Rapper Megan Thee Stallion opened up about being shot by singer Tory Lanez a few weeks ago. As the press and social media began to peg her for the full story, she emotionally came out to tell the truth. However, the incident is bigger than what happened. Every black woman who experienced abuse and wasn’t heard when they spoke on it knew what Megan was feeling.
The first alarming point of Megan’s explanation was the fact she felt obligated to protect Tory from the cruel penalties black men are given that most likely end in death. Even as she stood victim to an injury that could have ruined her ability to perform, she was reluctant to speak up on his behalf.
The act of reporting black men to the police has been touchy for a while but especially during this summer as many black men don’t even make it to the jail cell after an encounter with the police. However, the pressure of seeming “against the people” hindered even Megan’s ability to speak up for herself given her platform.
Megan Thee Stallion also uploaded a teary-eyed video trying to explain how she felt. Struggling to get the words out, her fans flooded the comments with support. However, others on social media took Megan’s incident for a joke. Much of the blame and questions somehow shifted to Megan while Tory’s feed remained dry. Megan being shot became a meme instead of taken seriously.
The courage Megan had to post her injuries on social media shows how much she felt the need to prove herself just to gain some sympathy. Even so, people commented on the image accusing her of being dramatic and further dismissing her trauma. Megan isn’t the only black woman in entertainment to have been dismissed.
Keke Palmer came out a few years ago to share the story of how she was sexually harassed by singer Trey Songz. People laughed at her for locking herself in a closet just to get away from him. They insisted she should’ve gone along with his behavior because of who he is. The blame was put on the victim once again instead of the predator.
Even on the pedestal they stand on and the influence they have, both Keke and Megan couldn’t escape the peril that quiets black women every day. From leaving their abuser, to reporting their abuser or even telling a friend, the trend of black women being quieted and blamed for their abuse proves fatal to their emotions and mental health.
Fingers are rarely pointed at the man responsible for their pain because black women have been painted in a light of resilience and strength almost to an unnatural extent. Therefore, weakness and trauma have no room to exist. Even when they speak on their pain, there is little support and little action to protect them from the same fate.
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