Bonquishaniqua Break Down: LOL, Black Women Have Attitudes
Yes, it seems to be a well-known and widely accepted fact that black women lack restraint, shame, and all manner of self-control. They will tell you when you've stepped wrong. Every second of the day, they speak up with the same no-nonsense, carefree, aggressive, tough-as-nails attitude. No one ever emotionally abuses, hits, rapes, or murders black women because, of course, the attitude is not merely reactive, it's all the time, and no one ever wants to face that.
It is a well-known fact, that all other women of all other races are submissive, happy to oblige your will, soft spoken, sweet little angels. They are constantly sacrificing themselves for the greater good, they are happy to do their job--whatever it may be--with a smile on their face, and a polite tone no matter how you treat them. They get taken advantage of all the time because of it.
Btw, if you agree with any of the above garbage, you should leave now-- you're a lost cause, and nothing I can say will make you see reason. Thanks for trying, I suppose...
I'm going to try my list one more time. Michelle Obama, K. Michelle, Halle Berry, Missy Elliot, Oprah Winfrey, Mo'Nique, Kerry Washington, and Beyonce. Perhaps you'll disagree with me on this one--black women are often accused of having an attitude when they're not even angry (I speak from personal experience)--but hopefully you won't. Look at all of these women, even ones you may have elected to think of as Bonquishaniqua-esque. Imagine her saying what this imaginary character has said, in her own words. Does she have an attitude, that attitude, the one that is associated with black women?
You should be saying no. A lot. You should go through this list, and perhaps you can accuse each one of these women of having some sort of "attitude" (I'd heartily disagree), but you cannot likely say it's the same one that the "black" iPhone apparently would present.
Once again we go through the same back and forth. "Of course, not all black women have that attitude, or even an attitude. I know some very nice, quiet girls that need a little help making their voices heard. But I also know plenty of black girls and women who act just like that joke. So stop being so sensitive. The creator isn't saying that all black women act like this, and s/he ain't even trying to make fun of black women in general. It's just a certain kind, okay? Sheesh lighten up. If this joke ain't about you, then stop acting all butthurt."
Perhaps the creator wasn't suggesting all black women are no-nonsense and aggressive, perhaps s/he was making fun of only a certain kind. But, that doesn't change the facts. Just like my previous argument: the attitude is not enacted by all black women and it is not exclusive to the ones who do behave in this manner. This could still be the midwestern girl from the 'burbs, the Chinese lady in Wal-mart. This could be a really annoyed gay white man or an upper class straight white man disgruntled with his wife.
And yet it was attributed to a black woman. The joke only works if it's attributed to a black woman. If it had been a yellow iPhone (please know I'm shuddering as I type this, please forgive my inability to use nonracist examples), it wouldn't make sense to say "Nuh uh, boo boo, my name is Yamimoto. If you wanna talk to Siri you betta getcho self a white phone!" the joke would fail on delivery.
Can you understand what I'm saying? The problem is that a stereotype was invoked, that these "standard" black behaviors are inextricable from the joke, that even if you inherently know that not all and not only black people speak or behave this way you still equate this manner of speech and behavior with blackness, and even if it's not specifically directed at "white-talking," quiet, sweet little old me, I am still involved solely because I am black, and this is your conceptualization of what that means.
No, but--you might wanna say. But let's be honest. This is what makes the joke funny to you, because this is what being black allegedly means.
And another thing, really "Bonquishaniqua?" LOL, Black People Have Funny Names
Missed a part? Want to reread something or skip ahead. Please go through the table of contents below:
Part I: LOL, Black People Talk Funny
Part II: LOL, Black Women Have Attitudes
Part III: LOL, Black People Have Funny Names
Part IV: Why Can't Black People Just Behave Themselves?
Conclusion: Just in Case You Were Confused