Missy Ann Syndrome: Purse Grabbing White Women

TransGriot Note: Been a while since I had a guest post from my talented Canadian homegirl Renee, the creative force behind Womanist Musings. This one hit close to home because it reminded me of some pre-transition incidents I had.

And now...live from her undisclosed location in Niagara Falls, Ontario, here's Renee!


I went to the pharmacy to pick up some medication today and as I was passing by a White woman, she looked at me like I was lower than the dirt underneath her fake nails and grabbed her purse. I know that this is something often associated with Black men, but it happens to Black women as well. Apparently, the possessions of her coach purse were just so valuable, that a negro (that would be me) might find the temptation too much. Oddly enough, had she looked beyond the colour of my skin, she would have noticed that my purse, is also coach and it is no knock off (yes I am casting aspersions on her).

2-3 times a day I get some comment or even an e-mail suggesting that I hate White women, because I have the temerity to call them out on their shit. I even had one jack ass suggest that my father left my mother for a White woman, which btw is absolutely laughable. The problem must certainly be my uppity Black ass and not the fact that they think they are living in the antebellum south. Missy Ann syndrome runs deep in the veins of some White women, even when they pretend that they are liberal and tolerant. Missy Ann's constantly declare their strength and independence to the world, but aren't afraid to use their White woman tears and fears to keep Blacks in line.

Unless they can place us in a position that is significantly beneath them, the Missy Ann's of this world don't feel that they are being respected and valued. They know damn well that this is a White man's world and so the only way to have a piece of that power pie, is get into cahoots with them and lord their false superiority over people of colour. This is why you will often hear White women reduce the complaints of WOC to jealousy. On some level we must all want to be them, because how could we possibly be content with who we are. Even though Whiteness has been the cause of so much evil in this world, they have internalized the false belief that Whiteness is the height of human existence.

Talk about slavery and then stand back, because they will be more than happy to tell you about how Blacks owned slaves as well. Talk about the struggles that women face in this life, and they will be more than happy to erase your experience to talk about theirs, as they sing the praises of their White racist female heroes. Talk about their child theft, and they will tell you that they are better at raising your child than you. Talk about empowerment and listen as they elevate themselves, by claiming that all Middle Eastern women are nothing but dogs without agency. Talk about how they like to treat you like a petting zoo and touch you without permission, and they will tell some ridiculous story about the time some child of colour touched their hair as though it is somehow equivalent. No matter what issue you bring up, the one thing that is certain about a Missy. Ann, is that they will find some way to place themselves in the center of it, as though we don't already spend enough time fixated on their issues.

I don't write about White women because I hate them, I write about them because I am sick to death of being treated as less than human. I have had enough of them acting like they are above it all and then participating in racist behaviour that is every bit as damaging as that engaged in by White men. For generations, White women have sought equality with White men, ignoring the fact that in terms of the ability to behave in a racist manner, they long ago found parity. You won't hear this when they talk about oppression, because the only marginalization that matters is there own -- but you will feel their scorn in the most simple activities. I am not a violent person, but watching that woman grab her purse made me want to slap her upside her ignorant hateful head with mine. Each day we have to deal with this kind of ignorance and we are expected to swallow it. Is it really any wonder that when we do finally find out voice, our truth is the harsh to the ear. I do think that a compromise can be reached. I am quite sure that if White women agreed to stop playing Missy Anne and fouling the world with their racist ways, that WOC would be willing to go about our lives in peace, because that is all we have ever really wanted to do in the first place.