The old black natives had the policy of “two steps behind her man” for women. Not only women were out casted but repressed as well. However, the black women progressed and the old phenomenon of the sexual relationship power seems to have been lurking behind. Enforced sterilization, unavailable abortions and rape was seen as a tool to oppress women despite opposition they have been coming forward, however, as mentioned by the writer that, if self actualization and self-protective bonding of the black women is seen as a threatening development then how is it not a threat to black men? Men have always tried to overrule the women and have strongly condemned their progress.
This self progressive behavior has further led to the intimate bonding between the black women, in other words termed as lesbianism. These women are politically and emotionally attached and hence, not a threat to the men, but are consider as allies. They consider a straight women and her progress as a potential threat, however, a lesbian is more of an ally as a man could over power a straight women. This raises a question that why such double standard approach? Added to this, even the lesbian women who tried forming intimate connections with non black females were threatened and criticized. Now why were they threatened when they were forming ties outside the black community? Were the men scared to lose their influence on the women? Did they consider the lesbians as ally merely because they stayed within the black bonds?
Meanwhile, black men fantasize the white women and date and even marry them. If a black woman can’t be in a relationship with a white woman let alone a man, why were black men allowed the otherwise? A black lesbian has been attacked by both the heterosexual women and the men. If so, then why the idea of sexual contact between Black men so much more easily accepted or unremarked? This is just pure sexism, where the old policy of “two steps behind her man” has still not been forgotten.
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