“You must have a massive c*ck”
Ella Knott X Bold Voices
@ella_knott
Race and Rape Culture: A Three Part Series
Every black person will be able to identify a time in which they were objectified in a sexual manner as a result of racial stereotypes. The use of race in the objectification of human bodies adds another layer of intrusion and oppression to sexual harassment. Often disguised as a compliment, people are generally ignorant to the "unintended" consequences of these comments. Nevertheless, they can have serious effects on the self-esteem and self-worth of black men and women, as well as perpetuating racial inequalities and reinforcing colonial ideals. This second part of my three-part blog series explores the experience of racial objectification through my brother’s eyes.
Part Two
“You must have a massive c*ck. ”
Absolutely charming. What a perfectly appropriate statement to scream at a complete stranger in a club. The fact that I am sitting here writing about this is unbelievable, it is uncomfortable and, why the inappropriateness is not blatantly clear is beyond me. This has happened to my brother on countless occasions and it goes beyond the toxic nature of old-fashioned “locker-room talk” with the lads (that is, when they have exhausted the misogyny). This is a consequence of ubiquitous and, generally unchallenged, rape culture, but with a double-edged sword – the objectification of the black male body entwined with dangerous historical context. There is no explicit mention of race in the comment above, yet the widely-known and frequently used stereotype creates a clear cut difference between the comment beng directed to a white man versus a black man; the former would certainly be awful objectification (the rape culture edge of the sword) however it is the historical context that ensures this comment perpetuates harmful racist rhetoric. It is here again that we explore the significance of intersectionality.
Let’s talk about the hyper-sexualisation of black bodies. What is it? Where did it come from? Why is it so damaging?
Hyper-sexualisation, as it suggests, refers to making something/someone extremely sexual. Chiseled abs, big bums, large penises, thick thighs are amongst some of the many stereotypes referring to black people and their bodies. Let’s address the elephant in the room (so to speak) and discuss perhaps the most common black male stereotype… penis size. A larger penis is a symbol of manliness and strength and sexual appeal, grrrr! Right?
Wrong. These expectations and the conflation of penis size with manliness or sexual competence have profound effects on the self-esteem of boys and men, often causing feelings of shame, inadequacy and the need to lie - all over something that is completely beyond their control. The flip side of this belief is no less damaging, as those who are “well-endowed” feel (as though they are or should be) superior to others. Interestingly, many studies looking at this correlation between self-esteem and penis size have been inconclusive and unreliable owing to the number of study participants inflating their measurements and sending incorrect data. Dr Alicia Walker from Missouri State University had to axe her study as a result of false data from participants as well as horrendous media coverage accusing her of simply being after dick pics. This says a lot in itself.
Black boys have the additional pressure of living up to the myth that as a black man their penis size is larger than normal. My brother (and only my brother, as the only black kid in his year) was first questioned about his penis in Year 7 when we moved to the UK and started school here. These questions, that came from older boys and girls, made him more self-conscious throughout his childhood as he was unsure if he lived up to the expectations people had of him and if he did, was it necessary to prove himself? Puberty is already an extremely difficult period in one’s life, living up to others’ expectations of how your body should turn out is too much and it really is NONE of their business, obviously. On top of this, the idea of a young boy’s body (let alone his penis) being the object of fascination for others is not only racist and invasive, but dehumanising.
There are other horrendously racist, yet commonly used stereotypes that are reserved for the description of black people that have direct ties to our history and the atrocities our ancestors endured. “Animalistic” was a term used to describe the behaviours and the nature of black people during the colonial era and throughout slavery (AND today). This term was also used to depict the black man’s sexual tendencies, which in turn led to their (usually fatal) punishment. During this time (let’s think, deep South, Jim Crow OR dare I say, Britain post-Windrush), white people warned each other about black men raping their daughters and their wives. White women (the Karen extremists pre-Karen era) used this to their advantage to unlawfully persecute these men whilst having secret relations with them to explore their sexual fantasies. As James Baldwin famously said, “white men lynched negroes, knowing they had been their sons [and] white women had lynched negroes, knowing they had been their lovers”. These sexual fantasies are still seen today (on poster boards at Black Lives Matter marches for example). Essentially, black men were used to fulfill white people’s sexual fantasies whilst being berated by the same people for their alleged hypersexuality.
Roxane Gay warns us, in her book Bad Feminist, not to play “Privilege or Oppression Olympics” (I’m more oppressed than you because… no, I’m more oppressed than you because…etc.), however we need to be able to acknowledge how intersecting identities impact discrmination and prejudice. Not commenting on a stranger’s or a child’s penis size, I’d categorise as standard practice in all honesty but clearly it needs to be spelled out for some people. I urge you once again to consider the weight of your words, to look beyond the surface and assume there is more to what you are saying than you may think.
Three things to do after reading this:
WATCH: When They See Us on Netflix
READ: Brit(sh) by Afua Hirsch (and buy from this black owned bookshop in London)
GOOGLE: The Story of Emmett Till
Stay tuned for part three coming soon!
PSA: please remember to check out the Black Lives Matter resources on the @hearthisboldvoice Instagram story highlights. Let’s not become complacent, the fight is far from over and there is always more we can do. We need to keep educating ourselves and having difficult conversations. In fact, use this piece to start one of these conversations - share this with one other person and see what they think!