March marks Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women’s accomplishments and reflect on how far we’ve come in a society that has historically ridiculed women and treated women as second-class citizens.
Women have faced countless challenges but manage to excel by striving in the corporate world and excelling in entrepreneurship, often overcoming barriers such as gender bias. In turbulent times, when politics and old systematic structures attempt to sideline women, particularly Black women, many have taken it upon themselves to forge new paths. Organizations like Win With Black Women have provided critical resources for employment and grant opportunities, helping women of color thrive and stay engaged politically, even after being the backbone for leaders like Kamala Harris during her 2024 presidential run and other Black female politicians.
In a society where Black women are sometimes downgraded, objectified, and judged based on harmful ideologies, it’s crucial to reclaim the value of true sisterhood and the essence of womanhood. Women must lift each other up in a world that subconsciously resent female’s success due to embedded belief systems, especially in politics and leadership roles, and resist those systems that seek to make males, whose battling with internalize insecurities, feel powerful and validated by diminishing women.
True Sisterhood is a Heart Condition
True sisterhood means building one another up, not tearing each other down through cattiness, jealousy, gossip, vindictive behavior, emotional manipulation, and superficially comparing themselves to others through the lens of Eurocentric features and Hollywood ideologies.
It’s imperative for women whose minds haven’t grown from the high-school mentality to get rid of the cliquish high-school mentality of thinking other women don’t deserve certain blessings because of one’s past, appearance, demeanor, and so forth.
I want to reference the biblical scripture from 1 Samuel 16-7 (NIV), “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
Judging others in this way doesn’t fix your ideology; it only limits your growth.
It also means not being so quick with your emotions that you fail to listen, stop controlling conversations and the narrative; being overly ruled by your emotions, not giving people a chance to voice their matters; and turning every situation into gossip instead of seeking clarity. Spread good news about our sisters and resist the urge to quickly share negative news. Avoid circulating negative screenshots or private conversations to create gossip group chats; protect the dignity of each woman and honor trust. Don’t call people a sister or say you can trust me if you have the curiosity in telling others about your sister’s business or weaponized your sisters’ secrets by telling them to others when upset. This behavior is why others cannot trust anyone and choose to keep their feelings to themselves. Remember, you cannot be trusted if you do not show the compassionate character that a sister can rely on in times of trouble.
Stand tall when it comes to sisterhood, and never stay silent when your voice matters. Speak up, use your voice wisely, and approach others with understanding.
Sisterhood is about encouraging each other, offering genuine support, correcting your sisters, and doing so with love. Every act of help matters, and it should be done sincerely, not for recognition. Do not help others if you have ulterior motives in wanting something in return. Sisterhood is about carrying its meaning in our hearts: loving our neighbors as we love ourselves, not bonding over gossip or negativity.
We must redefine beauty on our own terms, valuing our diverse skin tones ranging in many coffee-style flavor varieties – dark chocolate, caramel, coffee mocha, light brown, and brown sugar. Generations have been taught to internalize European beauty standards, utilizing the “brown paper bag test” from the 20th century, and to minimize the value of our natural hair and skin, and society has even gone so low as to joke about it with the “Yo Momma is So Black,” “Tar Baby,” and “Nappy Hair” jokes. It’s time to reclaim our beauty and worth, free from these imposed ideals, especially through the entertainment industry.
It’s also okay to take off the Superwoman cape; you do not have to be everything for everyone. Rest, ask for help, and accept that you cannot do it all alone. Set boundaries and lean on your sisters for help.
Let’s stop the fake behavior of being one way towards your sisters and another way behind their backs. Let’s stop trying to maintain a certain image in front of others if its going to result in bringing your sisters down. True sisterhood is a public display of affection. View your sisters through the lens of God’s love rather than worldly principles, as this perspective helps prevent the emergence of mean girl clichés. Stop subconsciously thinking a woman doesn’t hold value because of her socioeconomic status, marital status, or personality. Women who think on this level tend to have this lean that the popular women mentality holds values.
Let’s create a culture of random acts of kindness, genuine listening, and building relationships without judging based off of lack of true evidence of one’s character. Celebrate each other and don’t subconsciously get mad and jealous when someone achieves their blessing before you. Sometimes, women can have this “I want to achieve it first” center of attention mentality. Everybody will get a chance to eat at the table.
Value true sisterhood with pure intentions, and do not befriend others for the wrong reasons, such as seeking friendships based on someone’s title, access to resources, gossip, appearance, clothing, or socioeconomic status. Let’s value friendships without ulterior motives. Self-reflect on your reason for staying in a toxic friendship by accepting your character flaw. Your esteem should be built on who you are as God sees you, not on worldly standards.
Sisterhood is about love and connecting with love, and love should be in you in all spectrums.
Let’s value our worth in relationships and be willing to walk away from situations that do not serve us, such as toxic friendships, relationships, environments, and/or unreciprocated efforts, in order to foster healthier connections. Let’s live and act in love – not just make sisterhood a hashtag during Women’s History Month.
I hope those reading this and are practicing false version of sisterhood, will take heed to this article through a moment of realization, heart search, and action.
This March, let’s honor women by action, by lifting each other, by celebrating our strength and beauty, and by embodying the true meaning of sisterhood every day. Don’t make it a hashtag but a lifestyle commitment.
