The Danger Of Respectability Politics | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The Danger Of Respectability Politics

Black lives do not have to be "respectable" to matter.

65
The Danger Of Respectability Politics
Ella / Flickr

Since the '90s, police brutality has been a topic of fear and terror amongst the black community. In 2012, the wrongful death of Trayvon Martin started the Black Lives Matter movement. And still today, black men and women alike are being killed by cops.

Something that plagues the Black Lives Matter movement in an attempt to minimize the death of all these black people, is the concept of respectability politics. This concept implies that if black people would act "respectable," meaning to conform to that white people view of being a non-disturbance, that they would have less of a chance of being killed by them. This is dangerous for two reasons: first, even if black people did conform to being a "non-disturbance," this doesn't lessen the chances of being killed by a police officer; and secondly, it implies that the lives of people that don't act respectably are somehow worth less than the lives of those that do.

Because of this concept, the media constantly demonizes the men that are killed by police, in hopes that society will see them as less than men. They pull out mugshots and past offenses; they bring up any illegal things they may or may not have done. They use harmful rhetoric: Trayvon Martin was a thug; Mike Brown was a thief; Eric Garner was a disturbance.

This is also dangerous when it works the other way. Recently, a 15-year-old boy named Jordan Edwards was shot and killed by a police officer in Texas. Immediately people started bringing up his GPA, the fact that he was on honor roll, and the fact that he never got into trouble. Bringing up these facts implies that he deserved to live because he was intelligent. But really he deserved to live because he was human.

Only black people have to justify their lives with their accomplishments. Only black people have to prove that they deserve to be here and to take up space. Only black people have to prove that their lives matter.

We need to take respectability politics and throw it out the window. We need to get people to understand that black people do not need to justify their right to live. Being born and being here is enough of a reason that our lives are important.

Because when we say Black Lives Matter, we don't mean only respectable black lives matter. We mean All Black Lives Matter.

Even the black lives that are loud, the black lives that smoke weed, the black lives that walk around with their pants hanging down, the black lives that have mugshots, and the black lives that are in prison.

All Black Lives Matter. Even if you think they don't.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

178278
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

5460
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

451319
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22663
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments