
Blacks should be able to be themselves
NEW ORLEANS (September 26, 2019) – Think of respectability politics – being one of the “good Negroes” – as a sort of mental prison, placing extra restraints on self in order to be more respected. Respectability politics prove to be anti-black, anti-women, and exhibit victim-blaming tendencies.
The idea that behaving and appearing a certain way will save you from the discriminatory backlash of this imperfect world has challenged Black America since the first slave ship made it to the colonies. But the term “respectability politics” first appeared in Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham’s 1993 book, “Righteous Discontent: The Women’s Movement in the Black Baptist Church, 1880-1920.”
Film sophomore Lavonte Lucas of New Orleans defined respectability politics as “the same tool used to herd and coerce a group of people into believing their way of living is barbaric and needs to be polished.
“Respectability politics tells black and brown bodies that their curly hair is unprofessional even though it grows naturally like that. I see it all around me and even on campus.”
It is the reason black men relaxed their hair and walked around with the worst hairstyle known to mankind – the conk. Respectability politics is not wearing protective styles in the workplace because your braids are unprofessional – but so is your afro. It’s trying not to be the angry black girl even when speaking up is necessary. It’s the thought that comes into your mind that says, “Maybe I shouldn’t wear my hoodie outside tonight in the boujee part of town.”
Political Science Assistant Professor Blair D. Condoll said, “Cultural norms must only be applicable in cultural situations. Societal norms transcend our cultural expectations and they are applicable to everybody.”
Unfortunately, code-switching is a skill black people cannot thrive without. A person must be able to gauge how to behave based on their surroundings. The damage is done when it creates attitudes of superiority and shames groups of people for things they cannot change.
Check your respectability politics with a little critical thinking: Ask yourself why others think you should change, and measure whether the reasoning makes sense for you.
Taiyler Mitchell
Mass Communication
Junior
Los Angeles
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
More ducourtbouillon News Articles
- Are you “a-literate’?
- DU students no strangers to mental-health challenges
- Word on the Ave
- Apathy won’t save the country: Voting will
Recent ducourtbouillon News Articles
Discuss This Article
MOST POPULAR DUCOURTBOUILLON

DU debate team awaits results from second tournament By Taylor Morris

Students complain about financial aid refund and scholarship processes By Cheryl Daniel, Editor-in-chief

DU has had 11 COVID-19 cases since Aug. 1 By Cheryl Daniel, Editor-in-chief
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST DUCOURTBOUILLON NEWS
- DU debate team awaits results from second tournament
- Being gay at Dillard University
- Students complain about financial aid refund and scholarship processes
- DU has had 11 COVID-19 cases since Aug. 1
- WOW Wingery, Starbucks reported in the works for DU
- Who else volunteered for COVID vaccine trial? It’s anybody’s guess
- Are you “a-literate’?
RECENT DUCOURTBOUILLON CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- The Tooth Fairy Is Now Taking Calls
- Easy Sweetpotato Minestrone Soup—California Style
- A National Opportunity To Address The School Closure Crisis
- Online Learning Made Better
- What Blood Cancer Patients Need To Know
- Uniformed Services Members: Help Protect Your Family With...
- Social Engagement
- Let’s All Cheer For The Plant And Flower Of The Year
- 5 Tips To Save Time (And Sanity) This Holiday Season
- EdChoice Public Opinion Tracker New Poll Shows Parents...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Nanotechnology Gives CBD Products a Boost
- BookBites: Meet Characters and Journeys You Won't Soon...
- Let's Set An Amazing Education Record This School Choice...
- BookBites: Four Intriguing Reads to Start the New Year
- Money Management for Kids Pays Off in Adulthood
- BookBites: 4 Books With Stories and Lessons to Guide Us...
- School Choice: Because Not Everyone Belongs in a STEM School
- 3 Tips for Winning at Weight Loss this New Year
- American Heart Association Issues Call to Live Fierce
- Stream The Office Exclusively on Peacock January 1
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- GEN.G ANNOUNCES FIRST ANNUAL GEN. G FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
- PHARRELL WILLIAMS LAUNCHES BLACK AMBITION
- We Need College Students Leadership to Stop the Spread of COVID-19
- Earn tokens for sharing and discussing scientific articles
- Quicken is bringing financial wellness to major U.S. universities