Words of Wisdom: Destiny's Grown Woman
Kelly Rowland shutting down the "powerarchy" with style
One of the issues with mentoring is that women are not supposed to get along with women. But, when we buy into that myth, we support what Melanie Joy calls the "powerarchy" that separates those whose interests are otherwise aligned.
In a recent interview, Kelly Rowland was told that Beyonce Knowles has the "brightest light" in the world. The interviewer was "complimenting" Rowland for being able to handle that standing in the shadow of Beyonce's brilliance.
We do not have to accept the definition of ourselves as competitors. We do not have to allow anyone to mishape or diminish us by comparing us to one another. According to Joy, powerarchy is “some individuals or groups are more worthy of moral consideration than others—and it is structured to maintain unjust power imbalances among social groups and between individuals.” As such, powerarchy can create self doubt and resentment if we do not view these messages through a critical lens.
That critical lens was obvious when Rowland clapped back after being commended for standing in the brilliance of Beyonce. This allowed us to see Rowland’s brilliant shine. When you see this, it may remind you of the African proverb, "I am because we are. If we are not, then I am not."
Click here to see for yourself.
