“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.”

-Malcolm X (1962)

(Originally made on insta by @michaelabalogun)

[Multiple people have pointed out that the Sojourner Truth speech isn’t accurate. Interesting none of you bother recommending other resources to spread awareness of what it’s like to be a Black Woman while you are pulling attention away from the main point–Black Women need to be recognized. If you have such a problem with how accurate the speech is, just know I looked into it and apparently she approved the second version which also expresses how she’s feeling. Let’s move on or pm me and I can list some alternatives if it’s weighing on your mind.]

The police caught and arrested him. But despite the heinous and violent crimes he was credibly accused of, he was released without bail. He was free for three months AFTER police discovered  that he was abusing 12 underage black girls.

Chrystul Kizer was raped and trafficked by this man for years.

She’s now facing life in prison for defending herself against her attacker.

Free Chrystul Kizer!!!

Pls spread help spread the news!

SIGN THE PETITION

this isn’t an old post; the screenshot has a typo: her hearing is scheduled for february of 2020 and if she is convicted as charged she will spend life in prison. she will likely never be granted clemency. her case and the court are far more stacked against her than they were for cyntoia brown, who regardless still spent 15 years in prison.

please sign the petition. 

“I chose an android because the android to me represents ‘the other’ in our society,” she said in 2010. “I can connect to the other, because it has so many parallels to my own life – just by being a female, African-American artist in today’s music industry. … Whether you’re called weird or different, all those things we do to make people uncomfortable with themselves, I’ve always tried to break out of those boundaries.”

Dirty Computer opens with an ominous voiceover spoken by Monáe, who coldly informs us of the bleak reality we’re about to enter. “They started calling us Computers,” she intones. “People began vanishing – and the Cleaning began. You were dirty if you looked different. You were dirty if you refused to live the way they dictated. You were dirty if you showed any form of opposition at all.”

From Rolling Stone, Why Janelle Monae’s ‘Dirty Computer’ Film Is a Timely New Sci-Fi Masterpiece 

From what I can see misogynoir in fandom doesn’t always look like tearing Black female characters and fans down. It can also look friendly and benign on the surface.

Like, take some of the additions to the very welcome news that Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson are considering doing a remake of the 1992 hit The Bodyguard together.

One commenter on this post, for instance, thought that Chris must look up to Tessa like a big sister after having worked with her.

Uh, really? Big sister? Chris and Tessa are the same age, both born in 1983, and if you want to split hairs Chris was born in August and Tessa in October of that year. Yet this commenter somehow assigned the elder sister role to Tessa. I wonder why. Could it have anything to do with the fact that Black people tend to be seen as older starting from childhood onward? Also with the fact that Black people are frequently cast as caretakers and supporter for white people?

There’s also the really interesting fact that this commenter’s mind reflexively went to “brother and sister” when faced with the possibility that Chris and Tessa might be playing the leads of this blatantly romantic movie. Where have I heard the implied comparisons to incest before? Oh yeah, in response to every fucking Black/white ship ever. Because SOMETHING about these ships immediately brings some people’s minds to incest, i.e. an abomination. Which is a pretty hypocritical hill to die on, given how much fandom loves its actually incestuous white ships, your Wincests and Joneryses.

Then there was the addition to that same Bodyguard post saying that this was only valid if Tessa was the bodyguard and I’m like… *heavy sigh* Look, I agree there’s a certain girl power appeal in the delicate and petite Tessa being the bodyguard of that hulking humongous hunk Chris. If we were talking about a white woman I’d  love that setup. But the thing is, that commenter is–probably with the best of intentions–perpetuating the idea that a Black woman is automatically a caretaker to a white dude rather than someone who is herself cherished, vulnerable, and protected. What is progressive and empowering for a white cis woman is not necessarily so for other women.

I don’t think the people saying these things were malicious, nor would they think they’re hating Black women. This isn’t a matter of intent or personal morality, though. Sometimes racism, misogyny, and the toxic combination of the two don’t look like hatred, but more like unchecked assumptions to unpack and unlearn.

Gonna bring this essay back every time some dipshit tells me this is a non-issue and that I should stop writing about what I fucking want on my own blog :)

“What is progressive and empowering for a white cis woman is not necessarily so for other women.”

Relegating black women to traditionally masculine roles is also really just reiterating the whole “black women are manly, unlike our delicate, feminine white women” argument that has propped up white women since slavery. @ white cis women: even if it isn’t your intent, our arguments can (and do!) still exist in specific, historically racist contexts.

This reminds me of when Lupita Nyong’o got cast in Black Panther and I saw hella people and outlets saying “But why does she need to play a love interest tho :( “ like there is some huge amount of black love interests in mainstream Hollywood blockbusters. 

he said fuck you and then blocked me LMAO.

Also, what does being sexually attracted to black women have to do with liking the character? Can you only enjoy female characters you feel you could hypothetically have sex with???

That’s exactly it actually. 

White men have to want to sleep with her and white women have to want to be her. Otherwise in their minds there’s no point. She might as well not exist. And in their minds she shouldn’t. Any failure to meet this criteria is a grievous assault to their sensibilities. And they will rant and rant until it is “fixed” somehow. The pride that comes from their privilege will allow nothing else. 

This especially applies to the racist uproar over Hallie Baily playing Ariel.

Not being attracted to Black women is a preference based on racism. Flat out. Black women, like any other group, are incredibly diverse and the only way you can say you don’t like the entire group is if you have some preconceived, stereotypical idea about them.

From what I can see misogynoir in fandom doesn’t always look like tearing Black female characters and fans down. It can also look friendly and benign on the surface.

Like, take some of the additions to the very welcome news that Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson are considering doing a remake of the 1992 hit The Bodyguard together.

One commenter on this post, for instance, thought that Chris must look up to Tessa like a big sister after having worked with her.

Uh, really? Big sister? Chris and Tessa are the same age, both born in 1983, and if you want to split hairs Chris was born in August and Tessa in October of that year. Yet this commenter somehow assigned the elder sister role to Tessa. I wonder why. Could it have anything to do with the fact that Black people tend to be seen as older starting from childhood onward? Also with the fact that Black people are frequently cast as caretakers and supporter for white people?

There’s also the really interesting fact that this commenter’s mind reflexively went to “brother and sister” when faced with the possibility that Chris and Tessa might be playing the leads of this blatantly romantic movie. Where have I heard the implied comparisons to incest before? Oh yeah, in response to every fucking Black/white ship ever. Because SOMETHING about these ships immediately brings some people’s minds to incest, i.e. an abomination. Which is a pretty hypocritical hill to die on, given how much fandom loves its actually incestuous white ships, your Wincests and Joneryses.

Then there was the addition to that same Bodyguard post saying that this was only valid if Tessa was the bodyguard and I’m like… *heavy sigh* Look, I agree there’s a certain girl power appeal in the delicate and petite Tessa being the bodyguard of that hulking humongous hunk Chris. If we were talking about a white woman I’d  love that setup. But the thing is, that commenter is–probably with the best of intentions–perpetuating the idea that a Black woman is automatically a caretaker to a white dude rather than someone who is herself cherished, vulnerable, and protected. What is progressive and empowering for a white cis woman is not necessarily so for other women.

I don’t think the people saying these things were malicious, nor would they think they’re hating Black women. This isn’t a matter of intent or personal morality, though. Sometimes racism, misogyny, and the toxic combination of the two don’t look like hatred, but more like unchecked assumptions to unpack and unlearn.

Gonna bring this essay back every time some dipshit tells me this is a non-issue and that I should stop writing about what I fucking want on my own blog :)

“What is progressive and empowering for a white cis woman is not necessarily so for other women.”

Relegating black women to traditionally masculine roles is also really just reiterating the whole “black women are manly, unlike our delicate, feminine white women” argument that has propped up white women since slavery. @ white cis women: even if it isn’t your intent, our arguments can (and do!) still exist in specific, historically racist contexts.

OK So.....

I’ve seen a couple posts where some white and non-black users are getting offended when people say, “Erik doesn’t like white women” and complaining about stories with  “*character* x black! reader” (most of this is surrounded around Black Panther, but I’m talking to all fandoms).

First, let’s not beat around the bush. (For those who saw the movie) Erik had an obvious disdain for white people, so him having any kind of relationship with a white person isn’t really believable, but hey believe what you want.

I really want to talk about this ‘issue’ of “character x black!/POC!reader”. Honestly…I laugh every time I see that. It’s really hilarious how some white and non-black users think they have the audacity to be mad at that. Like do you hear yourself????

It’s funny how when Y'all see that tag it’s: “Oh my gaahhh!! They put POC!reader in their tags, they are being prejudiced towards us and they’re excluding us. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!”

Nononono sweetheart, once again this is not about YOU. Us putting that tag is not some symbolic “fuck you” poke. We put that tag in our story to let other POC know: “Hey sis I gotchu, here’s something you can read and feel like you’re included.”

You’re mad because you feel like you can’t relate to a black or POC character, well that’s how we felt when we read a so-called “reader-insert” that’s meant to be ambiguous to the reader but then read, “he ran his fingers through her blonde, silky hair as he gazed into her light green eyes, causing her cheeks to blush pale red.”

As a black woman, I can’t relate to that, but I don’t go on bitchin’ and moanin‘ about it like some of you are doing. Whenever I came across stories like that, I stopped reading and moved on, because 12 times out of 10 if I did say something, I’d be ignored or told “stop complaining” or “STFU and go write it yourself if you want it so bad.”  

If you don’t like a story, here’s a great tip: DON’T READ IT & MOVE TF ON! Don’t go on a writer’s blog talking about how offended you feel about the POC!reader tag or send hate, and be surprised when they tear you a new one or block you.

P.S.: There are plenty of stories out there where you get to be Tony’s or Natasha’s sibling and get to date characters from the Black Panther, Marvel, DC, etc. fandoms. Believe me, I’ve seen and read them, but I haven’t gone to the blogger and bombarded them with hate.  Try It Sometime!

As a white female, I don’t give a shit what color your skin is. If you’re nice to me I’ll be nice to you. Simple as that.

We found one. ^^^ A white woman that just HAS to comment on a post and make it about her. She’s part of the “all women” group.

Don’t question Black girls and women as to why they’re looking forward to seeing themselves as a vulnerable, demure, and loved sea princess when you all fight tooth an nail to masculinize all the other characters who resemble them.

Thanks.

And you know…this whole thing just makes me think if you–as an individual–think something is regressive and sexist, but the Black women being represented are excited, why can’t you just take that as a sign that maybe this isn’t for you? I mean, you’re allowed to enjoy it if you want…but since you’re making it clear that it’s not going to be something you enjoy, why not just butt out and avoid it and let us have this nice thing for once?

Like, this is the kind of shit I’m talking about.

Seriously, if you are not a Black woman, do not step in and give us your feminist™ two cents.

Thanks.

Black women: “Being loved and portrayed as sweet and soft is very uncommon characterization for black women and we’d like to see us represented that way more often.”

Whyt women: “Actually that’s misogyny so stop lauding this godawful sexist stereotype.”

…and to add to this, I think it also illustrates that they probably don’t interact with Black women or make any real effort to.

For every post I make about Brunhilde (Valkyrie), Anna Diop/Starfire, Halle Bailey/Ariel, Candice Patton/Iris West, I’d say there’s at least an 80% chance some non-Black fan attempts to talk over me about them and how they’re treated by writers and the fandom. They really don’t think outside their own experiences and stop and listen to at least try to understand ours.

White people: You know what? Scarlett Johansson should be allowed to play anyone! It doesn't matter if the character is a trans man or woman of japanese descent

*Lashana Lynch gets announced as the next 007*

White people:

I mean yes its obvious that disney didnt become woke overnight and casted a black actress as ariel for little mermaid out of sheer goodness of their heart or to spite racist people and yeah i understand that some leftists might want to point this out in case some people start hailing Disney as a woke corporations but im also highly suspicious at all those posts made by white leftists urging or implying people to boycott/not watch this live action little mermaid bc then they’d be “falling right into the corporation’s plans” and “giving corporations new methods to attract attention and money from marginalized people” bc like, this type of shit legit only happens when a black woman or any other POC is casted as a main role or in place of a white person lol. Hell, ive even seen posts making fun of people celebrating a black woman being casted for ariel and calling them “dumb” for “falling for disney’s scheme” and its inchresting how most of them are coming from white leftists

I remember when beyonce was headlining coachella and there were loads of posts urging people to boycott it bc of the homophobic owners but that same enthusiasm towards its boycott was lacking this year when ariana grande and tame impala was headlining coachella. Most people were up for a third version of spiderman movies till zendaya was casted as MJ and suddenly everyone was talking about how unnecessary three versions of spiderman movies were. And there are more examples like this.

Also so many of those posts talking about how casting of black ariel is a marketing strategy are bordering on implying that halle isnt as talented to play the role as the other white actress choices were and was casted just bc of “woke points” which is exactly what racists and right wingers are saying about this so id advice yall to be vary of posts like those esp if they are coming from white leftists. White leftists using other social justice concepts to mask and propagate their racism isnt a new thing in leftist circles.

If you think a white actor earned their role but a black actor must have “taken it” from a more deserving (white) actor, or must have been “given it” to meet some imaginary quota, then you’re racist.

If you think white people earned their positions through merit but black people must have “taken” or “been given” it because they couldn’t possibly have earned their position through merit too, then you’re racist.

White leftists really think Black people are just mindlessly clamoring to Disney because we are too stupid to see that they are using diversity as a pretext to hide their evil corporate practices. It’s wild how “there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism” is no longer relavent when it’s Black people happy about a Black mermaid. White leftists, who have been relatively quiet about white Disney fanatics who consume Disney shit uncritically for years and build personalities around loving the company, are now pretending as if they care about Black people who are well aware of how diversity is being used to capitalize on us as a market. Just stop. We aren’t foolish so desperate for diversity that we ignore larger critiques of capitalism. Sure there are Black people who are uncritical of Disney but sure are some white people who lap up Disney shit with or without diversity marketing ploys.

Let Black people have a thing and stop pretending as if you give a shit about how Black dollars are exploited.

I also have a question: where these people when white people were losing their minds over Frozen and praising that movie for being ‘feminist’? 

I’m sorry but I remember this vividly. When Frozen came out, there were tons of articles talking about how progressive it was and so many people claimed it was extremely feminist. Where were people then? How come now people are talking about how Disney is a bankrupt company but there was no talk about how people were mindlessly eating up Frozen merchandise? 

The only reason they care about black people being exploited now is that a black girl took away their ‘redhead representation’ and they don’t want to be labeled a racist. 

With Ariel being black, just think of the loss reputation. A Danish girl or boy who hasn’t heard their accent or seen their culture in a Disney movie like that. Yeah there’s a lot of white representation but that’s English and American representation. Maybe Disney should be making new princesses for reputation rather than us taking over one just to get that freedom. They can make a movie about animals in Africa but not people?

For the last time ARIEL ISN’T DANISH! She’s from a mythical underwater kingdom. Her story doesn’t even take place in Denmark and no one speaks Danish. Yeah Hans was a Danish man but he never specifically set the story of TLM in Denmark

Were you this concerned when British Lily James and Emma Watson played Ella and Belle, two French characters?

Were you upset when Australian Adelaide Kane, played Mary Queen of Scots?  Or when Toby Regbo and Meghan Fellowes played French and Italian royals?

Or when Borgias and Medici Masters of Florence cast mostly Northern European actors to play Italians?

Or when The Spanish Princess cast Charlotte Hope as Catherine of Aragon, despite not being Spanish?

Or when Kristen Stewart, Lilly Collins, and Ginnifer Goodwin played Snow White, despite none of them being German?

Or when Margot Robbie, an Australian, played Queen Elizabeth?

Are you bothered by Alexander Ludwig and Amber Heard (reportedly) playing Hercules and Meg, even though they’re not Greek?

Or when Natalie Portman and Scarlet Johanssen played Anne and Mary Boleyn?

Or when Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, and Rene Russo all played gods from Norse mythology?  Not one of them is Scandinavian.

Or when Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig played Swedish characters in the Girl with The Dragon Tattoo? 

Why does Ariel’s casting bother you more than any of these others? 

…ok, but what does the “strong independent black woman” trope have to do with the depiction of straight relationships being the decided upon norm? Or mixed raced couples?

Black women RARELY are written as love interests and they are literally NOT put there as a hindrance to LGBTQ+ representation, because they are not thought of or portrayed as love interests.

…ok…. I’m not saying they aren’t underrepresented as love interests… But your argument is about them as love interests to nonblack men. A hetero hypothetical.

I’m asking you, what does black women not being with nonblack men have to do with non straight relationships?

What do trends in straight relationships have to do with LGBT relationships?

I’m too tired for this. If any of my followers want to take this one, be my guest. ✌🏽

Normativity is defined as “pertaining to the average or expected behavior patterns of a group or community.“ Interracial relationships are not normative in American media or society. Heterosexual interracial relationships are in actuality seen as a bigger threat to society than same sex interracial relationships because of the possibility of biological reproduction, which is the real reason IRs are opposed. (Even during the “post racial” Obama era, Americans had a mass meltdown over an ad showing a normalized mixed race couple with children).

The problem with people using the term “heteronormative” to describe interracial pairings in media is that it ignores all of that to imply that the pairings fall under the socially accepted default when they do not.

In the case of fandoms, whiteness is highly prioritized and mlm slash – for better or worse – is celebrated, while characters of color are generally scorned or ignored. To then suggest that het pairings involving CoC are sexually normative – ie, to say that they have a social advantage because it’s het – is absurd.

It’s really not that hard to comprehend. You can’t call an interracial couple in tv/movies “heteronormative” when it’s not even a norm. Hetero? Yes. Normative? Absolutely not; characters of color are actively excluded from being romantic interests, especially to white characters, or even being characters in the first place. White straight romances ARE heteronormative because they are normalized in tv/movies and treated as a default.

Examples;

Rick and Michonne (The Walking Dead); was met with backlash in favor of a toxic relationship with an insignificant character but she was white so it was love at first sight. Meanwhile, Rick and Michonne, white man and black woman, had literal years of development in their relationship to the point they lived together before actually making it official.

Guinevere and King Arthur (Merlin); was met with backlash and alternative facts of history to justify hating the fact the Queen to King Arthur is black. That’s literally the couple’s only criticism since the writers made an effort to build them up as individuals and then a couple.

Iris and Barry (The Flash); self explanatory. The hate is real.

Veil and Sunny (Into the Badlands); a rare interracial relationship with two people of color, a black woman and an Asian man - almost never shown. They openly tried white washing Veil by claiming the actress was a tanned white woman and the actress herself had to check them on twitter.

These couples faced backlash because interracial pairings are not normative nor socially accepted, and to refer to them as heteronormative is really dishonest, disrespectful, and factually incorrect.

Also LGBT+ rep present in tv/movies is VERY white.

And then there are the times the shows were just too chickenshit to go there, instead baiting viewers (sound familiar, slash fandom?). Two classic examples are Doctor Who (Martha and 10 didn’t have to ever become sexual partners – the non-sexual nature of the Doctor/companion(s) relationship creates some wonderful dynamics – but Martha was too often treated with downright emotional ambivalence compared to 10s other companions), and Sleepy Hollow, where Abbie and Ichabod was actually the top ship and the fans were very vocal about it, and the show ultimately burned itself to the ground rather than do it.

I s2g, as someone who never saw Merlin but did come into contact with it through online osmosis, I had no idea Guinevere was Black or that she was even a CHARACTER in the show. The only content I ever saw coming out of that fandom was Arthur/Merlin. Gwen never got a mention in any of the gifsets or metas or discussions I saw. Ever.

“[T]he characterization of fans who critique the whiteness of fan spaces as ‘policing activists’ rather than people invested in communal pleasure is fundamental to how white supremacy maintains itself.”

(Part II)

This part accords exactly with my own experience (emphasis mine):

The bolded part I think bears emphasis because of the common and very, very calculated conflation of fandom criticism with “bullying” and "policing.” In fact, a fandom racism denialist tried to explain my own experience to me by claiming @diversehighfantasy had “strong-armed” me into shipping Finnrey. This, despite my emphasizing from the start how calm and courteous Holly had been when pointing out the racialized way media portrays romance. Forget tone policing, it doesn’t even seem to matter how gentle the tone is. Mentioning race in any capacity in fandom at all is by itself characterized as violence, and by extension Black women who speak up are characterized as scary bullies.

I mean if Holly had somehow twisted my arm to change my shipping preference that would be to her credit because fuck yeah Finnrey, but I’m afraid she can’t claim that much credit. :P Much like Rukmini, my preferences weren’t diminished or controlled in any way by racism discourse in fandom, they were expanded once I was able to get over myself and look past my own defensiveness.