The Hidden Labor Behind Black Womanhood: How ‘Thick’ Reveals the Unseen Struggles

Unveiling the Invisible Work Black Women Do to Survive and Thrive in Oppressive Systems

Black womanhood is often romanticized or stereotyped, but beneath the surface lies a relentless, invisible labor that sustains survival and resistance. In Thick: And Other Essays, Tressie McMillan Cottom exposes this hidden work through her concept of 'structural incompetence'—the systemic assumption that black women lack competence, which permeates institutions from hospitals to workplaces.

This assumption leads to tangible harms, such as black women facing maternal mortality rates more than double that of white women, regardless of socioeconomic status. These disparities are not due to individual failings but institutional neglect and bias. Cottom’s analysis reveals how black women must constantly prove their competence in environments designed to doubt them, performing emotional, intellectual, and physical labor just to be seen and heard.

Beyond healthcare, this labor extends into everyday social interactions where black women manage perceptions, assert authority, and maintain dignity amid microaggressions and systemic exclusion. The metaphor of 'fixing one’s feet' captures this ongoing effort—adjusting and readjusting to navigate spaces that are often hostile or indifferent.

Imagine walking miles in shoes that pinch and wear thin, yet continuing forward with grace and determination. This is the lived reality for many black women who must balance resilience with vulnerability, resistance with survival.

Resilience is not an innate trait but a practice cultivated through continuous effort, community support, and self-care. Cottom’s essays powerfully illustrate that recognizing this labor is essential to understanding black womanhood and the broader fight for equity and justice.

By bringing these invisible struggles to light, Thick challenges readers to rethink assumptions about competence, success, and identity. It calls for systemic change that acknowledges and addresses the structural barriers black women face, rather than blaming individuals for systemic failures.

This blog invites you to reflect on the unseen work that sustains black womanhood and to join in advocating for a society where dignity, respect, and equity are not privileges but rights.

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