The ‘Buss It’ Challenge sexualises Black women on their terms

This article was originally published in Mercury Magazine in January 2021.

Unless you've been living under a viral-video rock, the ‘Buss It’ challenge has dominated social media all week and become the latest TikTok sensation to hit our screens. The trend is popular amongst Black women in particular, who are seen transforming from their bonnets and joggers into mini-dresses and perfectly laid wigs; twerking to the intro of Erica Banks’s “Buss It”. As you do. The challenge has highlighted the diversity of body shapes and sizes Black women have beyond the frequently-praised hourglass curvature, celebrating the magic in diversity. This has been an undeniably empowering moment for Black women of all shades.

But there is always one. One keyboard-warrior ‘pick me’ who thinks that Black women can’t be both self-respecting and sexual. That men won’t like us for being promiscuous on the internet. And that must be the reason that we’re usually cast to the sidelines when it comes to dating and how much we’re respected by others. Because we participate in these challenges for the approval of men? Got it.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen trends popularised by Black women for our own personal enjoyment overridden by misogynistic discourse. Take last August’s “WAP” challenge, inspired by the Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion song of the same name. The dance was emulated by hundreds of thousands, but the backlash for shaking some ass online once again landed catastrophically on Black women. The colourist comments. The demonisation of powerful, autonomous ladies. The apparent ‘vulgar’ nature of the moves. The double-standards of non-Black women being innately sexual and Black women doing the same is stark. Even trends created by our communities still have the power to perpetuate misogynoir.

However, there have been challenges championed by Black women which have had staggeringly positive feedback. Last summer, the “Savage” challenge enacted a wave of young, old, pro and dad dancers alike getting involved and sharing their attempts. Some even took it a step further and incorporated hair, makeup and outfit changes, all seamlessly cut together into a glossy 15-second clip. The raunchy nature of the lyrics was overlooked in favour of its catchy chorus and infectious rhythm. Similarly, the “Don’t Rush” challenge celebrated the beauty in all women and a shared love of passing the figurative makeup brush baton. Started by a group of Black girls at UK universities, the challenge kicked off a sensation recreated countless times globally, becoming a celebration of culture and costume. Even the “Wipe It Down” and “Flip The Switch” challenges brought out the creative flair in many, transporting viewers to multidimensional universes and featuring slick switcheroos, all filmed from the comfort of a household bathroom. Over the last several months, we’ve seen incredible viral crazes about makeup, clothes and camera trickery receive a warm reception. But the “Buss It” seemed to be left out in the cold.

So, what is it that bothers mostly men - but some women too - about these challenges? It’s evident that below the surface of these seemingly harmless viral dance videos lies a much deeper issue.

Misogynoir is misogyny directed specifically at Black women, a term coined by queer Black feminist, Dr Moya Bailey. The ‘Buss It’ trend has exemplified that the point where racism and gender intersect can be a dangerous place for women of colour, leaving us more vulnerable to hateful comments than white women. Seeing Black women emboldened and sexy is something we ought to get used to. There always has been a lack of Black, female representation in mainstream media, especially for dark-skinned and plus-sized girls. Therefore, it has landed in our own hands to change the narrative and represent ourselves however we see fit.

The way society continues to equate how women present themselves with how much they respect themselves proves that we are not very pro-women or particularly progressive. The backlash to these challenges demonstrates that and continues to push outdated rhetoric about how women should suppress their sexual prowess. ‘Buss It’ tells viewers nothing more about the women in the videos beyond their gorgeous features and stallion-strong knees. Yet, so many assumptions about their self-worth and professionalism play an overwhelming part in judging their characters. Something which started off as a bit of light entertainment has become a cog in the “do Black women deserve respect?” machine. This isn’t an issue which gets to be on a sliding scale depending on how much we wear or share on the internet. Right now, respect for Black women is conditional, when it should be a consistent effort which definitely can’t be measured by participation in a viral video trend.

The regard that women are held to should not fluctuate depending on what we choose to share of ourselves. To have agency over our own bodies and what we do with them should not be perceived as a luxury. It is a very basic right. It seems absurd that we haven’t grasped that Black women deserve the space to be expressive in whatever ways we choose. When it comes to both seemingly sexual dances, and pretty much everything else.

Posting a “Buss It” video does not warrant untoward comments from sketchy burner accounts, ogling eyes or bitchy remarks. It deserves recognition. Celebration. Kindness and encouragement. The persistent desire to dampen the voices and censor the bodies of confident Black women gives the illusion that we don’t exist. Perhaps if we’re hidden away and veered from these challenges, we might stay where society has placed us. That way we won’t discover an immense love for ourselves and identities, or garner attention unashamedly when our videos reach viral status.

Black women deserve to be in control of their sensuality and be sexual on their own terms.