There was a similar pattern when women in Alabama went to the polls in a heated Senate election. The choice was between the pro-choice Democratic candidate Doug Jones and Republican candidate Roy Moore, who faced a slew of allegations that he harassed, molested, and assaulted teenage girls. Once again, the results were telling. While 98% of black women backed Jones, just 26% of white women did the same. After the election, there were calls for Democrats to listen more closely to the most reliable backbone of their base: black women.

A famous quote from Malcolm X, which found new life when it was sampled in Beyoncé’s acclaimed 2016 album Lemonade, still resonates with many people today: “The most disrespected person in America is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America is the black woman.” Even among feminists, this has been true. For years, white women have been the face of women’s rights movement—from the suffragette to the fight for equal pay—and the black women’s groundbreaking contributions have been sidelined.

The importance of black women’s recognition cannot be understated. But even as admiration for black women trends on Twitter, there’s less evidence that black women are really being listened to.

While the Golden Globes stunt gave black female activists an important platform, there were a number of awkward and uncomfortable moments both on the red carpet and during the award show. Marai Larasi, executive director of Imkaan, a British network of organizations fighting to end violence against black and minority women, attended the Globes with actress Emma Watson, and Tarana Burke, who founded the #MeToo movement over ten years ago, attended with actress Michelle Williams. But for viewers watching the red carpet on E!, it was noticeable that as soon as Burke started speaking on the red carpet, the screen split to showcase top-to-toe shots of actresses’ red carpet dresses, in what looked like a visual representation of a mind wondering from the substance of Burke’s comments.

Before you rush to hug a black women, consider this: Black women aren’t trying to save America—they’re saving themselves. They support policies that liberate themselves, their families, and their communities. Instead of hugging her, consider listening to her: Policies that focus on the needs of black women—looking at the intersection of race, gender, and class—are policies that uplift many other sections of societies, including white women, men of color, and the working class.

📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief

Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.