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a Petition to Black Women |
| by Cathryn D. Blue |
 Black
women have a lot of unique struggles. We have to learn
to balance our jobs, school, family and our personal
health while also dealing with others’ assumptions of
how we should handle all of them. At work, we are
expected to behave a certain way. At home, we are
expected to perform the roles of wife, mother, friend,
daughter, and sister with ease and pleasure. Many of us
are so engulfed in the methodological personality
shifting that takes place in our lives that we often
forget about ourselves.
As Black women, we must put forth the effort to lift up
our communities, our men and our children. It is almost
deemed narcissistic to consider putting our needs ahead
of others’ needs. Leaving ourselves at the end of our
list of things to do, however, has detrimental effects
on our well-being. For example:
* 66% of African
American adult women are overweight and 33% are
obese—higher percentages than those for White, Hispanic,
or Asian/Pacific Islander women.
* It is estimated
that 12% of adult women in the United States have a
diagnosable clinical depression. This is twice that of
men, who represent 6.6% of clinical depression
diagnoses. Women are generally more likely to be
clinically depressed than men and African Americans are
more likely to suffer depression than Whites. Clinical
depression increases the occurrence of substance abuse,
suicide and inability to function in relationships and
at work.
* Due to our unique
stressors and struggles with sexism and racism on a
daily basis, African American women are more likely to
suffer from hypertension, high blood pressure,
cardiovascular disease, and diabetes than any other
group of people in the United States.
As you can see, taking care of ourselves is a must if we
desire to be all we can be, even for our loved ones.
Cycling is an easy, inexpensive, and fun way to do just
that. It is a simple activity to get into because it
doesn’t require you to be in excellent physical
condition. Cycling can range from being a low impact
leisure activity to being a highly intense training
mechanism. It also doesn’t require that you have any
specific training beyond learning how to ride a bike.
What about those of us who believe that cycling is
something that only White people do? Well considering
that logic, we can also argue that eating right, seeking
professional assistance, pursuing higher education, and
landing top paying careers in our respective fields are
also “only things that White people do.” There is no
such thing as a White standard of living or a Black
standard of living. There is only abundant life. We are
entitled to that just as much as anyone else.
This is my petition to all the Black women in America.
Learn to put yourself FIRST! Cycling is one activity
that can help put you on the path of increased mental
and physical health. Just get up and get out there!
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| *statistics and information obtained
from: Jones, C. & Shorter-Gooden, K (2003). Shifting.
The Double Lives of Black Women in America. New York:
HarperCollins Publishers. |
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