The Problem With Solange Knowles...

I've come to the conclusion from reading comments at various black blogs, that the problem a lot of black women have with Solange has little to do with being Beyonce's sister, or even slightly bratty. It had everything to do with her being "different" and embracig an "otherness" that seems to transcend race.

You're going to have the women who have issues with her because they have colorism issues. We're taking those women out for the time being.

People took issue with her "glowsticks" persona or they chide her for "trying too hard." One woman even mentioned that everytime she saw Solange without her long hair, she thought of a God awful film, "Juwanna Man."

And? What exactly has she really done that's irritated people? When she cut her hair, they said she was doing it for attention. They said her head looked funny, and bitched and moaned about this woman's hair.

If she wears something odd or different, they're quick to say that they don't like her and then make fun of her wardrobe, while praising the ridiculous shit others wear, like Rihanna or Amber Rose.

Rihanna is safe because we know she's faking it, and Amber Rose is white. We all know how black women, in this country especially, have been conditioned from jump to covet white women for everything from hair to status. Amber Rose could wear fig leaves, and it would be cool. If a fellow black woman does it, all hell breaks loose.

Perhaps I take issue because the same happened to me. Always a little different, some women could not stand me for reasons other than me being different, and shirking the social norms they expected of other black people.

When I got to know some of them, and vice versa, we realized that we weren't so bad, and I took my place as the goofball/comedy relief/odd one in the bunch. You should always have an "odd one" in the bunch. We're a wealth of trivia and philosophy that hits you like a Mack truck. I digress (lol).

I am no a Beyonce or Knowles stan. I have my issues with those people, but Solange's neon tights, lowboy and furry coat are not any of those issues. Black people for some reason have bought into this lie, myth, that black people are this monolithic mass of people that all like certain music, foods, culture and subjects. And it's unfair to the youth for us to perpetuate this myth.

My personal opinion is we should call anyone to the table who takes issue with our "odd" brethren and sistren. We should not let them get away with making fun of anyone for being different. We should not let their ignorance go unchallenged.

Why? Because when non-blacks try to typecast us we get mad. We damned sure better get mad when blacks typecast one another.

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