#Patriarchy Has a Uterus

For the past three days, I’ve been bombarded with attacks on Twitter from Black Muslim women who rushed to Louis Farrakhan’s defense after I called him out on his slut-shaming comments when he said that Jay-Z should put clothes on his wife. They repeatedly told me that Farrakhan changed them from “sluts” to women, and that they are completely safe now that they clothe from head to toe. They rolled harder than the men when it came to defending Farrakhan. 

I am all for it if it’s her choice. I don’t take issue with how women choose to worship. It’s a personal private decision and should be respected. Be covered or uncovered, as long as it’s her choice. What I take issue with was Farrakhan’s disgusting sexist demonic comments about how “uncovered” women cause men to rape children! Farrakhan, when talking about the way Beyonce dresses, went on to say that men who see women who they can’t have (sexually) go home and attack children.

He doesn’t admonish a sexist misogynistic culture that teaches men that they are entitled to women’s bodies. He doesn’t offer suggestions about how men can rid themselves of the disease of patriarchy that encourages so much violence against women and children. He doesn’t offer wisdom that holds men accountable for their own actions. No, he tells the world that women just need to cover up and that’ll keep women and girls safe as if the Muslim world is free from rape and violence.

This is what these Black Muslim women are defending. They’re defending a man who has no respect for women when he promotes this type of subordination over women by men. I was attacked by these women on Twitter and it appears that they are still trying to defend the indefensible and I admit, I lost that battle. I realized very quickly that I was not going to win a battle with women who have completely internalized their own subjugation. Heterosexist patriarchy is winning in the streets!

Crystal Hayes is a mother, a reproductive justice health advocate, social justice worker, social work educator, and occasional blogger. Crystal can be reached via Twitter @motherjustice