Op-Ed
What if we stopped chasing mandated perfection and said, To hell with their respectability politics?
And then, instead of celebrating LSUs eventual victory, all digital hell broke loose.
One week later, Im still thinking about that moment.
To be clear: Reese was not the problem.
Her performance was outstanding, she was neither rude nor offensive, and more than that, she won.
And that sh*t is getting tiring.
What if we stopped chasing perfection and said, To hell with their respectability politics?
Okun was talking about white supremacy in organizations, but we can easily see the parallels to Reeses situation.
We must look, act, talk, and walk a certain way to receive basic respect and civility.
Withoutsayingthe words, theyre saying, it’s crucial that you get back in place.
When were trying to be perfect Black women, what does that look like?
The time, energy, and labor Black women invest in palatability as a survival mechanism is exhausting.
Think of what we would achieve if we could redirect that energy.
Can you imagine a world where Black women were able to exist without fear of retaliation or retribution?
Biles made history when she successfully executed a previously impossible move, theYurchenko double pike.
Critics say the scoring committee purposefully undervalued the Olympians difficulty score.
Excel, but not too much; that wouldnt be fair.
Ask some difficult questions and acknowledge some uncomfortable feelings.
I have to say, OK, am I going to say this?
Am I going to do this?
I dont like it.
That doesnt feel good to me.
Its a long journey to unlearn a lifetime oftwice as good to get half as much.
IfReeses post-championship interviewsare any indication, at just 20 years old, shes already on that path.
Im too hood, Im too ghetto.
Yall told me that all year, she said to reporters after the win.
But when other people do it, yall dont say nothing.
So this is for the girls that look like me.
This article was originally published onApril 9, 2023