Workstitutes: Overview and Explanation

By: Matthew C. Stelly

Work and work/Those fingers to the bone/Can’t hardly wait ‘til it’s time/To go home.”

---From “Carwash” (Rose Royce, 1977)

Workstitutes. I created this word to define the role that black people have paid to American society during and since slavery. We all know what a prostitute is defined as: “One who solicits and accepts payment for sex acts,” or “One who sells one’s abilities, talents, or name for an unworthy purpose.” (The Free Dictionary, 2013).

Black people in America are the most comfortable workstitutes in the world. And the brainwashing has been so intense and successful, that most of us don’t even see it. And if you attempt to explain it, they will look at you as if you slapped their mama. Of course white folks are workstitutes as well. But there are exceptions to their “booty selling” status.

For one thing the pimps – you may know them as decision making leaders -- are also white, so naturally the street level workstitutes – corporate leaders, managers, supervisors, politicians and so on – are going to get a bigger break than the black workstitutes. Even the black workstitutes that occupy high-ranking positions and have high status jobs (“niggerologist” slots) are still worse off because of their skin color and cowardice. Afraid to even ADMIT that they are workstitutes, the “pimps” who cut the checks and dominate the decisions disrespect them. And that disrespect is recognized all over the world as people coming to America from other countries look at black people and ask, “Why you not doing bettah dan dat?” Some just come out and say it: “What wrong wit’ nigga in dis country?”

Workstitution is an American norm and is required for all “able bodied adults.” Now think back to the definition of prostitution for a minute: One who sells one’s abilities, talents, or name for an unworthy purpose.” What could be more unworthy than believing in a system that has shown for over 400 years, that it doesn’t believe in you? What could be more unworthy than selling one’s body and energy in exchange for money from one white man and then turning around and paying it out to another one? What could be more unworthy than believing that after being enslaved for 400 years, a process that included dehumanization, that you could be “freed” by the same people?

You need look no further than next door to hear cars cranking up early in the morning with black folks headed to work. Look at the public transportation: packed with bodies. Look at the day labor companies: packed with blacks and Latinos. Everybody wants to work so they can get money to pay into the system. I know: we all have to survive, and money is the key. I’m just describing what is taking place and who all is involved and who is in control. The more information and creativity, the lighter the yoke you’ll carry. The problem is that workstitution has become a GOAL that is sanctioned by schools, community leaders, your spouse and yo’ mama.

You’ve heard women describing their men based on where they work. You’ve heard them in the clubs; the first questions they ask is “where do you work?” You’ve seen men boasting when they get one of those “bottom bitch in the stable” jobs where they get to wear suits, tripping about how good they’ve got it? I liken this to those house negroes who used to get to wear hand me down suits and ties when they served “de massa” and then go back to the houses out back and boast about how good they had it.

Conservative curmudgeon Judge Judy Scheindlin leads the pack in ordering people to “get a job!” Black men are admonished to “find a job!” Movies, including the hilarious “Hollywood Shuffle” tell us that “there’s always work at the post office.” Even the Bible talks about a man is judged by his works. But at least in those days people worked for the village or the tribe they were a part of. Today, we work for an alien race and when we are ready to retire (from life), most of us don’t have a pot to piss in or anything to show that we were ever here on life. Oh, there is ONE thing: a headstone that deservingly reads, “long-time service to this system. May he rest in pieces.”

Nobody wants to create a job. We can learn something from the “renegade prostitutes.” They cut out the middle man (the pimp) and go to work for themselves. After all, it’s their body and skill set that is making the money: why give it to some third party who will (maybe) in turn, dole out a little chump change for you to spend? These prostitutes make the money and they keep it. And sure, they might end up paying back into the system, but just consider that overhead. At least they work on their own schedule and they have free time that could be used (I’m not saying that it is) to work in the community and make a difference.

Workstitutes can do the same thing. People have watched us and stolen from us and learned from us for centuries. Then they turn around and sell it back to us. We go to work for them and make them rich and then turn around and give it back. We have all the energy and talent and then we give it back to the same system that steals it, markets it, and takes credit for it. This, while telling the world, that we are worthless, deviant and lazy.

 Workstitutes. That’s what we are. I’ll write more in the future in what is sure to be titled, “Workstitutes II: Toward De-Pimpification.”