How Respectability Politics Led Men to Complain about Black Women Twerking
By: Allison Gaines
Tags: Equality, Twerk, Dancing, BlackLivesMatter, Race

Twerking provides health benefits

While the critics have a lot to say about twerking, this dance is here to stay. Twerking enhances women’s confidence, relieves stress, benefits mental health, and provides a boost to women’s sex lives. Some women prefer to twerk in private, while others will engage in public shake sessions. Nevertheless, twerking offers long term health benefits.

Like every dance form, twerking provides the human body with exercise. If you want to twerk, no one has to know. It can be a secret between you and your mirror or romantic partner. This dance is not easy, but anyone can learn. Big Freedia, the Queen of Bounce, critiqued Miley Cyrus for her poor form. It requires doing squats and requires muscle control.

Twerking involves squatting down low and popping your butt back and forward in a strangely hypnotic motion. Twerking strengthens muscles in just about every part of your body (Adekanye, 2019).

For those looking for an exercise routine they can stick with, twerking can add some fun to an otherwise arduous workout routine. Women have effectively capitalized on this dance form’s benefits by creating classes for women to learn how to twerk. Women of all shapes and sizes can enjoy this dance form, which focuses on toning and flexing muscles.

What the critics fail to understand is twerking makes women feel good. Despite the restauranteur assuming that women who twerk lack self-respect, the truth is twerking increases the likelihood of women enjoying their bodies. Imagine the confidence it takes to start popping your derrière. The excitement can lift women’s spirits, enhancing their self-esteem.

When you twerk , it improves the body structure, this can boost your self confidence and make your body curves more obvious (Adekanye, 2019).

Women who twerk improve their balance and flexibility. While some imply twerking over sexualizes women, assuming that moving the body invites sex is the problem. Society needs to recognize that Black women are humans, not sexual creatures. Thus, when they move their bodies, no one should assume they do it for anyone other than themselves. If people feel pleasure from seeing them dance, that is okay, but it is not always the point.

Twerking for your partner is as equally arousing for the giver as it is for the receiver (Adekanye, 2019).

Some women participate in private twerk sessions for their romantic partners. If you are looking for a great way to surprise your significant other, learning to twerk can be the unsuspecting element your love life needs. Still, you do not have to share your twerking skills with anyone. When you do, it reflects confidence and comfortability with yourself and the people around you.

The benefits of twerking are long-lasting and can even decrease the chance of mental decline as people age. Because twerking requires innovative movements, it stimulates brain function.

According to research, twerking is also a workout for the brain and has even been shown to reduce the risk of dementia (Adekanye, 2019).

With all of the benefits from twerking, it can be easy to see why many women join this dance revolution. The concept of respectability requires that someone outside of you respects you. However, people should not shape their decisions entirely on the opinions of others. Eurocentric etiquette should not come before health, wellness, and joy. Valuing yourself is much more important than what other people think.