“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.”
Shocked. Disgusted. Angry. Irate. Sad. Triggered. Displeased. Enraged! These represent few of many emotions I am feeling after watching video of rape (YES RAPE) of a young black queen, Jasmine Eiland (which has gone viral). I must warn you, if you go looking for the clip it is horrifying and triggering. It is the reason I am writing this and it is the very reason why this article may not flow as well as it should because I am distraught and my emotions are spiraling all over the place, as your should.
Jasmine was in an Atlanta nightclub this past weekend live streaming where she was apparently drugged and raped. You could hear her clearly screaming help me, help me, stop, groaning, echoing against the loud background music sounds of pain, weakness, and sorrow with tears in her eyes. I immediately proceeded to turn the video off but that very act of retracting immediately reminded me of the very treatment of black women in America. We turn away at the mere sight of a black victim. We get all the evidence in the world and still find every reason in the book to mitigate the theory that she is to blame. Then to see people asking all of the wrong questions to determine consent:
"Where were her friends?"
"How was she dressed?"
"Well, didn't she enter a twerk contest!"
Rape is Rape! It doesn't matter what I wear or how I wear it, it is not consent.
NO MEANS FCKN NO!
As if the video and the situation weren't sad enough the part that hurts me the most, is the fact that the suspect is a black man. The one who should be diligent in his duty to protect black women, not do us harm.
Black women are not your prey! We are not your quarry or your hunting ground to satisfy your narcissistic, sexist values. As if the news and media haven't left black women feeling disposable and worthless to say the least, since the airing of the Surviving R Kelly documentary. As if the #metoomovement wasn't enough to expose the horrific reality of the lack of protection of black women. As if your misogynistic president hasn't done an adequate job telling women their useless and worthless beings taking up space next to black people and immigrants. We are constantly reminded that we are invisible. In our homes, at work, on social media, television, theater, the streets and in this case, even when we are being recorded and asking for help. It just goes to show how even after the movements, the marches, the R Kelly documentary, the many terrifying stories, and all of the evidence in the world, black women still are neglected.
WE ARE TIRED! We are drained and quite frankly #ENOUGHISENOUGH
As I write this my heart is heavy for Jasmine Eiland and any victim that has suffered at the hands of any psychopath. Their is a lump in my throat and my eyes are watery. This Surviving R Kelly media wave hasn't done a thing but uncovered how y'all really feel about black women and shown your true colors. I've seen black women victim shame other black women. I've seen black men blame black women and girls. I've seen people defend R Kelly. I've seen people justify rape and sexual assault. More than anything I've seen people spiraling about how much black women need support and I can't help but think that they are wrong. We need more than support.
sup·port
/səˈpôrt/ verb bear all or part of the weight of; hold up.
Support is the least of our worries. We need protection.
pro·tect
/prəˈtekt/ verb 1. keep safe from harm or injury.
2. aim to preserve (a threatened species) by legislating against collecting or hunting.
3. restrict by law access to or development of (land) so as to preserve its natural state.
I'm talking about a 20 vehicle motorcade, 3200 uniformed agents and 1300 unidentifiable security surrounding black women at all times. Black women need protection at all costs. Black men and women alike (especially black men) must stand and defend against wrongdoing. We can go back as far as slave days when a white woman is accusing someone of rape and the prestigious white supremacist defend her honor and leave our black brother hanging by the soles of his feet from a limp branch. We are living under extreme circumstances. This is not black against white. This is wrong versus right.
Defending black women shouldn't be complicated for black men. It should be second nature. The very fact that we are living in America fighting against white supremacy every day to preserve black people should be enough to invoke a sense of unity to protect black women. I'm tired of white people and some black men (not all) parading around as if black women serve no purpose beyond getting your rocks off. We are not the help. We are human beings, we are women, we are black women. We can no longer accept anything less than protection. Black women have been on the front lines since the inception of the black power movement. We were on the front lines of the black lives matter movement. We have proven ourselves time and time again that we will march and fight for black people.
So why can't black men do the same for us? Where are black men when other black men feel as though they have the right to sexually assault us in both public and private? Where are the black cops who say they're joining the force to enforce change? Where are black men when black women are being abused and beaten? Where are black men when we are being threatened?
We have to stop putting ourselves in a position of vulnerability whereas our white counterparts can continue to keep the upper hand on us. How do we expect to get ahead if we can't even protect and defend our own. (We truly have a long way to go) By protecting black women we are preserving black womanhood, we are preserving our community, we are preserving our ethnicity.
WE ARE PRESERVING OUR FUTURE!
Justice must be served #JasmineEiland
- Dee