Why are only African American Women expected to be, strong with thick skin?

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying that women of other races aren't strong women that wouldn't be the truth. However, with others it appears that they are allowed to not always have to be invincible. Other races are allowed to cry and have a break down here and there and pop all the prozac they want without any one passing judgement. Black women on the other hand it seems we are expected to walk around with a chip on our shoulders (that most often you may not even have), we cant just break down and cry without being labled less than, we have to have everything under controll all the time. Sure I'm strong and I can handle my own but every now and again you want it to be okay if you don't have the answers or you need to cry or something.





If I am wrong and women of other races feel this way sometimes to let me know. Perhaps this is a commonality and I'm just clueless.
Why are only African American Women expected to be, strong with thick skin?
Because for centuries we have been! but i feel ya sometimes we want to be weak and helpless and crying all over the place, for example on Grey Anatomy- Lizzy was crying because she had a hard day and her being tired ruined her plans w. George, well she just cried like a baby and he just held her in his arm (bullsh**) where i come from we get the job done, no time for tears! to answer your question I dont know why but thats just the way it has been for centuries and if i had to pick, i'd whether be a strong black women over anything else!
Why are only African American Women expected to be, strong with thick skin?
Their not.
Reply:who said that?
Reply:I dont think thats true, you are the way you want to be.
Reply:My mom cried and she was a strong black woman.
Reply:............ huh?
Reply:Who expects them to be that way? I think most people wish they wouldn't be.
Reply:That was on Tyra Banks Show get over yourself.
Reply:nope
Reply:Youre the only person Ive ever heard say they think that. I suspect that black women are the only people feeling that way. How do you know that people would judge you? I dont think I would see you as any different.
Reply:i believe it is because African Americans have gone through so much already so that people know they have a strong sense of self worth. i am not saying all African Americans are IceQueens, but people just know how you got there, and that makes them almost impressed.
Reply:idk some people r just races and its just not fair. this is a very cruel world.
Reply:The thing about accepting a stereotype or generalization (even if it is a "good" one) - it comes with a HUGE responsibility...





examine the stereotype: "All Asians are good at math" well Asians are human, and say you have an Asian that is not good at math... he/she will still feel compelled to accept the stereotype because they ACCEPT the stereotype to the point that they believe in it...





The same condition applies here...





It is perhaps best not to ACCEPT any stereotype... it is really a two sided coin... there is a "sending party" and a "receiving party."
Reply:Don't generalize because not all black women have thick skin and I for one don't. I think it has to do with the climate our ancestors were from. I don't know.
Reply:It's a matter of stereotypes. Everyone has felt like u at some point. The most important thing is to overcome these stereotypes and not become that person they wanna force u to b.
Reply:Yeah, I couldn't cry at work because they would see my weakness. I couldn't cry in front of my children because they needed my strength and when I was at home. . . I was too damn tired to cry! lol
Reply:I've often wondered about this too. Women of color (not just black) seem to be labled as "bitches".This comes from movies and just media in general in my opinion
Reply:I don't expect you to be stronger than women of other races. I condemn anyone who thinks that.
Reply:i think that is a stereotype we as black women put on ourselves. half of black men our in jail or on the fast track to destruction, we often end up raising families on our own while we work, we dont have time to take aspirin more less prozack!! and when slavery was a common practice, mammy was expected to take care of her family, the children of field slaves who worked from sun up to sun down, plus wait hand and foot on master and his household. we need to step back and take time for ourselves, not only as black women but women in general.
Reply:Excuse Me, but I never have fought of Black Women having thick skin. I fine most of them wear their feelings on their sleeves and respond to insults when no one is insulting them. And they seem to like taking every thing as an insult, even when it ain't!


Sorry that is the way I feel and see things!
Reply:It's because most people expect us to live out the stereotypes that they have created for us, mostly.





If you're wondering where this particular stereotype came from I will help you out with that. It's well-known that father-figures are damn near non-existent in many black families. Many black families are led by the mother or the grandmother, and it takes a strong woman to raise children and work at the same time. Single mothers are the strongest women I know.
Reply:I think that鈥檚 your strange perception of things
Reply:Because for some stupid reason African American women have more to prove
Reply:I am 50% Italian and 50% Everything Else. Ya White... I am expected by my family to not cry to not show weakness. My mother is part of the womans movement. Not only am I not allowed to cry, be upset, get frustrated, I am also not suppose to be on my meds because they show weekness. I am to shut all feelings up inside to never talk about them. I know nothing of my grandparents that past away on her side because real woman move on and dont relive the past ever. I should be working, not home with my kids. I am to never need to ask for money, babysitting or help from them because they did it all on their own. I think it is what your upbrining alows for and your parents point of view.. Not just your culture or color..
Reply:I wouldn't say only african-american women are expected to be strong...I would apply the same thing to Latino/Hispanic women as well...But I do understand what you are saying...as young women in the African American community you are taught not to need anyone or depend on anyone but yourself because you are responsible for your life so you have to roll with the punches as they are thrown....Raise your child yourself because most are single parents...there are lots of things black women are taught that cause them to develop this facade that they are big and bad or they don't need anyone....when actually they just want some help or comfort or be able to vent or lean on the opposite sex for support and by this I don't mean financially....someone to share the burden....
Reply:I see what you mean, but I think crying every now and then is good for your health-seriously. Whether that is the case or not, you need to take care of yourself and a good cry can help quite a bit.
Reply:This is an interesting question. It all steams from the fact that black women are labeled as tough and strong. Yes, sometimes it is a good label but times like this it is a bad label. Growing up most black women are learned and taught to depend on yourself, handle the pressure, and keep going in life no matter what crosses your path and that tears are seen as a sign of weakness. With everything in life their needs to be a balance of being strong and vulnerable at the same time. People need to learn that vulnerability isn't a weakness. Finally, just look at the many stereotypes place on women of color such as they have an attitude, think their better than other women or have a chip on their shoulder, etc. etc. but as soon as you break the stereotype some people can't handle that and view it as being weak.
Reply:I totally agree with you, but I think in part we as black women have put this burden on ourselves. But then the media through television, movies etc,,, have suddenly took that strength from us and began to use our strength against us making us the stereotypical angry black woman, I mean let's face it, we see the angry black women in comedies, drama , action films , fantasy films, she's every where. The black woman is now the ice queen, and ***** of every movie. And when you see anything different from that it just doesn't fit. We have to be who we are no matter what. If you want to cry , no one will hold that against you. We cannot let other people define us.


Hang in there!
Reply:i thought they were expected to be caddy. my bad