Every Woman Unloced
Do you know the song “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan? Have you ever actually listened to that song? Read the lyrics? If not, you really should. The song is basically Chaka telling us that she is a witch! How she can read minds, will magically appear out of nowhere, can mix special brews, and how she can sense your every need. Now if that ain’t a witch, I don’t know what is! LOL But that isn’t the point. Probably since this song’s release in 1978, it has been an anthem for women everywhere. A women’s empowerment song. Something to remind us of who we really are.
That song reminds me that I am strong, capable, and I can do anything. I am all things. I am every woman. But if I am supposed to be every woman, why am I made to feel guilty about every woman that I am? All the messages that I received growing up assured me that I would have to choose the kind of woman I was going to be, and I only had two options. Virgin or whore, and I don’t mean those two choices just in the context of sex. I mean them in every aspect of life. You are either a “hot girl” or a “church girl.” You are either going to listen to The City Girls or Kirk Franklin, but you can’t do both. It’s one way or the highway. I can’t ride the fence. I have to pick a side.
But for me, and for a lot of women that I know the world is not that black and white, but multiple shades of gray. There are multiple layers to being a woman and not all of them are acceptable by society’s standards. Standards, I believe, that are ridiculously higher for women and especially black women. My best friend told me that she wishes everyone I knew could see all the different sides that I have. Now I know for a lot of us, including me, we can’t tell everybody everything. From code switching to the way we wear our hair, black women are the masters of disguise. And sometimes those masks are the keys to our survival. Our camouflage really does help protect us from being attacked. But I want to encourage anyone reading this and myself...
Find ways to reveal your truth to people. Trust them with who you really are. You can use your Megan Thee Stallion knees for dancing AND prayer. You don’t have to be any one thing for anybody but yourself. You are every woman and “IT” is all in you. “IT” being, your power, your light, your strength, your truth, your answers, and your God. All of it is in you, and it would be a shame if no one ever got to see it. Shine your light! Be blessed.
