Disrespecting Black women is a national pastime — just ask presidential hopeful Kamala Harris

I sat in the community meeting about gun violence, curious to hear about possible solutions.

“We talk about all these kids out here getting in trouble. Why are they getting in trouble? Impulsive behaviors,” said a Black nonprofit leader standing at the podium during the Des Moines meeting.

The Black community suffers from PTSD due to “absent father syndrome,” he opined before doubling down.

“They’ve been raised by women, so they see these women bicker, bicker, bicker, bicker. Then, when they get out here and start reaching an age of maturity in puberty, they bicker, bicker, bicker. They’re not going to fistfight. They wanna pick up a gun.”

He continued undeterred. “Women, y’all sitting around with all these young men. Y’all be in love with some of these dudes, and y’all swear they’re the greatest thing . . . they ain’t got a library card.”

Black women get dogged for so much. There’s a whole term for it: misogynoir, which means hatred of, aversion to, or prejudice against Black women. Is vilifying Black women for their communication style or choice of romantic partners misogynoiristic? Yes.

Misogynoir is something Black women know when we hear it and experience it. What happens when it’s your own people?

We are often labeled as angry Black women and other tired racial tropes. Vice President Kamala Harris, a Black and South Asian woman, has faced recurring misogynoir during her historic presidential run. Republicans and her opponent, former president Donald Trump, who was convicted of 34 felonies, have shared misinformation and disinformation and repeatedly disparaged Harris:

• Trump has repeatedly said Harris isn’t really Black, said she is “dumb as a rock,” criticized her laugh, has reshared sexual jokes about her on his social media platform, purposefully mispronounced her first name and made claims that immigrants were taking “Black jobs.”
• Some Republicans labeled Harris a “DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion) candidate/hire after President Joe Biden exited the race, insinuating that Harris, a former prosecutor, senator, attorney general and vice president, is unqualified.

I felt a flicker of anger during the community meeting. I thought: Will Black women ever catch a break? Some days, we’re loved, other days we’re loathed.

If we do ever catch a break, I hope it happens on Nov. 5.

This column first appeared in the October edition of the Black Iowa Newspaper.

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Election Day is Nov. 5. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check out the Black Iowa Voter Guide.