Stop Policing My Narrative
(note: this is another repost from my previous site, it was originally posted on 6/17/20)
The past three weeks have been a whirlwind with the uprising of BLM protests since the unjust death of George Floyd and 120 others, having a raging Cheeto in office, a possible war, and COVID is still raging on. There’s been a lot going on around, one thing peaked my interest, black men policing black women’s narratives and opinions on twitter and it’s too many people doing that.
Whether it’s about the predatory actions of men toward women or how women should take the time to educate men on how to treat women. Some black men want to be babied, not taught or reformed. When the discussion of sexual assault and sexual harassment, overall rape culture in the black community is was meant with some backlash. The backlash came in the form of black men and some black women that felt like the discussion was causing discourse in the movement as if we are multi-dimensional people. This is very off putting to say the least. As the BLM movement should include all sections of black people, but some act like it doesn’t.
The black community has a problem with having multiple identities at once. It’s like a battle within one person, where they have to choose to either be black or gay when it’s equal parts of one’s identity. The black LGBTQIA+ are very much apart of this movement and should not be excluded. As @laysleeeb on Tiktok (@jaxafroot who repost the video on twitter) stated, “You CAN NOT be a supporter of the BLM movement and be homophobic. The BLM movement was created for ALL black lives.”
But alas, this isn’t the first time in these three weeks seeing the discourse in the BLM, following the trend of “I am black, before I’m gay” that swarmed through social media to the current one, that education is needed for others to be informed. Women
On to the later part I’ve mentioned, J.Cole, a rapper from Fayetteville, made a diss track released yesterday that jabbed at Noname, a rapper from Chicago. She called out rappers that talk about need for changes in the songs but don’t actually act when it’s time to stand up in the know deleted tweet. While she never mentioned anyone, J.Cole still made a diss track. And when taking a look at his diss track, I would have to agree that J.Cole was out of line. He tries to say that he’s not that educated and that he needs to work on that, however for the ‘she’ (which I’ll be eluding to Noname) needs to watch her tone. This has caused an uproar as J.Cole’s diss is very insensitive as Noname has taken the time to properly educate herself and correct herself when called out for it.
J.Cole is an educated black man, that went to St. John University and would have the knowledge to know where to find the same articles that Noname found to educate herself. He tries to use her criticism at others — as she didn’t name anyone — as a diss of him. As if she is using her intellect to put herself above others when that wasn’t the case. She stated that rappers will take about the injustice in their music but won’t step up when it’s time. Let it be said that stepping up can be done in multiple ways via speaking up, going to protests, helping other protestors, and donating monetarily. Yes, J.Cole has went to protests and whatnot but there are other rappers that have made the BLM protests into a publicity stunt or a music video. That critic wasn’t in anyway targeting anyone for knowing less, but a calling for people to reach out and grab a book, an article, or simply listen to a friend, really listen. To stop being ignorant and sticking their head in the sand, hoping for normal to come back. When I mean really listen to that friend, I mean really listen. It’s not that hard to educate yourself, especially with the proper resources and enough willingness.
My point at the end of this is for others to stop policing another’s narrative. I’ve seen too many black men doing this whether it’s about someone’s own story of sexual assault to someone’s criticism for others to do better. I find it unnerving that black men that have shouted out to want to be educated but isn’t willing to listen. As I’ve said before, to be educated in any form you have to research, read, and listen.
