This post was created to shed some light on the different words and phrases that you see used around here with a great deal of frequency by regulars. If you are new to this blog or various BW-centric/BWE spaces, you’ve probably wondered at least once, “What the heck does GAT-DL mean?!” Well, wonder no more! As stated in the title, this post is comprehensive, and I do mean COMPREHENSIVE. Whatever I manage to forget or any terms introduced at a later time can be added in the comments below.

Simple, right? For many, this post is LONG overdue, so hopefully any and all confusion will be laid to rest.

ABW or Angry Black Woman: According to this stereotype, black women are labeled as “angry” and “unpleasant” if they fail to behave in a way that is passive and perennially agreeable. This phrase is often used by privilege-wielding persons seeking to act as if a black women’s emotions have no logic or the reason for any anger is less important because the person expressing that anger is black and a woman.

BBW/BB&W: Beyond Black & White

BC: Black community – Either a literal community made up entirely of persons who are black or, more often in these spaces, a term for persons who are ethnically black being part of a united group of people. The “so-called BC” often refers to the GAT-DL.

Black Box: The “black box” is a term for a state of mind that has a narrow and often stereotypical/scripted point of view regarding what persons who are considered black are capable of. It is used to seek to limit persons so they do not get too far away from being “acceptably black”.

BL or “Black Love”:  Term meant to emphasize the race of persons in love where they are both black.

Blackistan: A place, literal or figurative depending on who you ask, that is occupied by a slew of damaged beyond repair black people who are often violent, manipulative, and just plain awful. These people are the lowest common denominator, happily occupying the bottom of the barrel and would like nothing more than to see as many black people join them there as possible. It is a place one escapes from rather than goes to. (Note: “literal” here does not mean an actual placed named Blackistan so much as real neighborhoods comprised of persons that fit this description. Often such places are overrun with dysfunction and chaos.)

Black-identified: People who make their race the focal point of their identity rather than their individual state of being.

Black man/male-identified: Generally refers to a woman indoctrinated to only identify themselves as relating to the state of black men, rather than that of black women (or even themselves as individuals).  They will feel antagonized by discussions regarding problematic behaviors unique to black men because this goes against their “programming” to only ever praise and protect black men. Sister soldiers and white-knighting black women are often extremely black male-identified.

Black Snowflake or  Special Black Snowflake:  (1) A person who desires nothing more in the world than to be THE only successful, beloved, acceptable black person that the white people around them know. Whether this is at work, within the neighborhood they reside, etc. such persons rely on their uniqueness as “the only one” ensuring their special privilege and regard in the eyes of white people. These persons will sabotage any up and coming black persons around them in order to assure their position. They will say negative things about you to white and non-black people, even preying on fears of the worst stereotypes relating to black people. Such persons are to be avoided at all costs and not trusted as they will use whatever information they can get against you. You cannot be friends with such persons and any guise of friendship they present is phony.

(2) The sort of person that enjoys informing everyone that they don’t find bigotry and discrimination problematic while throwing out the fact that they are “black and it didn’t bother me”.

BM:  Black men

BW: Black women

BW-centric: Black woman-centric – This is slightly different from BWE-centric as there is a focus on concepts or concerns unique to black women that do not necessarily feature terminology or ideology that is frequently found in posts or discussions dealing with BWE.

BWE: Black Woman’s Empowerment – A concept that focuses on black women becoming empowered. This means a hard-lined focus on ways that better the mental, emotional, physical, and financial status of black women while separating them from the harmful indoctrination found in the black community. Asks black women to think critically and act in ways that put their needs first and seek reciprocation from those who they are connected to, rather than allow themselves to be used and abused.

BWE-centric: Black woman’s empowerment-centric – themes or topics that are at the core of BWE belief systems, such as black women living well, black women escaping the abusive aspects of the black community (or the black community altogether), and highlighting dysfunction that impact black women with the emphasis being on the abnormality of these issues and how black women need to avoid/escape them.

Color-struck: A term used to describe colorist/shadist persons who place an extremely unhealthy and prejudicial focus on the tone of someone’s skin rather than on the actual individual. These people make important decisions based on their skin tone and or that of other people.

Damaged: A term meant to describe someone who is mentally and emotionally in a place where they cannot be expected to contribute to themselves or those around them in a positive way.

DBR: Damaged-Beyond-Repair – Persons who are incapable of change or improvement.  Even if they acknowledge that their mentality or situation needs to be adjusted, improvement of his/herself or their general outlook requires more energy than they desire to expend in that regard. Such persons are often abusive, manipulative, dishonest, poisonous, and/or are users. They are men and women found in every ethnic group and are extremely dangerous to the wellbeing of others. Should be avoided at all costs.

GAT-DL: “Guardians of All Things Dark and Lovely” – Basically the “black police”; the self-appointed authorities regarding “blackness” out to tell other people how to be black, what is/isn’t black and often where black women are concerned, how to be black-male identified and throw their own interests under the bus. The term is used with heavy sarcasm because while such persons claim to be about “black consciousness”, more often than not they focus on normalizing dysfunction within the black community and a narrative that attempts to make slavery and Jim Crow present-tense. Rather than uplift and encourage black people to venture outward, fear and inferiority is a subtle or overt justification for instead encouraging (or harassing) other black people into not exploring options or even thinking critically.

Good Brotha/Black Man – The BC version of a Nice Guy (TM) who is lauded for things like not being in jail, on drugs, and actually having a job: Things that are often expected of a sane and law-abiding citizen. A “Good Brotha” is different from a good black man, who is simply a black man that is a decent and respectable human being. A good black man has no need to constantly call attention to his status as “good”. He understands that this is already implied through his behaviors and actions. Just like ANY good or nice man. A “Good Brotha” is often unavailable in situations where black women are being harassed and defamed, but will make his presence known in situations where black women are taking it to DBR black men. Self-described “Good Black Men” are likely to expect a cookie for not calling you a b*tch or whore, even if they are otherwise disrespectful. If you haven’t guessed already, these men are a variation of DBR and should be avoided.

IBM: “Ideal Black Man” – The black men that single black women are often holding out for. What is “ideal” is often subjective, ranging from reasonable to improbable. In some cases, it is used as a reason to discourage black women from dating interracially, just in case they miss the “perfect black man for them”.

Indoctrination: A state of being mentally and emotionally compromised to only be able to process thoughts and beliefs that have been taught to you by persons wishing to use and manipulate you into being unable to think critically for your own individual benefit. This thought process as it relates to black women heavily relies on a person having no desire to mentally separate from the black community in such a way as they do not feel compelled to leap to the defense of “all things black” without considering (1) whether or not the specific person or subject in question is worth defending or (2) whether the person(s) in question would defend them with equal vigor. It’s a sort of mental hypnotism that relies on the use of key words and phrases to trigger behavior patterns that often work against the individual’s best interest. As such, persons are more than likely to exhibit derailment and shut-down techniques in order to stop discussion that they are indoctrinated to think of as harmful to the “establishment”. The “establishment” being the GAT-DL and champions of dysfunction within the BC.

IR: Interracial

IRR: Interracial relationships

IRR-centric: Focused on interracial relationships. In BW-centric spaces, generally from the point of view of black women.

Jezebel: Stereotype that paints black women as hypersexual and or only good for/at sex. Though this stereotype originated in white racism, today it is often championed by intra-racial bigots looking to exploit black women and girls sexually. There is a fear that if black women date interracially, they’ll have to deal with this stereotype. The truth is that persons who abide by this stereotype are relatively easy to spot early on. Just trust your instincts and don’t make any excuses for men, regardless of their race, when they tell on themselves.

Mammy: A stereotype created by white racism, this sees black women as asexual, overweight (not necessarily a requirement, as it is a matter of their behavior more so than their physique) persons who mother and care for everyone but themselves. The mammy as preserved by the GAT-DL is meant to coddle indiscriminately and run behind those who are more than old enough to do for and think for themselves.

Mule or Workhorse: A metaphor for the treatment of black women as an animal that exists to be riden and worked and beaten to death. A thankless state of being used and abused with no reciprocation or help.

NBAB/NBABM: “Nothing But A Brotha/Brother” or “Nothing But A Black Man” – These are women that insist on telling everyone who will listen that they are only interested in black men. The problem is that these women are not content to speak only for themselves. They are instead known for insisting that ALL black women aren’t interested in non-black men and that there is something wrong with black women who aren’t fixated on being solely available for black men. They either ignore the double standard existing for black women who date IR vs black men who do so, or sit around crying about how the non-black women are “taking all the good brothas!”

They complain about the existence of IRR spaces, but rather than developing their own spaces and relationships (see “black love”), they will waste time fixating on the dating habits of women and men who are not interested in their way of thinking. This includes IRR-minded black men and women or persons simply not interested in limiting their options. Can be considered an extension of the GAT-DL.

NWNW: “No Wedding, No Womb” – The concept that black women should strive to make their wombs available ONLY within the bounds of marriage in order to combat child-abandonment behaviors by men who are not worthy of procreation. The belief is that a marriage-minded and marriage-worthy male is more likely to care for a woman and his progeny than a man who a woman simply has unprotected sex with and becomes pregnant by. This is not a concept that encourages women to have unprotected sex with men and THEN expect that man to be responsible for her and the child. It is a system of thinking that came into being after observing that pregnancy cannot guarantee any consideration for the mother and child, as some men are more than happy to abandon both. It says that the best way for a woman to protect herself from OOW births and complications to her standard of living are to be educated about sex, practice safe sex, and only allow herself to become pregnant by a worthy man.

Note: This movement isn’t about bashing single mothers, or focusing on women who prefer single motherhood. It is also clearly not about unworthy fathers or promotion of the acceptance of absentee fathers. The focus is on encouraging black girls to grow up and understand that marriage to a worthy man is something they CAN obtain, and that they need not make their womb available to just any man, nor accept unconditionally the reality of being the only parent to their child as the black community increasingly accepts and even encourages black men not to take responsibility for their children.

Okey Doke: Attempting to trick or manipulate someone into doing something, usually to that person’s detriment. Used in BWE spaces to reference tactics by persons wishing to manipulate BW into being used and abused rather than make their own individual happiness a priority.

Oreo: A derogatory term for a black person who is “white on the inside”. Usually means an African American who is well educated, sensible, law-abiding, well-spoken and who is financially stable.

PAB: “Passing as Black” – pretty much the antithesis of black-identified, persons who are PAB do not fixate on their race or racial status. You might say they’re “incog-negro”, blending in with the black scenery while keeping their thoughts and motivations to themselves, only sharing them with like-minded individuals.

Polite Poisoner: A variation of the concern troll that seeks to undermine and derail discussion while coming across as genuinely agreeable and an active community participant. These persons are easy to identify because despite their amiable demeanor, if you pay attention, you’ll note they are often promoting the EXACT OPPOSITE of what is being discussed. Weapons of attack generally include faking confusion, playing “devil’s advocate”*, and the tone argument.

Purple Unicorn: A humorous depiction of the rarest of ideal black men. There is really no such thing as a purple unicorn (should go without saying), but the idea is that even if such a black man existed, it does not mean ALL black women are interested in one: Some black women just prefer non-black men.

Rainbeau: A term referring to all the various colors and ethnicities of men available for black women to date and marry. The concept being that black women need not limit themselves to one color or ethnicity.

Sapphire: A white racist stereotype based around a character on the Amos and Andy show. Suggests that black women are loud, uncouth, and emasculating. Related to the ABW stereotype in that it is often used to paint black women in a negative and unpleasant light. Persons may try and test or mistreat black women under the assumption that the right term or phrase will unleash that woman’s inner “Sapphire”. To say this ideology is ridiculous is an understatement.

Sister Soldier: A heavily indoctrinated black woman “conscripted” to fight on behalf of black men. Has been trained to believe that the defense of the black race falls on her shoulders and if she doesn’t speak up for blackness, “the man” has won. Is a willing crutch or battering ram with her own feminine concerns permanently on the back burner. Sees the word “black man” and fails to rationally respond to anything else, even things that would signal that the man or men in question is not worth her time or energy.

SBW or Strong Black Woman: This stereotype is deceptive in that it is supposed to be empowering, but really isn’t. It is often used to turn black women into “asexual battering rams”. The belief is that black women are so strong that nothing phases them and so they can take any kind of abuse without showing emotions or vulnerabilities. In fact, SBW are often encouraged to be passive and non-responsive to abuse under the guise that it means that they are not affected by abuse. In truth, it means that they have internalized and normalized abuse. Also, the SBW is used as a mascot for people wishing to use black women to represent female independence and freedom. What is often ignored for the benefit of such persons is the fact that black women of this sort have had their femininity and desirability stripped away by others without their cooperation and consent.

Swirl or Swirling:  (1) To date across racial, ethnic, and or religious lines. (2) A delicious ice cream flavor made up of chocolate and vanilla (and sometimes sprinkles). Inspired the interracial dating term.

Trolladelphia: The capital of Blackistan. Citizens of Trolladelphia are fixated on derailing and shutting down any discussion that shows the accepted dysfunction and anti-BW aspects of the black community in a bad light. These persons frequently attempt come into BW/BWE/IRR-centric spaces and harass regulars and derail discussion. After they are ban-hammered, they usually return to Trolladelphia to complain and or plot ways to sneak back into these spaces and cause as much trouble as possible.  They tend to refuse to accept the insanity and impotency of their attempts.

White Knight: (1)  Based on the web definition of the same name describing guys who would stick up for girls in the wrong with no expectation of even being repaid for their services. As such, these persons are generally mocked for their stupidity.

As applied to black women, it represents those persons who show up in BW-centric/BWE-centric spaces to defend the honor of “slighted” black men, who are in the wrong in these scenarios. They seem unaware that the persons they defend very likely both despise them for their emasculating behaviors and will not reciprocate their endeavors should they find themselves demeaned. The difference between a white knighting black woman and a sister soldier is that a white knighter often has romantic ideals or inclinations about what they’re doing (assuming love and devotion will be equally returned, when everyone else knows otherwise), where as a sister soldier is acting out of duty and obligation to the black community/black men.

(2) One of the latest okey dokes aimed at black women interested in dating interracially. Suggests that black women who date out are looking for a white man to rescue them from the dysfunction of the black community. The hilarious thing is that often these persons have out and out admitted that black women are running from dysfunction, ergo there is dysfunction in the black community (something these people are saying out of the other side of their mouths is an exaggeration and or does not exist). Is pretty much a guilt trip tactic that mocks black women as “race traitors” for seeking shelter outside of her race from DBR black people. The irony is that while this okey doke is meant to imply there is something wrong with black women for seeking an ideal non-black man, there is nothing said about black women wasting decades waiting for an ideal black man. Should be noted that no sane and reasonable black woman goes out looking for a “white knight” or perfect white man, but rather, a quality man who meets her needs.

Wigga/Wigger/White Chocolate Black Man/Woman: Describes a white guy or gal who has “street cred” with black people, is a self-described honorary negro, or is considered “down” or “real” by persons who more often than not make up the GAT-DL, the final word on blackness. A white man or woman who due to his/her background or interests is very familiar with and appreciative of various aspects of black culture is not necessarily part of this group; cultural appropriation, especially to an alarmingly inappropriate degree, is often the determining factor.

*About devil’s advocate: A great deal of the time, persons playing devil’s advocate do not necessarily agree with the viewpoint they are arguing. Rarely is this the case with a polite poisoner or concern troll. They will put forth their contradictory POV (meant in all seriousness) and expect it to be accepted without question “for the sake of fairness”. The true devil’s advocate approach is used to test the quality of the original argument and the arguer’s ability to defend their stance. While it can be used to keep discussion from being too one-sided, it is never used as a derailment tactic to undermine the discussion. Persons who attempt to do so are clearly trolling.