Jada Pinkett-Smith: There’s a “War On Men Through The Degradation of Woman”
Jada Pinkett-Smith has published a series of deep and provocative pieces on her Facebook page, and the latest focuses on men and women in relationships. The actress doles out wisdom and insight as she tackles heavy issues like domestic violence, objectification, materialism and gender inequality. Here’s the post in its entirety:
The war on men through the degradation of woman.
How is man to recognize his full self, his full power through the eye’s of an incomplete woman? The woman who has been stripped of Goddess recognition and diminished to a big ass and full breast for physical comfort only. The woman who has been silenced so she may forget her spiritual essence because her words stir too much thought outside of the pleasure space. The woman who has been diminished to covering all that rots inside of her with weaves and red bottom shoes.
I am sure the men, who restructured our societies from cultures that honored woman, had no idea of the outcome. They had no idea that eventually, even men would render themselves empty and longing for meaning, depth and connection. There is a deep sadness when I witness a man that can’t recognize the emptiness he feels when he objectifies himself as a bank and truly believes he can buy love with things and status. It is painful to witness the betrayal when a woman takes him up on that offer. He doesn’t recognize that the create of a half woman has contributed to his repressed anger and frustration of feeling he is not enough. He then may love no woman or keep many half women as his prize. He doesn’t recognize that it’s his submersion in the imbalanced warrior culture, where violence is the means of getting respect and power, as the reason he can break the face of the woman who bore him four children.
When woman is lost, so is man. The truth is, woman is the window to a man’s heart and a man’s heart is the gateway to his soul.
Power and control will NEVER out weigh love.
May we all find our way.
J
I’m very uncomfortable with the idea that a man can only find his true worth through preserving women. What if he is gay? That letter is just all kinds of weird.
From this post to another on a different article you are making me CHUCKLE! I appreciate it:-)
seems to be more of a war on women through the degradation of women, but I guess I see where she is coming from
Yeah, I’m figuring that she’s trying to point out how the sexist, patriarchal, racist and misogynistic elements in our culture, and the way they pull women down, are damaging for men as well as for women.
However, her phrasing makes it seems a bit like a woman’s completeness is just a means for man to recognize his full self, rather than an end in itself for the woman, i.e. as a way for the woman to recognize *her* full self. Like women are only instruments for men’s fulfillment.
Still, I have enough respect for Ms. Pinkett Smith’s intelligence to give her the benefit of the doubt and to assume that she probably didn’t mean her words to be read this way. She could have phrased her ideas a little better, though.
I got what she was saying. It’s just problematic to frame the daily assault waged against women as being war waged against someone that the degradation isn’t directed at and is somewhat complicit in the degradation. I get that we are all connected and I am affected by what impacts my sistas. If she wanted to convey that concept, she could have simply stated that the war on women also is a war on men.
Agreed.
In light of all going on with Jovan Belcher and his terroristic crime against Kasandra Perkins, Jada need to shut this drivel up! What a f*cking idiot.
I used to like her, but this mumbo jumbo right here has ended all of that. Just because she was a willing crackhead and possibly deserved whatever ill treatment she received from men doesn’t mean most women are responsible for the ill treatment and degradation they receive in society and by men.
Jada, take the bad facelift and unnatural cheekbones elsewhere please.
” Just because she was a willing crackhead and possibly deserved whatever ill treatment she received from men doesn’t mean most women are responsible for the ill treatment and degradation they receive in society and by men.”
It kills me – how women see nothing positive coming from men – constantly voice their opinions about the disposability of men (which men are very aware of) only to turn around and CRY – the those same men, that they see no value in, are not UPLIFTING THEM, PRAISING THEM, PROTECTING THEM, AND BASICALLY WORSHIPPING THEM LIKE A GODDESS!
The ULTIMATE in human arrogance.
As black man, I need to just walk away from the conversation because I can see women have their minds made up and honestly, I want no parts. I’ll just do me – and from the looks of it – will find companionship elsewhere, just not in the AA community, because this is ridiculous.
Will women EVER get off the victim bus?
I see where she’s coming from. What came first – the chicken or the egg? The result is probably the same…Our men and women are suffering from loss of identity.
No it’s really not that. Its the fact that women want male responsibility without leadership or male control.
They want the power of men – without the accountability
Men are walking away from this arrangement in droves. Its not even logical for those who were indoctrinated with the simping mentality from their mothers. You know the “girls are always right and boys are always wrong stuff.”
You know the “If she’s upset with you it’s something you did,” mentality.
When you boil alllllll the water out the pot – I’m tellin you, you will be left with black women who want independence, to be seen as equals, power and the ability to make their own decisions – and NONE of the responsibility when it comes to their children or the environment (community) those children will grow up in.
Everything else is superficial – HALF of it – isn’t even measurable or tangible women can just literally make it up.
“This is what happens when people stop living in the real world and FULLY embrace the SPIRITUAL WORLD. The worst part about it, is that when you are not talking about ORGANIZED RELIGION (which I am not a fan of either) there is a structure to it. However, this ambiguous spirituality, people just make it up as they go, obviously to THEIR benefit. If you haven’t noticed the trend for young black people is no longer organized religions its these concepts of spirituality, being spiritual – but not religions. These came about so that people could create a system that is tailored to THEIR NEEDS. Its quite simple and obvious; people just overlook the fact that THIS IS what’s being done. If you fundamentally don’t believe in male leadership, then you are not going to like any organized religion as a woman. My only issue is – “Fine, you don’t like male leadership. Ok cool. I’m not going to fight you, just don’t forget that bag of responsibility when you walk out the door. That does not stay here. That goes with you when you leave.” That’s what women overlook.”
You are damn right – men are going to reject responsibility that is underneath female leadership – because male leadership doesn’t even work like that.
Imagine men leading but women taking on the responsibility.
Women claim this goes on – and I’m sure there are a few idiots out here who think that way, because they weren’t taught the connection between leading and being responsible – but how many women do you see trying to sign up for that type of situation.
Soon as they see a man who wants to lead but doesn’t want responsibility – any sensible woman is GONE!!! Unless of course, she wants to run it – and let the man be in the daze that he is in, thinking that his broke but is really running it.
The woman just sits back and smiles as she balances the checking account and signs off on the deed to the home – her signature ALONE!
Consequences come out of this – when she gets tired of carrying his behind. NOW SHE’S MAD! Now she wants to slam him for not being the man THAT SHE KNEW THAT HE NEVER WAS WHEN SHE LINKED UP WITH HIM.
The chickens have come home to roost.
@Perspective, what’s wrong baby?
I don’t make comments usually but I cannot believe your comment Perspective. No disrespect but you must be living under a rock. The black women I know are accepting every ounce of responsibility… for everything! Their own education, increasing their value in the workplace, every single aspect in their childrens’ lives, being financially savvy/independent, being spiritually connected (not by your oversimplified definition either), etc. The list can go on and on.
I work for government housing and when I show up at the Homeownership programs the MAJORITY of people in the classes are black women. I’m currently taking classes, again, there’s one black man to (approx.) every 5 black women. A black women is the director in my place of business, a single mom at that, who relied on the wrong kind of man for a short period and quickly got out, earned two degrees and changed her and her son’s life. Walk a few blocks up the street, another single mom, who recently got married, opened up a new successful business. Some of my neighbors (black women) run departments in their workplace ranging from 5-50 people.
These are the stories I hear, the things I see. Women taking matter’s into their own hands, not looking to pass the responsibility to ANYONE. Don’t be confused, this is not a bash to black men, I love them. This however, is damn sure a big-up to the black women out here quietly trying to make something of themselves everyday amongst all the black woman bashing. Keep going ladies…
You need to get out more, the black women I know are killing it out here. No one has time to point fingers when you’re out here trying to live this short life to the fullest.
Lastly I think for the most part, any heterosexual confident/smart black woman would be willing to have a good man “lead.” I hate to say this but there are not many men who are up to the task. I think that the smart black women know this and are taking leadership into their own hands simply to be well-rounded and prepared for the outcome of being single or finding the right one. Nothing wrong with that sir.