Why I Don't Speak For All Black Women, Even Black Female Freelance Writers

As a freelance writer, I've had to share my story with other writers, especially those who are trying to break into the industry. But there's something else that comes with sharing my story: being asked questions about how it is to be a black female freelance writer in this industry. I'm not going to lie—it's been hard at times. There are highs and lows in every job and career path; however, being a black female freelancer has its own unique set of challenges that make things even more difficult than they already are as far as starting out in this field of work goes.

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"I don't speak for all black women."

You may be wondering why I don't speak for all black women. The truth is, there's no one way to be a black woman and we are not a monolith. We each have our own experiences, views, needs, goals and interests--and those things can change over time! I'm sure you've heard the phrase "not all white people" before; well that's exactly what I'm saying here: Not all black people share my experience as a freelance writer or freelancer in general (or even as a freelancer who happens to be African American).

If you're looking for someone who will tell you what they think every single person of color thinks about everything under the sun? You're barking up the wrong tree! Unless your name is Oprah Winfrey or Barack Obama--there probably isn't anyone out there who has enough power in their hands alone (*cough* Oprah *cough*) where they could actually speak on behalf of every single person within any given community without exception...and even then it would only work if those individuals wanted them too!

I've been asked to share my story.

I'm not sure why, but I'll try to explain why I've chosen to be a freelance writer in the first place. My first freelance writing experience was with an online magazine that paid me $50 per article (it was supposed to be $100). When I told them that wasn't enough money for me, they said they'd find someone else who would work for half of what they were paying me--and they did! In fact, they took on multiple writers after firing me because I refused their offer of less than half my original pay rate.

As far as being black female freelance writers go: We face many challenges including race-based discrimination from clients who don't want us because we're "too militant" or "too angry" or whatever stereotype floats their boat; tokenism by editors who want our voice in articles but don't want us anywhere near any other part of their publication; low pay rates due largely because there are so few people like us out there doing this type of work (and therefore there isn't much demand among publishers); sexual harassment from male colleagues..

Why am I calling myself out?

I want to be able to speak for myself.

I don't want to be seen as a token, or an example of how "black women" think and feel. I don't want anyone speaking on my behalf (or anyone else's).

I don't want people asking me why I "don't talk about this" or "that." In fact, I'm worried that if I mention anything political at all in my writing, it will become some kind of talking point around which everyone has an opinion--and most likely one that doesn't align with mine.

As a freelance writer who makes her living by writing about issues relevant to people like herself (i.e., black women), there are times when she feels pressure from editors or publishers who may think they know better than her what should go into an article because they're not black women themselves but still feel qualified enough based solely on their gender/race identity alone instead of actually listening first before making decisions like these ones where someone else's livelihood could potentially be affected negatively if done incorrectly.

The realities of being a black female freelance writer.

As a black female freelance writer, I am accustomed to being asked to speak on behalf of all black women. This can be a frustrating request because it assumes that all black women have the same experiences and viewpoints. It also ignores the fact that there are many different types of people who identify as black--including those who don't fit into your narrow definition of what it means to be "black."

I am not an expert on what it means to be a woman or a man; I don't know what it's like for everyone else in my gender category either! Asking me about these topics is akin asking someone who has never had cancer or been diagnosed with diabetes about their experiences living with those conditions--they may know how difficult both diseases are but they will never fully understand them unless they've lived through them themselves.

In short: Stop asking me questions about topics where I'm not qualified enough (or interested) to provide answers

My first freelance writing experience.

I want to be clear that this isn't an attack on the woman who asked me to write this post. I appreciate her asking, and I think it's important for us all to reflect on our experiences as freelancers. But I also feel like it's my responsibility as a black female freelance writer and content creator to call out those who don't understand how their words affect others--especially when those words are being used for personal gain or profit.

I've been asked by several publications and brands over the years if they can use my story in their own work (without compensation). Sometimes they ask because they're genuinely interested; other times, it seems like they're just trying to get some free labor from me without having any real interest in what happens next after publication day has come and gone. Either way, none of these requests ever felt right because no one has ever offered anything more than tokenism: "We want more diversity!" And then nothing changes except maybe someone else comes along with another request for free work under the guise of "diversity."

Why I've chosen to be a freelance writer in the first place.

You might be wondering why I've chosen to be a freelance writer in the first place. After all, it's not a job that people often think of as being particularly flexible or rewarding. But in my case, there are several reasons why freelancing has been so beneficial for me:

• I like the flexibility of working for myself and setting my own schedule
• I enjoy writing and learning new things, so being able to write about topics that interest me is great!
• Being able to travel whenever I want is also really important for me; being able to see new places gives me inspiration for future writing projects and helps keep things fresh!

Being able to share my story with other freelancers can help them understand some of the challenges of being a freelancer overall, but especially as a black woman in this industry.

I want to help other freelancers understand the challenges of being a freelancer overall, but especially as a black woman in this industry. As a freelance writer myself, I know how difficult it can be to find work and build your business. The freelance writing community is small enough that people will often ask me for advice on how they can get started or improve their portfolios--and I love sharing what I've learned from my own experience as well as from talking with other freelancers at conferences.

Conclusion

I hope that by sharing my story, you can better understand some of the challenges of being a freelancer. Whether you're a black woman or not, it's important to know that there are people out there who will try to tell us what we should and shouldn't do with our lives. But as long as we keep fighting for equality in all aspects of society--including freelance writing--then maybe someday soon we'll all be able to live without feeling pressured into conforming anymore!