#BlackWomenAtWork spotlights daily challenges
A pair of testy exchanges between high-profile black women and white men in the political spotlight launched a tweetstorm under the hashtag BlackWomenAtWork, giving support to thousands of professional black women who say such slights are all too common.
It began Tuesday morning with Fox News host Bill O’Reilly ridiculing veteran Congresswoman Maxine Waters, referring to her hair as “a James Brown wig” after watching a video of the California Democrat criticizing Republican President Donald Trump’s policies.
Later that day, during a White House press briefing, American Urban Radio Network host April Ryan was admonished by press secretary Sean Spicer, who told her to “stop shaking your head” as he responded to her question.
After the exchanges, Black Lives Matter activist Brittany Packnett took to Twitter and urged her followers: “Share your Maxine and April moments, so people don’t think this is rare. Use #Black WomenAtWork.”
Packnett added that black women meet at least three O’Reillys and five Spicers a day, and she went on to list her own examples — including a time when she was asked about her blue nail polish at a meeting and another when a college dean discouraged her from wearing braids.
Davia Lassiter saw the hashtag and felt inspired. She said that she watched the exchange between Ryan and Spicer and saw a black woman being treated like a child and that the O’Reilly remarks about Waters felt familiar.
“When he attacked her hair, we all felt that as black women,” Lassiter said. “These women were doing their jobs, but instead of them doing their jobs, the men wanted to insult and chastise them.”
By Tuesday night, Waters had joined the conversation, tweeting: “I am a strong black woman. I cannot be intimidated, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Black women shared stories on Twitter of unwanted hair touching, having their ideas overlooked or taken, disrespect from subordinates, questioning of their academic credentials, accusations of being angry and criticism for wearing certain clothes drawing attention to curvier body types.