Black Women Are Not the Mules of the World—Not Then, Not Now, Not Ever

Black women said "no" and the burning crosses came out in force. Social media was lit up! Holding the torches were males of all 'identities'. Who ev

Black women said “no” and the burning crosses came out in force. Social media was lit up! Holding the torches were males of all ‘identities’. Who even knew they could come together? AND, their backup singer of other Black women to tell the majority of Black women that their boundaries and energy was ‘misplaced and uninformed’. They don’t use any recruitment tactics, healthy or otherwise, for Black femicide or domestic violence. But anyway….

When Black women decided to stand with popular fitness influencer Natalee B. Fitness, a Black woman opening a women’s-only gym that excludes males, no matter how they identify, the backlash was swift and brutal.

Natalee herself received threats to her life, warnings of trespassing, and harassment aimed at intimidating both her and future gym-goers. But the attacks didn’t stop there.

Black women on social media who voiced their support faced a wave of racialized misogyny—vicious slurs, mockery, and attempts to dehumanize them. They were called everything but women, a tactic deeply rooted in the racist history of denying Black women their femininity. Their right to set boundaries, to claim space for themselves, was met with the same hostility that Black women have always endured when they refuse to be mules for other people’s movements.

Yet, Black women stood firm. Because history and lived experience has already taught us this: when we fight for ourselves, we are called every name in the book—but that has never stopped us before, and it won’t stop us now.

Tantrums Were Thrown

A common “proverb” among Black women is “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”

That’s how you know those tantrums were not Black women behavior. As a collective we don’t rage out for hours on end knowing that ultimately we are going to need that energy to make it happen. We get it done because historically people don’t come to save us. Only people used to others saving them behave like this.

I have seen it before, and I see it again today—people twisting language to serve an agenda that does not serve us. Calling Black women male when they really mean masculinized is nothing but a modern remix of an old, tired tune. A tune played by those who have always sought to strip Black women of our femininity, our beauty, our softness, our power. A tune played by those who hate women and despise Blackness but expect Black women to be their frontline soldiers, no questions asked.

Let’s be clear: Black womanhood is not up for debate, and it is not a weapon to be wielded against women’s issues. The same people who call on us to fight, march, and sacrifice are often the same ones who refuse to show up for our chief female centered concerns—our safety, our dignity, our freedom. Yet, they expect Black women to be the ever-faithful, ever-suffering, ever-sacrificing mule of every movement.

No, ma’am. No, sir.

You don’t get to pull from the racist playbook that has long been used to degrade and dehumanize Black women, then turn around and expect us to fight your battles, no matter how you identify. You don’t get to use our foremothers’ legacy of resistance while refusing to acknowledge the deep wounds racialized misogyny has carved into our lives. You don’t get to demand loyalty while giving nothing but silence when we cry out for justice for Black female issues.

Black Women Are Not Your Shield, Nor Your Sword.

We are women. Period. And that has been part of our power. No qualifiers, no conditions, no debates.
We are owed respect, not endless sacrifice.
We are not here to mammy the world, to put everyone else’s needs above our own.

And hear me on this: Black women have the right to prioritize Black women. Period. Full stop. No explanations needed.

To every Black woman reading this—your worth is not tied to what you can do for others. Your worth is not tied to your labor. Your womanhood is not up for discussion. Your struggles are not footnotes in someone else’s revolution. You are not obligated to fight battles for those who won’t even acknowledge that you are a woman in the first place.

We are not the mules of this world. We are not disposable. We are not bound to serve and sacrifice for those who would never do the same for us.

And let’s pull from the deep well of Black wisdom, because our ancestors already told us what we need to know:

“Don’t start none, won’t be none.”—If you come for our womanhood, dignity, and humanity, don’t ever expect our labor.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”—Black women deserve to fight for ourselves first because we are valuable and worthy.
“Everybody can’t ride in your car without gas money.”—Some folks are only here to drain you, not uplift you.

So here is your affirmation: I do not exist to serve people who despise me. I do not exist to sacrifice my worth and value to men. I do not exist to be a mule. I exist to thrive, to shine, to take up space, to protect and cherish myself and my sisters. And I owe no one an explanation for that.

Remember who you are. Let no one dictate to you where to put your boundaries and energy. Wield them powerfully as you see fit.

Black women, stand tall in truth. You can choose how you invest your limited energy but know that you do not have to choose to labor for those who do not labor for you. Period.