Why Gaslighting?

 

The term Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation. It derives from the word Gaslight which originated from the British play Gas Light  in 1938. Today the term is used in clinical literature. Although the term is widely used as a “New Phrase” in social settings, the term “Manipulation”, which is not as fancy of a term, has been around much longer. Manipulation originated in 1826. It was derived from the word manipule, meaning handful or to handle something skillfully. 

Manipulation was practiced during the 18th and 19th century when female American writers struggled with a pen to write about the hardships and discomforts of being a woman in a society that believed women in America had no rights and no voice. Women were treated less than men and in most cases less than human. 

Manipulation is still in practice throughout many parts of our world in the mistreatment of women; including African culture. “Many rural African communities, steeped in centuries of belief that girls occupy society's lower rungs, are inured to disapproval by the outside world. There is a lot of talk, but the value of the girl child is still low," said Seodi White, Malawi's coordinator for the Women in Law in Southern Africa Research Trust. "Society still clings to the education of the boy, and sees the girl as a trading tool. In the north, girls as early as 10 are being traded off for the family to gain. After that, the women become owned and powerless in their husbands' villages” said Sharon Lafraniere in a New York Times article “ Forced to Marry before Puberty, African Girls Pay Lasting Price.”  Sounds familiar? Although the mistreatment of the female gender is no longer a legislative problem, it still remains an everyday issue in our communities. It seems as if our community has not fully grasp the concept culture has placed at the demise of women. It was this same mentality that sold African Americans into slavery that remains an issue in Africa and African American communities. Seems like we have some soul searching to do if we ever want to kill things at the root. 

Although Manipulation appears to be an issue of race, gender, and class; they aren’t the underlining issues. They are simply vehicles that supports a mentality that says “We” as a people are only bigger if “We” can make someone else think they are smaller. It’s a way of thinking that has broken us as a people and as Americans. This is the ultimate Manupil, Gaslight, or Manipulation that we all have experienced and have been guilty of thinking is Okay.

So, if we continue to dress up words like “Manipulation” and make them pretty terms such as “Gaslighting” we will never see how ugly they truly are. 

Manipulation is a horrible word that is ruining our world, our race, and our communities. Remember it was a black man who sold a black “man and woman” into slavery; and still selling little black girls today. We have to look at our roots and make some changes. It’s black men who get black women pregnant leaving them as single mothers and in poverty to raise a kid alone. You cannot call black women queens in social settings while behind closed doors treat them as if they are less than you. There are more Black men killing black men and not taking responsibility. I’m not bashing black men. I’m merely raising awareness to the issues I’ve witnessed in my community. The struggle never ends because the manipulation remains unmentioned. 

As I close this article I don’t want to miss the ultimate Manipulation we are facing in our country today. Racism is currently the ultimate manipule. We cannot continue to think that it’s okay to treat one human being as less because of the color of their skin. It’s Ugly. It is against nature, and most importantly it is a sin against God.