MISOGYNOIR + HEALTH

Why Racism Black Women Face is Stranger Than Fiction

A brief historical analysis of medical racism that Black women endure

Elegant woman standing amidst nature in abuja via Pexels

Racism in American society is stranger than fiction. At least that’s what Black women keep telling White women about The Handmaid's Tale. While it's a meaningful narrative about the dangers of religious extremism and patriarchy, it fails to address the threat of racism. That's why efforts to compare the series to this moment, in which women find themselves, fall a bit short. In the real world, racism and sexism are co-villains wreaking havoc in the lives of Black women. Overlooking that nuance creates a simpler narrative, but it does so at the cost of authenticity. Some of the injustices characters endure throughout the series, such as sexual violence, are more than fictional horror; they're eerily reminiscent of the nation's legacy of forced breeding during chattel slavery. A more well-rounded narrative would address how race shapes women's experiences. But since it doesn't, and remains a popular reference, we're left with this irony — the racism Black women endure is often stranger than fiction.

In Gilead, officials force fertile women to wear a uniform comprising a red dress, a white bonnet, and a red hood, symbolizing their role in society. This marks…