I’m going to say this plainly—because discernment demands truth:
Any movement that fights oppression but ignores the sexual exploitation of Black women is incomplete. It may sound “progressive,” but if Black women are still unsafe, still disbelieved, still punished for speaking up, and still expected to carry everyone’s pain while being protected by no one… then the system simply changed its clothes.
Black women have historically been targeted on two fronts:
- Race-based oppression (laws, policing, housing, labor exploitation, voter suppression)
- Gender-based exploitation (sexual harassment, coercion, assault, and the cultural permission to disbelieve us)
And for generations, society treated those harms like they were “normal.” But two leaders—Malcolm X and Dr. King—helped shift the conditions that made exploitation easier, more excusable, and more invisible.
This is not “hero worship.” This is pattern recognition. And that’s discernment.
What Malcolm X did: He named the danger and demanded protection and respect
Malcolm X forced America—and Black communities—to face an uncomfortable reality:
Black women were not being protected. And when women are unprotected, exploitation multiplies.
Specific ways his leadership reduced exploitation conditions
1) He confronted the culture of disrespect that fuels exploitation. Before you can change laws, you have to break the lie. Malcolm X directly challenged the dehumanizing narratives that made it easier for predators and institutions to treat Black women like we were disposable.
2) He elevated Black women’s dignity as a liberation issue, not a “women’s issue.” He made it clear: if Black women are degraded, the whole community is weakened. That framing matters—because exploitation thrives where silence is normalized.
3) He promoted self-determination—reducing vulnerability through power. Exploitation often thrives in power gaps: financial insecurity, political exclusion, lack of protection, and fear of retaliation. By pushing the principle of self-determination, he amplified the idea that Black people (including Black women) must have the power to protect themselves, speak, and be heard.
Discernment takeaway: If you can’t name the threat clearly, you can’t confront it effectively.
What Dr. King did: He helped build enforceable systems that created consequences
Dr. King’s approach was strategic: mass organizing + moral clarity + legal and policy change. That matters because exploitation is not only personal—it’s institutional.
Specific ways his movement reduced exploitation conditions
1) He helped drive structural reforms that expanded enforcement against discrimination. The civil rights movement he led helped push landmark changes that created tools to challenge discriminatory workplaces and institutions—where Black women were often underpaid, excluded, and harassed without remedy.
2) He expanded political power—so communities could demand accountability. When Black communities gained more voting access and civic leverage, they could influence:
- who enforces laws
- who leads departments
- what policies get funded
- whether victims are taken seriously
Political power doesn’t automatically stop exploitation, but it reduces the system’s ability to ignore it.
3) He connected racism to economic exploitation—one of the roots of vulnerability. When Black women are economically boxed in, predators and abusive systems gain leverage. Economic insecurity is a known vulnerability factor for exploitation because it increases dependency and fear of retaliation.
Discernment takeaway: If the system has no consequences, the system has no repentance.
Scripture: God is not neutral about exploitation
This is where faith gets real—not performative.
- Isaiah 10:1–2 condemns unjust laws that oppress the vulnerable. That’s systematic oppression, in scripture form.
- Micah 6:8 calls us to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. Justice isn’t a vibe—justice is protection, accountability, and truth.
- Psalm 82:3–4 commands: Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and oppressed; rescue the weak and needy. That includes women whose voices were dismissed, bodies exploited, and dignity treated like collateral damage.
- Proverbs 31:8–9 says speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Silence is not holiness. Silence is permission.
Spiritual discernment check: If someone can quote scripture but refuses to protect Black women—they’re not walking in the Spirit of God.
Science: exploitation is a system of power, coercion, and trauma
Let’s bring in the science—because truth has layers.
1) Trauma science & the body’s stress response Chronic exposure to threat (harassment, coercion, discrimination) keeps the nervous system on high alert—affecting sleep, decision-making, health, and emotional regulation. This is why women can look “fine” at work and still be battling survival internally.
2) Power dynamics and coercive control Sexual exploitation commonly involves imbalance: authority, money, job security, housing, immigration status, reputation threats. When the cost of saying “no” is too high, the “choice” is compromised.
3) Stereotype bias and credibility gaps Black women are often stereotyped as:
- less innocent
- less credible
- “strong enough to handle it”
- “too aggressive” if we report harm
That credibility gap is a systemic amplifier—it emboldens abusers and discourages reporting.
Discernment meets science: When a system repeatedly punishes truth-tellers, it trains people to stay silent—and silence is where exploitation thrives.
The message both leaders leave us with today
Malcolm X reminds us: Name the threat. Demand protection. Restore dignity.
Dr. King reminds us: Build enforceable change. Create consequences. Expand civic power.
Different approaches—same truth:
Freedom without safety is not freedom.
What I’m doing differently now (and what I encourage leaders to do)
If you’re a leader, HR professional, educator, minister, manager—or simply someone who cares—this is how you apply discernment in real life:
- Document patterns, not just incidents (dates, witnesses, policies violated)
- Stop spiritualizing abuse (“pray about it” is not a protection plan)
- Create real reporting safety (anti-retaliation that’s enforced, not performative)
- Believe women the first time—then investigate thoroughly
- Train leaders on power dynamics, not just “respect in the workplace”
- Correct credibility bias (how Black women are perceived when we speak up)
- Protect the person who tells the truth—not the institution’s image
If Black women have to be “strong” because nobody protects us, that’s not empowerment—that’s abandonment dressed up as praise.
Gift of Discernment (G.O.D.) LLC — Faith Meets Professional Growth.
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