(ThyBlackMan.com) There are very few people in the world who are maligned as black men. Unfairly stereotyped as bad fathers and violent, millions of black men across the country fight a constant battle to be viewed as the upright, intelligent, informed, caring citizens that they are, having to work a thousand times harder than white men to be viewed as equals. More than almost anyone else, black men understand the importance of solidarity between groups who are pushed down by the white men who are in power across the world. Here are some concrete tips that will help you align with these other groups…
Women
What a lot of men don’t understand about women is that they spend a lot of their lives being afraid. When you’re going on a blind date, most of the time your biggest worry is whether or not you’ll be 
attracted to your date. Women are more worried about whether they’ll be raped and killed. It’s important that you learn to respect women’s boundaries and that you ensure that they feel safe in your presence – don’t touch them unless you’re positive that they want you to (and even then it’s a good idea to ask for consent). Ignore any idiocy you’ve read about ‘friend zones’ – women don’t owe you anything and proving yourself to be a trustworthy man who they feel comfortable will make you much more appealing to other women in the long term.
Refugees
At the moment there’s a huge global refugee crisis. We’ve seen gas attacks in Syria killing children, we’ve seen bombs falling in pictures on our TV screens, and yet sometimes those problems seem a million miles away from the very real issues that we have to deal with in our everyday lives regarding police brutality and racism. But global displacement has hit an all time high, with over sixty five million people displaced from their homes. Offering them a home in the USA for them to raise their families in peace and safety is going to be an uphill battle with the current administration so it’s important for you to put your voices and strength behind people who are often too vulnerable to have voices of their own. Adding your voice in support of offering asylum to people who need it is important in these difficult times.
Muslims
What a lot of people don’t take the time to understand is that Islam is a predominantly peaceful religion. A lot more Muslims have died worldwide from the effects of groups like Isis than people from other religions – extremist groups want to disrupt and destroy the lives of Muslims just as much, if not more, than other parts of society. Regardless, in our society Muslims are getting more and more bad press, which means that it’s everyone else’s job to help protect them. If you see a woman in hijab (wearing a head covering) getting harassed on public transport, take a seat next to her, offer a reassuring smile and engage her in polite conversation.
Staff Writer; Steve Hall
