I am only here by the grace of God. Thanking the most high for my life.
I got dragged by some strangers on the internet last summer because I was making risky decisions that could have made me the next Black death hashtag. I would love to say it was an encouraging conversation. Since 2020, Black women and girls in the US are four times more likely to die by violence than White or Hispanic women. Half the recorded murders of trans and gender non-conforming people in 2020 were of Black trans women.
Femicide is the highest form of violence against women, the intentional killing with gender specific motivation. Femicide may be driven by discrimination towards women and girls, the stereotyped roles that are entrenched into generations, harmful social norms or the unequal power relations between genders in some spaces. Decades of activism for women's rights have not stopped such violence because violence against women is the first tactic of conflict in the patriarchy. The increase of radical incel brainwashing from what some call the "manosphere" is significantly impacting culture. Throupled with racial capitalism's activation of racism....everywhere... Black and indigenous femicide become their own social phenomena. A universally violent and colorist misogynoir.
As a teenager, my naivete and disbelief in men's wickedness got me raped and abused. I have radically changed my modus operandum on discerning character and avoiding risk. After a decade of living alone and thugging it with no incidents, I was crushed to learn that some of my normal behaviors were still unsafe. I learned that no amount of "normal" precautions will be enough to save me from statistically heightened risk for violence as a Black woman. Everyone is prey on some streets.
Shock value and all, I am grateful for the tribe of Black women that have gathered me in this transition across the U.S. Not only am I self-sufficient, I am safe. This video from Intelexual Media on YouTube was so factual and resonant, I had to share. This is her take on black femicide in context with Cassie's abuse suit against Sean P Diddy Combs.
Check this out to see what I'm talking about. Send me your thoughts!
Cover image created with www.kittl.com
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