via GIPHY

It’s a warm, sunny day. The birds are chirping and ZESA decided to have the decency not to effect some heinous load shedding. There’s a new episode of House Of The Dragon waiting for you after you have made your tasty bowl of spicy noodles. Whilst carrying your bowl and heading to the sitting room to enjoy your meal and staring at Jacaerys Velaryon mogging the entire episode, you watch a video on TikTok with a pretty black woman enjoying a bucket of fried chicken and regaling you about her day. Then you open the comments to love bomb her and ask her where she bought her cute top from then you’re shocked because you see a bunch of racists saying, “well well well” or “I don’t see the appeal, she kinda looks like a man,” or there are a bunch of monkey emojis in the comments. You scroll further but there’s a lot of unwanted and unprovoked racism (not that racism is ever justified).

You’re enraged so you click on the replies and you see a myriad of comments from black women coming to the video creator’s defence. They will reply with sentences like “what’s wrong with you? Black women are so gorgeous and you need to get over yourself.” And you nod in solidarity as many black women come to her defence dredging studies about why black women are desirable and why they are loved or that they don’t have an attitude or that they are feminine and blah blah blah. It goes on and on so you put your tasty noodles down and nibble your thumb as you start doom-scrolling.

Then you fling your phone across the room and scream in frustration because you’re astounded by how racist and cruel people can be. (I’m kidding, she doesn’t fling her phone because it’ll break and she can’t afford another one as a broke college student). Then you sit down as you shove the noodles in your mouth angrily and ask why this poor girl is being mistreated. Then you wonder why it is that black people are always dredging up studies or explanations as to why black people are beautiful people deserving of respect just to defend themselves.

Until you come to a realisation: we have this contagious disease to explain our reason for being. And it’s a very dangerous variant. Black people whether they are in Africa, North or South America, Asia or Australia maybe even space always feel the need to explain to other people why they exist and why they should be treated humanely like other races of people.

When I had the epiphany …

Social media is flooded with videos. Some are educational, some are hilarious, some are thought provoking and some are down-right infuriating. What I mean is the stripping of our humanity by other individuals. My assertion is ambiguous. Let me point it out clearly: the abject racism black people are subjected to thanks to other races. This one will be a touchy topic but it’s something that irks my soul so I say what the heck let me hash it out.

I have thought long and hard about racism. I have gone through it myself. If you’re black you’ve probably experienced it. Knowingly or unknowingly. However, I will point out that my experience with racism hasn’t been as vile as it is in the West because the majority of Zimbabweans are black people. The internet has exposed me to excessive racism though, from police shootings riddled with backgrounds of shoot now and ask questions later in America, the dehumanisation and abuse of black athletes when they don’t perform well in competitions in England and many other situations.

 I remember Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche stating that she had no idea she was black until she left Nigeria. I have never left Zimbabwe, but I don’t necessarily need to leave my country to know about the rest of the world thanks to BASIC EDUCATION and social media (which reminds me, read my previous blog post about social media tee-hee-hee, I’m definitely nooooooooot poaching your attention to my other posts. I would neeveeeeeeer). Back to my point, I was claiming that social media has awarded me a first-class ticket to many different parts of the world. I’ve watched the news, I’ve tuned into lives and read different publications that have made me feel like Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche. When I was younger, I had no idea I was black but when I got my pretty little phone and internet access, I began to realise that I was indeed black. Oh no…the horrooooooooooor!

The racial disparity I saw on news channels, Tiktok, Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter), amongst a few other sites was absolutely debilitating. I swear I went through the five stages of denial. They were so chaotic:

1). Denial: There’s no way people have such a disdain for us! No way. That doesn’t make any sense! What have we ever done? What did I do? I’m just girl (*whines* *rolls around the cold tiled floor and assaults it with her fists rapidly).

2). Anger: I’m so pissed. I’ve never done anything wrong! What right does anyone have to hate us so much? To hate me so much. Because of skin colour? Weird. Ignorance at it’s finest. Intolerance in the 21^st century? Foolish behaviour is what I think all of this is!

3). Bargaining: I can’t believe this silly uneducated person thinks we’re disgusting monkeys that live in huts. I ought to insult him back and explain why we lived in huts and how we fashioned our shelters to match with the environment. I mean come on! Everyone HAS to know Africans are one with nature! We’re connected to it, it’s part of our spirituality! I mean come on, they haven’t heard about the tripartite world view*? I ought to prove how awesome of a people we are!! (*Dredges scholastic studies to prove her point to a random racist on TikTok. Makes sure scholar is white to prove a double point*).

4). Depression: They don’t care. Even if I try to practise patience and explain to them or educate them, they still see us as uneducated dirty monkeys! What should I do? Nothing works. It never will.  (*Crumbles to the floor, hugs her knees to her chest and bawls her eyes out).

5). Acceptance: It is what it is. People’s ignorance and unwillingness to educate themselves especially in the age of information is really none of my concern. It’s the 21^st century maybe read a book or an encyclopaedia or google it. I really couldn’t be bothered (*Sees uneducated comment about Africans being smelly, savage, thuggish or criminal. Rolls her eyes, scrolls past the comment and sips her tea*).

I know there was a lot of melodrama there but it really was a rollercoaster ride. It was just a few years ago when I felt this hopeless and unable to comprehend the blatant racism and intolerance effected towards my people. Sometimes I cried, sometimes I cussed (I’m sorry Yahweh, I’m really trying to break the habit) and sometimes I just laid in bed and said, “I wonder what we did to make these people so mad?” (I used a popular TikTok sound but I didn’t use the n-word tee-hee-hee).

I have surmised that we always have to explain our reason for BEING.

That is, I realise we always have to explain our reason for being human beings. We have to explain why we lived in huts, why African economies suck, why colonisation was bad, why slavery was bad and why black people (black Americans) like eating chicken and watermelon so much which is odd to me because don’t many people like watermelon and fried chicken? DON’T WE ALL EAT IT? (unless you’re allergic or something, I mean are you? If you are I’m sorry mate). The watermelon and fried chicken thing is really weird. I understand the history behind that stereotype which has become racist but I think it’s foolish because don’t we ALL EAT THAT FOOD? I realise that black Americans are explaining why they shouldn’t be shot when they are being held at gun point, black athletes are explaining why the world shouldn’t disparage them and dehumanise them because they missed a penalty.

Black people spend time explaining to the rest of the world why they are deserving of being properly represented in media, why they should be treated respectfully at predominantly white spaces and I’m explaining to people that I don’t ride a lion to school and that I have running water and electricity. People in Congo and in Sudan are constantly explaining why they shouldn’t be killed and why their resources should stop being exploited by the West, the East and the rest of the world.

Whatever the case may be, black people are always in a constant state of explanation. We may as well have our foreheads branded with the saying “I’m just another human being with a distinct culture, background and way of life but I bleed red just as you do. And no Mackenzie I don’t ride a lion to class nor do I not have water.” But I can’t do that because I’m too pretty to mar my face that way and it will really mess with my sense of style and aesthetic. So, yuck. But I digress.

We’re always EXPLAINING. “Don’t treat me this way because I’m just as human as you are.” My brothers and sisters in skin-ship* and in Christ aren’t you tired? Are you not exhausted? You’re always backed into a corner and forced to explain your reason for BEING. You’re always so quick to jump the gun and start bargaining so that you manage to squeeze out a modicum of respect and tolerance. Aren’t you tired? I know I am. And frankly I don’t want to do it anymore. Do you know what the best part is? I don’t have to.

I shouldn’t have to defend my femininity after I’m likened to a man because of my ethnic features. Because you’re a weirdo who somehow deems wide flat nose and really massive lips as something to be ashamed of (Like hello, how do you expect me to breathe in the savanna?). Cases like Megan Thee Stallion, Serena Williams and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers who was cast as Juliet always spring up when I see black women being bashed and coined as unfeminine, unfit and unfriendly. I look back and think about the times when these amazing women were called men in wigs. Has it come to a point where black women have to explain and prove to the world that they have a uterus?

If I had a dime for every time I find a black person explaining their reason for BEING in a comment section, a video or on the news I guarantee you that Strive Masiyiwa wouldn’t have anything on me. Am I saying we shouldn’t address racism and intolerance? Not at all. We should. We should nip it at the bud and hold the perpetrators accountable but if someone is unwilling to learn or change after you have tried to educate them or forgo their ignorance then let it go. Elsa from Frozen was really onto something when she said let it go. LET IT GO.

I know people deal with insults and other things differently and I shouldn’t tell you how to live but for your own sanity I implore you to let it lie because you’ll spend the rest of your life explaining why you deserve to be alive or why people shouldn’t call you a monkey because it’s insulting. Do you think that they have no idea that calling you a monkey is wrong and insulting? THEY KNOW IT’S DEROGATORY THAT’S WHY THEY USE IT!         Why should you waste your precious data and your 1-hour lunch break to tell grown man Steve who has 5 kids and a pot belly that stretches from Bulawayo to Timbuktu that calling you a monkey is wrong?

There are some black people who try to prove that they are digestible to the white man and that they can infiltrate their spaces without causing harm. Why do you feel the need to prove your worth and humanity to people who will dehumanise you the moment you make a common human mistake? You could have five PHD’s and they’ll tell you that you achieved that great feat because they took pity on you because of the colour of your skin? Remember my blog post the Plight Of Blackcellence? If you don’t then I suggest you read it (I’m totally not poaching you here. Why I would neeeeeveeer do such a bait-y thing. *Twiddles her thumbs*). Anyway, in that blog post I touched on how black people often have to be outstanding achievers in order to be treated almost human. There’s no room to be average in a white man’s world if you’re black and even in our own spaces.

This blog post was inspired by a quote from author and editor Toni Morrison. She says:

“The function of racism, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.”

In other words, all your efforts to explain why you’re you are futile. It never ends. It’s an endless black hole of despair that you shouldn’t dive in. Heck don’t even peer into it. It’ll swallow you whole and while you’re trapped inside that all-consuming hole banging against its translucent walls trying so hard to explain your humanity to people who don’t and will never care, life will pass you by.

We don’t need to explain our reason for being alive because we were wonderfully and fearfully created by Yahweh. That alone should be enough reason for you to stop explaining your reason for being. I could be cliché about it and say we all bleed red and we’re all human beings and blah blah blah but you already know that. You’re educated enough to know that so get up and live your life. Eat your fried chicken and watermelon, wear your wigs or your afro, speak your tribal language or your ‘broken’ English. Don’t smile when you see a white person so that they don’t feel threatened by you, but smile because you’re a nice person. Don’t move out of the side walk just to let white people pass (you know what I mean).

So, what is the best way to address ignorant racists? I can attest to the fact that with all the access to information and knowledge our world has to offer, ignorance is a choice. People who choose to disparage and dehumanise you live in the bliss of their ignorance so don’t you dare give them any of your precious time and effort. Call them out for it, check them and leave it at that but don’t you dare start the futile journey of saying, “you know I’m human too, I bleed the same blood…we’re all people.”  Why? Because they couldn’t be bothered. I don’t know about you but I’m spent. I’m throwing in the towel and learning to ignore Luke when he likens me to a man and ignoring Mackenzie when she asks me if my hair ever grows.

That being said my wonderful readers, just put the darn phone down before you lose your mind. Don’t let racism distract you or keep you from living. May your skin glow and your curls grow.

-The “Weird” Brown Girl.

GLOSSARY:

1. Skin-ship – a weird word I either made up or exists amongst Gen-Z lingo which means people of the same skin colour or race. (Wow, I’m so smart if I made that up on my own).
2. Tripartite worldview –  A belief that comprises of the belief in the human world, the natural world and the spiritual world and how they are intertwined.