Yaaya Asked ...

Yaaya asks:

What is it like to be a
black woman in Europe or the nation you live in?

---

---

This question speaks right to the heart of Yaaya’s existence; as such, a response to it invariably addresses deep-seated flaws in European society. From Norway to Austria, Portugal to Hungary, there are recurring similarities in the experiences of black women in Europe. Chief among them is the stereotype of black women as erotic, exotic creatures at best, and loud, loose prostitutes at worst, exaggerated by negative media coverage. In many European cities, black women are routinely patronised for sexual favours, and “honestly mistaken” for being prostitutes. As we alluded to in our commentary on the previous Question of the Month, we are not saying one must ignore the individual truths of black women who were or are “asylum seekers, refugees, economic migrants, and prostitutes.” However, “for some black women, this is not [their] reality”.

In an age where black women are pushing past barriers of race and gender, and forerunners such as Lydia Nsekera are shaping history, one could be forgiven for thinking Europe still languishes in the dark ages. Across the continent, there are haunting similarities in narratives. From the casual racism and xenophobia that takes centre stage in Italian politics [Cecile Kyenge] to the flagrant display of cultural insensitivity in Sweden [racist cake], life for black women in European society reads closely like something out of a horror movie from colonial times. A recent occurrence is the denigrating treatment shown towards billionairess and global icon Oprah Winfrey in a shop in Zurich, Switzerland.

At the heart of our experiences is the continuing struggle against social invisibility, the subject of award winning TV presenter Leah Charles-King’s new documentary (In)visible Women: Black, British, and Female. With so few public, positive representations in politics, business, and civic society, black women often need to mold into Eurocentric ideals in order to be socially accepted. The grave implication of this is a lack of role models for younger women who typically do not see themselves reflected in wider society.

Yet, as with all narratives, we must beware the danger of a single story. In countries such as the UK, black women are shattering preconceived societal notions and changing wider perceptions. Women such as Sandie Okoro, Global General Counsel for Barings Asset Management, and Christiane Taubira, French Minister of Justice, are scaling the heights of corporate society and politics.