Author's note: In reference to this article the term ‘black woman’ describes any woman who is racialized as black or African within different contexts.

In many spaces, when black women express themselves boldly and unapologetically, there is a looming fear and unspoken tension of the threat of being labelled angry. Instead of being seen as passionate or standing their ground they are reduced to being; ‘just angry black women’. This label dismisses everything they could be trying to express.

This trope has long been used as a cultural shorthand for silencing Black women and shaming them into complacency with the unjust status quo.

Yet, what if  this 'anger' is not the problem? What if the real issue at hand is the discomfort with that anger, its power, and what it represents?

What is the Angry Black Woman trope

As a trope often in media including film, news, social media, and blogs, the angry black woman is portrayed as undesirable, emasculating, irrational in her anger- consequently emotionally unstable. On top of all this, she is considered loud, aggressive, and overly assertive. The angry black woman is portrayed to be isolated in her expression and demeanor only being understood or accepted by other angry black women.

This is highly misguided and a diluted understanding of a significant population of black women. Black women exist at the intersection of race and gender. This position puts them at the mercy of patriarchal prescriptions of what a woman should be; subservient, quiet, calm, forgiving without question, and definitely not assertive. At the same time within racial prescriptions black women have often been seen as ‘ beasts of burden’ capable of carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders without complaining. Through a racial lens black women’s pain is either misplaced or non-existence and they are either hypersexualized or deemed undesirable as is the case of this stereotype. Diverting from these norms results in repercussions such as being labelled ‘angry black women’

Why are they angry? Exploring the anger

Photo credits: Unsplash

In order to understand the so-called 'Angry Black Woman,' we need to examine the lived realities of black women throughout history. We must look beyond the stereotype and explore the WHY of their anger and outrage.

More than any other demographic, black women are often more likely to be under-recognized in multiple fields and spaces as well as be underpaid and overworked. Their anger is not something arbitrary but a reflection of the complexities of injustice brought about by racism, patriarchy, and other systems of oppression that intersect with their identities.

Research shared by UN women depicts that if current trends persist, by 2030, about 8% of the female population will be living in poverty . The majority of this population would be residing in sub-Saharan Africa. This trend can be traced to the fact that sub-Saharan women face significant barriers to accessing healthcare, education, and employment. Lack of access to these fundamental needs leads to poverty, low health outcomes, and little to no social protections.

Beyond these, black women are more likely to experience maternal mortality rates even in countries with advanced healthcare systems. Statistics from the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the UK demonstrate that black women are more than three times likely to die from pregnancy-related issues. This is in comparison  to white women. This outrageous disparity is likely connected to systemic racism in healthcare such as black women's pain being overlooked and neglected. 

While these statistics paint a backdrop of the realities of millions of black women around the world, they do not reflect the whole picture. The injustices that marginalize black women are vast and in many spaces ranging from boardrooms, hospitals, and streets to classrooms.

Black women are exposed to systems that harm them while simultaneously invalidating their pain and punishing them for their outrage.

Within the context that black women exist, their anger is not only justifiable but also necessary. It is important as it sparks resistance and brings awareness to their constant dehumanization and the deep trauma it causes.

Reclaiming the trope

Photo credits: Unsplash

Based on the violence, discrimination, and injustice experienced by black women it should not come as a shock that some are angry. This anger should not be used as a platform to shame and shun them or gaslight them on their lived realities. Just like with angry feminists, their anger is justified. It is actually more aggravating when they are gaslit into thinking that something is wrong with them responding to their pain in anger.

In essence, we should be embracing this anger and pain to fuel action. Refusing to sit in the sidelines while millions of black women are treated as ‘less-than’ humans in comparison to other people. We should refuse to allow a group of people to be the punching bag of society, often receiving the short end of the stick.

Instead of seeing their traits as undesirable, more people ,especially women, should aim to hone these behaviors such as seeking accountability, being assertive, being outspoken, and having their voices heard. Angry black women are about taking up space unapologetically even in places where people try to push them out. They are an exceptional example of a necessary expression of the type of feminism we need to make progress in certain spaces. 

The angry black woman needs to be honored, respected, and most of all supported. She is not angry for the sake of it but as a response to hostility throughout history. Instead of treating the angry black woman as a trope to be mocked, we should learn from them about resilience, accountability and fighting for what is right. We should do better to ease their burdens and make their lives better. 

Conclusion

No woman wants to be angry and constantly fighting for their lives and rights. Women want equality and a world free from violence and discrimination. A world of constantly being denied these justified needs fuels the feminine rage that gets them the title of angry black women and angry feminists. That discomfort felt when a black woman finally speaks up against the injustice they face should be something we sit with and it should compel us to do better.

In the iconic words of Cyndi Lauper, ' Girls just wanna have fun.’ This is what the Angry Black Woman wants. She doesn’t want to constantly be in battle mode. She wants a moment to breathe, to thrive and not survive, and to enjoy the beauty of life as she deserves.