Being a Woman of Colour in Society

When we talk about ‘WOMEN OF COLOUR’ as a term, it’s always in the understanding that that they’re the minorities in WHITE PERSON SOCIETY, so the lens of being a minority woman and the elements of exoticised stereotypes and the power that white sexual partners have over them, SEXUAL VIOLENCE is often being driven by POWER IMBALANCES.

~crossing the line

What being a Woman Means

Being a woman means having the capacity to be both strong and assertive while also being nice. It entails being sensitive and sympathetic towards the people we care about in our life without feeling weak for doing so. It entails pursuing our objectives despite any obstacles we may experience along the road.

Being a woman in society means to deal with pain. Whether it is the pain of constantly being focused on someone else's happiness before their own. Whether it is to deal with being in male dominated workplaces with unequal pay and whether it is to stand up for yourself to achieve the rights of even being in a workplace and getting an education.

To me, a woman today represents strength. A woman is strong in the sense that she can unapologetically be herself without restrictions and stereotypes getting in the way. Woman like Malala and Rosa Parks helped us do that.

Being a Person of Colour

So, what does it mean to be a person of colour in society?

People of colour explicitly implies a social relationship between racial and ethnic minorities.... [It is] a term that is most commonly used outside of traditional academic circles, often infused with activist frameworks, but it is gradually replacing terms like racial and ethnic minorities.

As a child, I've always disliked my dark complexion and had very negative views on the way I looked because I didn't look like most people that surrounded me, whether it was in the media or physically in society. I always associated 'being pretty' with having a fair complexion with a perfect figure.

This idea in my head, stemmed from a very young age, not because of the people I saw but more because of the things I witnessed as soon I started school. When I was in my first year of primary school, I had an older boy push me to the ground every single day. I don't exactly remember the things he said me as he did it, but they were very directive, very racially motivated words that even kids his age shouldn't be hearing. That was when I felt ashamed of how different I was, and that's when I first thought that being a girl was weak. My parents didn't find out what was happening until almost towards the end of the year because I just couldn't bring myself to say it.

I didn't understand till years later that being a person of colour in society requires so much strength and resilience because of their ability to endure so much pain because no matter how inclusive the world is trying to become, there are still some people that have a hard time with acceptance.

How it feels to be a Woman of Colour

When I was young, I've felt like I had imposter syndrome as a woman of colour in society. Imposter syndrome, is characterised by persistent feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, regardless of your qualifications, work history, and accomplishments. I think a lot of women of colour feel that way, which is what makes them so inspiring, because they work harder and set higher goals for themselves in order to become someone in society.

The main reason I started making my writing public for people to read was because I wanted to have a voice. I wanted people to feel inspired to express themselves no matter what race, gender, or religion they are. Everyone has a voice and I wanted people to not feel afraid to use it like I was before.

As I grow older, I feel more comfortable in my skin and I feel proud of the woman I am becoming today. I feel like having an identity as a woman of colour as a minority in society holds so much power.

The phrase "woman of colour" also encompasses the two facets that make our lives complex as well as a variety of obstacles and difficulties we face in advancing in both our professional and personal lives. variety in terms of gender and culture. Being a woman of colour boils down to self-identity. It is not about categorising various ethnic races or skin tones. It is about connecting those who face systemic racism and oppression so that we can all move forwards.

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognise, accept, and celebrate those differences.” ~ Audre Lorde

“Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.” ~Dorothy Height