If you are a woman who grew up in the hood, you can probably identify with Cardi B. The term intersectional feminism, similarly as cultural appropriation, are words casually dash ’bout.  Arguably these concepts have morphed into buzz phrases. Lemme explain why myself and so many other woman can identify with Cardi B as woman and a brand.

Intersectional feminism

Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw is a major contributor to intersectional theory. It is the study of how overlapping or intersecting social identities, particularly minority identities, relate to systems and structures of oppression, domination, or discrimination.

Huh?

In other words, all the bullshit you go though is because you are a, b and c and the shit piles up.

Cardi B champions what I am calling hood feminism. I made the ish up, however, it summarizes the struggles that many poor women of color in large urban cities face.  The term hood feminism isn’t academic. My focus is on real life stories and community-not so much on academia and theories.

Lick

Cardi B dropped GBMV2, her follow-up to 2016’s Gangsta Bitch Music with the single Lick released early 2017. The song isn’t about sex; instead it sexualizes her come up.  I enjoy a lick-the satisfaction of relishing in my accomplishments. I get off on the track.

Now I got up on my shit
Walk around like I’m that bitch
Every nigga wanna hit
Lookin’ like I caught a lick (lick, hey!)

Respect

“Respectability politics” are rules for marginalized people to follow in order to “earn” respect in mainstream culture.

For Black women, this means policing our appearance, speech, and sexuality with pressure to be an upstanding Black woman. Cardi B is slut shamed regularly but “where is the Hoe Fax”?!  Social media and gossip blogs thrive on spilling the tea, however  there aren’t any receipts. Slut shaming isn’t about sex it is a power struggle.  She is reduced to a THOT because she was stripper and is a female in the entertainment industry. Cardi B talks about being celibate.  She also brags about her head game. Bill Cobsy was the spokesman and president of Black respectability politics. He is also an unconvicted rapist.

Fashion

Thou shall dress in clothing that makes you feel amazing.   This is 1 of my 10 commandments for self-love. Cardi B’s style evolution has me gagging on Instagram . She wears everything from Fashion Nova  to designer to indie brands.   Unlike the other celebrity influencers, plugging Fashionnova, Cardi B is the most relatable. ” Don’t go broke trying to look good. Shop at Fashionnova!”  Cardi B’s materialism is tempered by her proclamations of being a”regular degular schmegular chick from the Bronx”.

Overall

This not to say that there isn’t flaws or room for dialogue with Cardi B’s philosophies. I get down with her because of her Caribbean influence, her candour, her loyalty, her style and sense of humour. We should respect Cardi B’s dedication to the grind.

via GIPHY

Salute a real one!

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