Black Womanhood Research Paper

Words: 256
Pages: 2

According to Emerson (2002), the ideological notions of black womanhood are not only abstract theoretical constructs, but have a real material and tangible impact upon black women’s everyday lives (86). Through promoting the image of black femininity as hyper-sexual, angry, and masculine, this has helped uplift white femininity as the superior of womanhood, and in the process damage diversity among black women. “A persistent controlling image of black womanhood is that of the Mammy that is designed to make the exploitation of black women appear to be natural, normal and an inevitable part of everyday life” (Lafontant 112). The Mammy’s description was far separated from the ideal white woman as it exhibits undesirable traits of “unattractiveness,