Support for Susanna Gibson After Leaked Sex Footage is a Reminder of Racist Respectability Politics
Leaked footage of Virginia Democratic House candidate Susanna Gibson performing sexual acts on her husband and asking for tips online has been illegally leaked by conservatives seeking to rob her of credibility and demoralize her. While some political analysts believe Democrats could lose the Virginia Legislature due to the footage, women, political leaders and organizations are rallying behind Susanna to protect her dignity and continue to respect her.
Public support and protection is needed for Susanna right now, but what is also needed is a bigger conversation around how respectability politics harm Black women.
As a conventionally attractive white woman, there is room for Susanna to make mistakes, learn, and move forward. Exposed sexual footage does not have to mean the end of a promising career for her. Meanwhile, Black women are still under scrutiny and labeled as unacceptable when our appearance conflicts with white social norms.
Case in point, the fight for legal protections continues over Black hairstyles because our natural hair texture and styles like braids are controversial.
According to the CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study, Black women’s hair is 2.5 times more likely to be considered…
