It is in this month's issue with Gabreile Union on the cover. It was about how we give each other alot of unnecessary heat in the work place amongst each other. I thought it was only me feeling this way. When im in a corporate atmosphere I get the most evil looks or cold unconnecting attitudes from blackwomen like meand i wish it didnt have to be that way. No problem withthe blackmen or even thewhite people (of course it may bephony niceness but hey its only work play the role) It makes me feel so uneasy at work.Im pretty easy to get along with but i find myself having to play we're in the same boat to get some black women to be friendly in the workplace. i dont like being phony. The magazine indicates this is because the limited power positions for black women. I don't agree with that we're coming up. So what's the problem?

Yes i read that article and its vey true. We defintily pick on eachother and dislike eachother because we see alot of the same qualities in them in ourselves. We always watch them thinking they trying to get over or are talking about us so we put more pressure on them then we would a white, asian, spanish employee or co worker and sometimes dont realize it.

its like they expect a black person not to do their job correctly and completely but for a white person its automatic even if he is less qualified. Thats why i purposely try to reach out to my sisters that are my co workers or under me. Not on apersonal level but on a mutual respect we both want to get a head and we can help eachother along aggreement. I worked at chase bank and had a jamaican women always on back even though i was one of the most productive people there. She would always single me out and make sarcastic remarks infront of everyone even when i had the highest productivity level one day. Im a quiet person and a little serious so i didnt like that at all, i was already feeling like an outcast since i was the only black american female there. All the other people where west indian females and males, a couple american men and the rest white, spanish or asian. I had to leave that job because they weren't giving me an inch and i deserved it plus i found a better job anyway.

I truly love Essence magazine,the articles are always informative.I read the article and my sisters and aunt read it too.EVERYONE i've spoken to has experienced some form of 'sista hate'

I feel there are alot ofblack women who are very hostile to other black women,even young girls are experts in 'sista hating'.Iam sure guys have similar problems but some women seemto revel in seeing their counterparts fail.blkbuttkick

I did experience that myself. Even my mom caught it when I was getting ready to pay for my groceries....I caught the evil stare too. I would also like to add that at my job now, the black women are really nice, I just have a problem with few white women. Females will be females...*sigh*

It's so true. I work part time in a supermarket at the moment where I am a checkout supervisor. There is a blackwomanwho is in one of my teams who gets on my nerves. She is a "career" checkout girl and I am just there as a stop gap whilst at uni. I have never ever experienced so much hate from one person in my life.

When I got my promotion she did nothing but moan about people stealing the good jobs. I thinkthis was based on the fact that I had been there under a year and she had been there for about 6 years. I got my job fair and square, I had to be re interviewed etc. There were lots of other remarks about my friendshipwith one of the managersetc.

She will call for a supervisor and if I come she will look at me and ask for another (white) supervisor. When I ask why, she just laughs and says that I will not know the answer to her question. She comes back from her breaks late and generally tries to undermine me as much as she can. I recently went on holiday to New York and she made lots of catty remarks about budget travelling and backpackers hotels. Later that day when I was showing pictures of the trip (first class flight and 5* hotel baby) she had a screw face so bad that I could have prayed that the wind would change.

Sorry for the rant but I can't believe that people can be so mean. If it's that bad just at sainsburys, I'm dreading coming face to face witha black woman in my chosen career!

Nwanne'm, you had better prepare yourself......(lol)

Must be only me who has the most amazing black female collegues... clp). I am not in anyway threatened by them or their success and i am sure they are not threatened by me... we also do hang out outside of work together and really get on.

Good for you....if only others could achieve the same, eh?

I think it would produce so much progress.

Don't say that, coz wherever i go, i become like sisters with the black girls, as long as they are not coconuts and i'm friendly to them and i see no need to be b**chy. so whenver i started a new job or a sista did we take eachother under eachothers wing, coz i let them know i'm down for sistas.



i have had negative experiences before , but i 'd also like to mention that it's when many whites are around or many males are there. the competition aspect.. which black girl do they like best?... honestly.. they act like slaves... the good old "i wanna be massa's favourite" (LOL) it's embarrassin for us. why don't they grow up and realise the damage and division they create. coz at the end of the day they are only damaging people's perception of blacks, the consequences of their actions are underestimated and the repercussions much wider than thought. non-blacks just stand by and enjoy the show. If they weren't then why is it an issue worthy enough of a magazine article... people don't don't dare generalise without some people having helped perpetuate the stereotype/generalisation.













What these fools also don't realise is that when other races read and see these things it makes them look down on blacks as a people and they see more opportunities to implement the 'divide and conquer'. Because what I have noticed that when a non-balck has trouble with a black at work, they work extra hard to make sure that another black agrees with them. whereas if it were a white person they stick together. Also I don't like it when non-blacks read articles like this and then think it is all true for every black person and then think they know everything about black people and try and start conversations with you about issues in your race. I mean, if you said something about white people, they'd look at you funny but they always try and discuss what's nothing to do with them, in the black community. It's so 'interesting for them'.











It's also important to realise the mainstream press is eurocentric, so nothin ever gets explored in terms of what white people do or the way they act, with the terms attached to it " whites... do this or that". Another issue is the fact that every black person is a rep for their race, whereas white people can act how they like and have different personalities and be accepted whatever. No body talks about white girls and how dumba nd b**chy they can be.. ( with the exception of when whites are portrayed as 'easy' by black men)

Why do you feel that every black women in the workplace needs to be friendly with you?

Some folks are just not friendly!

I find these types of issues (Essence mag article) to be true only in a few situations, it is not the way the majority of black women interact with each other.

I employ black women all the time. I have worked under black women. I have been mentored by strong black women. I personally never had a problem with a black female in the workplace. Of course you will have issues/gossip in the workplace about someone, but that is not always a "black female" issue.

I find (and this is just my opinion) that if we read or hear about any negative action by a black person, we assume that it happens all the time. We spread rumors that we have no real knowledge of. We hate on someone we do not even know. If someone does not approach us the way we feel they should, they are considered not to like you, or want to do you some harm, or feel they are above you.

Why are wethis kind ofa people?