12 Aug Real series: Cyndia Mondésir

From your perspective, how do you think Canadian society views women of colour?

I can’t necessarily speak for the whole community, but I think what I’ve noticed is that people perceive black women as being the stereotypical “angry black woman”. So, when she expresses her mind, she’s perceived as aggressive and illogical. Therefore, whatever she tries to convey isn’t being received because of these pejorative stereotypes. What people don’t understand, is that we are angry due to external and historical factors, and living in a society that constantly oppresses and objectifies us. I’ve even struggled with that myself! I’ve restrained my own speech in the fear that I would be judged. I noticed I would give my opinion less, and agree with others when in reality there was a passionate fury within. With time, I realized that “yes, I am angry” and “yes, I am a black woman” and there’s nothing wrong with that. Because, my anger against the patriarchy and the injustices women face is being channelled into the work that I am doing, and it’s what pushes me to make a change. I don’t think an activist can last long working in the social justice movement by being nonchalant.  

What bothers me is when people say that we’ve overcome racism and/or sexism. Just because you don’t see people being blatantly racist or sexist upfront and using slurs, doesn’t mean that it no longer exists. The difference is that now, the injustices are ingrained in the systems and the society that we live in, and have become implicit. Systemic racism, sexism, and bias shape the everyday lives of minorities. For me personally, I notice when I’m the only person of colour in the room and am expected to speak for my entire community. I notice when white people clutch their bags when they see black people pass by.

What are some stereotypes you want to break? 

Oh my gosh, there are so many stereotypes, where do I even begin. Obviously, there are racial, gender, and even cultural stereotypes that we hear on a daily basis. I often hear that “black people are all gangsters”, “women are too emotional”, “Muslims are all terrorists”, etc. These are all extremely harmful to these groups of people. I hate when people say that it’s just a joke because these stereotypes shape the way people perceive these minorities and literally leads to the alienation and discrimination of these people. I understand that we are socialized at a very young age by our families, schools, and the media. With that said, just because you’ve learned something negative doesn’t mean you have to continue to reproduce it. Change comes from within first, and a lot of people need to do some introspection regarding their behaviours. We also need to come together to challenge these ideas and talk about them in our day-to-day conversations.