Watching Black women be lambasted is not a new occurrence. In fact, its a regular part of our lives.

Too often our pain isn’t taken seriously.

When we complain about perverts constantly trying to push up on us we’re told that we’re overspecialized because of some female rapper who is literally paid to be sexual as a part of her gimmick.

Black women need space to be ourselves un-apologetically. The criticisms and hate that the women’s LSU basketball is hate that we all experience from our peers everyday.

For the way we wear our hair. If we glamorize we’re critiqued on our skin. Our weight is seen as something meant to be made a public mockery of and people always want to over sexualize us because they’re envious or attracted to us.

We’re told that we’re “sassy” or “loud” for doing the same things that a non-Black women would be applauded for.

Lets stop pretending like most of the non-Black viewers of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament aren’t watching purely to see LSU fall.

People always want to watch us cry.

Why do they like doing this? Its because its the only way they can feel comfortable around us, if they have some kind of power over us.

So next time you see someone staring down a Black woman speaking up, know that she speaks up because outside of our men, know one else would for her.

Understand the never-ending nerve-racking task of appropriating our hair to the right styles for the right occasions—and then still having people judge us for it.

We’re voluptuous, competitive and fierce. We shouldn’t have to hide it, it should be celebrated!

The LSU women’s team and South Carolina women’s team as well as every other women’s athletic team should be as unapologetic as possible and continue to dazzle regardless of what the haters have to say because if we’re not gonna fight to make ourselves happy then no one will.

–Kerry Hill, B1Daily