In “Does strength need a rebrand?” Tobi Gbile examines the expectation that Black women should always be strong. Her talk gives us a starting point for a question worth holding: what happens when a quality we value becomes something we feel required to perform?
Strength can describe endurance, competence, or the courage to keep going. But context matters. A response that helped someone move through one season may feel costly in another. The question is not whether strength should be abandoned; it is whether a person has room to choose how she uses it.
Support is also a condition, not simply a personal preference. Asking for help can feel different depending on who is available, how they respond, and what past experiences have taught us. Those circumstances deserve attention alongside the choices a person makes.
Different women will experience this question differently. One may find pride in being capable. Another may be tired of being expected to carry everything. Both experiences can be part of the conversation.
Where does strength feel like a resource in my life? Where would I like more room to receive support?