By Tami Warren
Throughout history white women have stood with white men in the oppression of Black women. On plantations, white women watched Black women and girls, be raped, as slavery benefited white women just as it benefited white men. Although facts are avoided at all cost, especially when facts reflect a horrific history, like the human carnage of the slave trade and the blueprint for systematic racism it cemented in America, we must acknowledge this fact to heal. Black women have cared for white women, raised white children, picked the white man’s cotton, making generations of white people wealthy. Black women have had no choice but to know and understand the needs of white women. Black women have had to know white women, as our mere survival depended on it, and in many ways, still does. White women rarely take the time to get to know Black women and have demonstrated little willingness or desire to understand Black women and the connective tissue of womanhood that fuses our future together. Perhaps it is because historically white women have not seen themselves in Black women, voting patterns have reflected, white women don’t see the connection they have to anyone except other white people.
Statistically white women have voted on the side of white men since they garnered the right to vote, making themselves amenable to being a supportive prop for white men by playing a role in the white man’s good ole boys network. Voting not only against the well being of women, but also voting to continue the containment of power white men have. The majority of white women voted for Trump, even after hearing him, in his own words, say, “Grab them by the pussy,” as he described his treatment of women, which is actually assault. Again, the majority of white women choose to look the other way and more so, to reject the gravity of Trump’s views and minimize the voices of women whom have been sexually assaulted.
What does it take for white women to finally wake up and vote in support of women? Together, we could break out of the economic and societal prison established by white men, who as the warden, is solely holding the reins of power, controlling our well being. Like the 1973 film Black Mama, White Mama, we are joined together as Pam Grier and Margaret Markov were, fighting our way through a mine field of men. Have some vagina, white women – we are capable of accomplishing so much together. White men would prefer us fight with each other instead of work together. Voting is not about politics, voting is about humanity. We are voting for equal pay, equal protection under the law, equal access to healthcare, safe drinking water, clean air – we are voting for our future on this planet, where we are all connected. We are on this Pale Blue Dot together. It’s go time Sisters.