While collecting my own thoughts about this, I've been watching some outstanding discussions about the issues surrounding Rachel Dolezal (the WW scam artist who masqueraded as a Black woman while heading the Spokane, Washington chapter of the NAACP office). The best conversations and comments I've seen have dealt with how we collectively opened the door to this.
Here's a quote from an excellent recent conversation on THIS Facebook page. I'm not sure if the gentleman speaking in the quoted portion is Ms. Coleman's father, but what they're talking about in this exchange is right on the money:
In another conversation on that Facebook page, Mr. Coleman noted that "the Black woman used her last breath to uphold the image of Black men." Yep, that's absolutely correct. Our. Last. Breath. Which is why we're collectively in a death spiral now.
Breukelen Bleu hosted another excellent recent discussion about all of this. She described how BW's hair boards went from celebrating "typical" BW's hair textures to lifting up loosely curled biracial hair textures.
Faith (blog host of Acts of Faith blog and Facebook page) talked about this same issue 11 months ago in her post, For The Uninformed, This Is What 'Natural' Hair Looked Like Before The'Curly' Infiltration aka "New Black" Took Over. Here's the photo of a 1970s era Afro Sheen ad that accompanied that post.
Faith said:
Please take the time to read Faith's post AND Breukelen Bleu's comment to this post (Ms. Bleu's comment is the first one).Look! Hair that looks shiny, moisturized with no dry ends or single strand snarls!AND NOT A MANUFACTURED CURL PATTERN IN SIGHT.It’s an A-F-R-O.Just a hairstyle…..The ONLY act of militancy from wearing a legitimate afro TODAY is doing so in the midst of BLACK PEOPLE!No texturizing, heat-training required. No Bantu-Knot, Marley Braid-Out, Two-Strand Twist, Roller Set, or a $200 product list and 50 minute DAILY morning regime in sight. The ORIGINAL WASH-N-GO!!! And I believe the fro didn’t shrink in humidity. No number-type categorization, no mixed-gals or poly-racial ad campaigns (i.e. Carol’s Daughter, Shea Moisture) either….A ‘REGULAR’ BLACK WOMAN…AND HER DAUGHTER.THIS IS HOW B-L-A-C-K Women and Heritage GETS ERASED:
Oh, there were quite a few A-N-G-R-Y Black women in the comment section to Faith's post who were peddling that "It's just hair" lie. There were also some upset "tragic biracial damsels" in the comment section playing dumb about their privilege. Well, I hope it's crystal clear now that BW are reaping the whirlwind with that "It's just hair" self-deception.
Ms. Bleu did a recent Facebook post (which appears to be locked now) pointing out the connection between the above situation, the Black hair boards' transition from lifting up "typical" BW's hair texture to lifting up loosely curled, biracial-type hair textures, and the increasing presence of WW like the NAACP imposter (and other nonblack women) standing in BW's space. I agree that it's all connected. Here's what one of my friends said in reaction to Ms. Bleu's recent Facebook post (emphasis added in red bold):
She is correct on ALL POINTS. I left the hair boards around the time we met because of what was developing. The lift up of the "curl" versus our dominant hair textures. Folks working themselves into pretzels to have pictures of a "SINGLE CURL" on an otherwise non-curl hair type of head. All this blond hair wearing, etc. to attract a negrah male gaze that is not looking their way. Those that continue to chase after the purple unicorn will never break free.As somebody who wore a nappy, natural afro at various times during the Jheri curl heyday of the 1980s, I'm happy I never joined or paid any attention to those natural hair boards.
Another sign of the death of [African-Americans], because we refuse to own the pathologies that we have and then to really work on them. Natural hair became another "paper bag" test.
As for as the Becky SCAM artist, I hope that they file criminal charges for fraud and make her pay restitution for any scholarships or grants.
I'm happy I never joined those natural hair boards for the same reason I ultimately walked away from the Black mosque.
Which is the same reason I ultimately walked away from Black professional organizations.
Which is the same reason I ultimately walked away from [dead] Black community activism.
Because I learned through repeated negative experiences that our collective refusal to address and eradicate our [internalized racism-inflicted] pathologies means that Black organizations will always inevitably devolve into destructive mess. This has always been the fatal inherent flaw with all African-American organizations and pseudo-institutions.
Rev. Albert Cleage (he’s writer Pearl Cleage’s father) explained this in his book Black Christian Nationalism. Much of his analysis in this 1972 book is outdated and mistaken. However, much of it has been proven correct by subsequent events regarding African-Americans (emphasis in bold):
“No other Black group [he’s speaking of the church that he founded] (other than the Black Muslims) is willing to face seriously the fact that Black people are psychologically sick and have been systematically conditioned to hate themselves and love their oppressor. Every other Black group tries to program with Black people the way they are (which is obviously an impossibility)…” pg. 212-213.“…in every way we have contributed to our own enslavement. Our powerlessness has been perpetuated by our inability to build genuine Black institutions and our refusal to accept genuine Black leadership. Black pseudo-institutions existing in the Black community (such as the Black church) have actually served the interests of the White oppressor. pg.209.
For a follow-up discussion, please see One Less Soldier's (blog host of Not Your Girl Friday) essay and the comments to her post, Imma say it again; Beware the Cloak of Black Male &White Female Privilege!