter.com/oQdUbUMLMZ
— Simone Missick (@SimoneMissick) March 29, 2017
Some of these are just TOO real.
That feeling when you know you'll always have to be twice as good to maybe get half as much #blackwomenatworkpic.twitter.com/sA4dt1FRFN
— Sonya Olds Som, Esq. (@SonyaOldsSom) March 28, 2017
#BlackWomenAtWork are paid less, asked to do more, are constantly antagonized, and then called angry/abrasive for setting boundaries.
— Tora Shae (@BlackMajiik) March 28, 2017
Me: *makes a suggestions in meeting*
-Silence-
A white: *Says same exact thing I just did
Whole room: #BlackWomenAtWorkpic.twitter.com/zv9Z6gNKaJ
— Viola's Wigs (@_OnlyBlackGirl) March 28, 2017
Where are the lies? Oh yes, there are none, because this is what black women are forced to deal with daily.
As the assistant manager at a retail store a white customer told me "I want to speak to the people in charge not the help" #BlackWomenAtWork
— Micia Girl (@_miciagirl) March 28, 2017
#BlackWomenAtWork I corrected a white female coworker, she cried, we ended up in a meeting with management. Mgr said "be nicer if you can". pic.twitter.com/FMDNROIHw2
— Michonne Grimes (@tammie_grier) March 28, 2017
The white man colleague who told me to "use what I've got" when another white man-a donor- hit on me in a meeting. #BlackWomenAtWork
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) March 28, 2017
Speaking to some1 over the phone in the office & them being confused when they meet u because they just knew u were white #BlackWomenAtWork
— Stephanie (@khatrel09) March 29, 2017
Celebrities, and even Waters herself got in on the action.
Saluting my sisters telling their truth via #BlackWomenatWork. Onward for all of us. Queens, we can't be stopped. xo pic.twitter.com/8TyUsZv784
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 29, 2017
I am a strong black woman. I cannot be intimidated, and I'm not going anywhere. #BlackWomenAtWork
— Maxine Waters (@MaxineWaters) March 29, 2017
#BlackWomenAtWork isn't the only viral conversation that's taking place around the matter. #StrongBlackWoman is an acknowledgement of our resilience. Being a #StrongBlackWoman doesn't mean we're superhuman or that we have a shield that protects us from constant demeaning. It doesn't help to limit our experiences to the single "strong" and "black" narrative, but it certainly doesn't hurt to recognize our #BlackGirlMagic every now and again, especially when folks try to come for it.
My strength comes from my resilience AND vulnerability. It's in both my laugh and my cry. It's not limited to a stereotype #StrongBlackWoman
— Taryn Finley (@_TARYNitUP) March 29, 2017
@blackvoices@MaxineWaters everyday we are faced with stereotypes esp in corporate white America but I persevere. #strongblackwomanpic.twitter.com/X2O2EKejVE
— Big Baby Bam (@RosaSparkzZz) March 29, 2017
I got tired of negative black images, so I started a page that promotes positive black images on FB! #StrongBlackWomanpic.twitter.com/T7d5x7eSqD
— HeyItzTaya (@Hey_Itz_Taya) March 29, 2017
@blackvoices@MaxineWaters "My value doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see my worth." #strongblackwoman#StillStanding? pic.twitter.com/g70y5CztX8
— Mafie (@divamafie) March 29, 2017
Tired of enslaved women's stories being forgotten. Dedicating my life to giving them a voice. #StrongBlackWoman#GenealogyPBS#ancestrypic.twitter.com/kjQs9ulhYP
— Kenyatta D. Berry (@kenyattadb) March 29, 2017
@MaxineWaters is the epitome of "when they go, we go high"???? #StrongBlackWomanpic.twitter.com/AZWu0tw4LK
— Fresh U HBCU (@FreshU_HBCU) March 29, 2017