Never would I have imagined that being a black girl in America would push me to the bottom of society. After all, somehow having more melanin equates to being of lesser value and identifying as a woman makes you weak. The media portrays being a black girl as a blessing and a curse   

 

But that's not true 

 

Not all black girls are born with full lips, curvy hips and a big behind. We all won't grow up standing in the welfare line. 

 

The expectations 

 and realities 

of being a black girl  in America

 

Wearing my hair naturally shouldn't be a problem right? I was born with this hair therefore I am proud to show it off to the world.

Think again:

"What the hell did you do to your hair?"

"I like your hair better when it's straight."

"Ew whys your hair so greasy? Do you ever wash it?"

"I mean I guess your hair looks alright... but it look very unprofessional. Try straightening it."

 

All my life people have complimented me because I speak in an "educated manner" saying, "wow you talk so white."

 

Raising my voice so that my opinion can finally be heard shouldn't be a problem, but suddenly I've become the "angry black woman"

 

People compliment me all the time because of how pretty I am... "Pretty for a black girl"  

 

Black women get teased, called ghetto, and ratchet for wearing braids and cornrows, or Bantu knots 

 

But then a white woman comes along appropriating the same hairstyle and they're seen as edgy or cool

 

It adds an extra sting when your own race calls your hair nappy. Let's not even mention that fact that when black women wear weaves suddenly they're bald headed but when white women wear weave no one questions it.

Other cultures take our music, fashion, hair styles, dances, vocabulary and change the name to make it theirs.

But wait... what is a black card?

Because last time I checked theres no such thing.

No you can't say nigga it's not your slur to reclaim and no I don't care that your black friend gave you a pass to say it or it's in one of your favorite hip hop songs.

Don't think you're "woke" or "not racist" just because you have a few black friends. 

 

Everybody wants to be black, but no one wants to go through the struggles that a black person has to go through. 

 

You're too quick to assume you can be black just because you listen to trap music, you got your hair braided while on a trip to the Caribbean, you tanned a little over break, and you're dating a black boy.

 

Black is black and it ain't whack 'cause it surely don't crack.

So for all of you young black girls out there you need to look within and realize how beautiful you are with your

pretty

brown

skin.