Black Women, Money, Writing and Me

Taraji P. Henson's interview on Gayle King's Sirius XM Radio recently went viral when she spoke about the wage disparity, sexism, and racism she experiences in Hollywood.

Henson said: "I’m just tired of working so hard, being gracious about what I do, getting paid a fraction of the cost. I’m tired of hearing my sisters say the same thing over and over. You get tired.”

A friend sent me the clip of the interview. I read about Henson's remarks again last week in a Medium article by Quintessa Williams, comparing the response to Henson's remarks to the vitriol Mo'Nique received (even from the Black community).

Five years ago, Mo'Nique rejected a $500,000 Netflix deal while her peers were offered (and paid) millions for similar comedy specials.

Black women are paid 67 cents for every dollar a white man makes.

We repeat this statistic, especially when folks are out here girl-bossing. But we don't understand how it affects our daily lives.

I love the opportunities money affords.

However, I've watched people on social media discuss their expensive possessions and trips. And hey, if you're happy, I'm happy.

Yet, these same folks balk at my prices when I advertise my offerings -- as if my decades of experience didn't count.

Black women helped build this country, and we still do.

If the United States wants to achieve true equity (which I seriously doubt), pay equity for Black women must be a part of it, or it doesn't count.

And this isn't just white folks. We do it, too.

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I struggled with writing and money last year.

On the one hand, I wanted to write and share my writing with the world as part of a dialogue -- the rent I pay for living in the world.

On the other, I was tired of writing for mainstream publications and private clients and getting very little for it while dealing with the headache of gatekeepers.

If I had a third hand, I'd say I was also tired of giving away "content" on social media platforms while tech bros spent millions and I ate soup for dinner.

Substack seemed like a fantastic solution. It allowed audiences to support my work through paid and free subscriptions. I experienced wonderful initial success. But then I had doubts.

For example, I felt writers were being pushed to gain more paid subscriptions because the more money I make, the more the company makes. It's just business.

Yet, some writers do use Substack to earn a living. I greatly respect the dedication, craft, and devotion that takes.

If you enjoy my creative writing and want more, I invite you to join the “Water in My Bones” community.

You can be a free or paid subscriber. It's up to you.

Let 2024 be the year you support Black creatives, not out of guilt or want to "help." Let it be because you value the intelligence, beauty, expertise, and spice we add to your life.