A month that keeps revealing how Black women are diminished, dismissed, and endangered.
 |
Transparently, I’ve been having trouble putting words to how I feel about these back to back attacks on Black women this month that we’ve learned about publicly. And I’m sure there’s more. It bothers me every time. Too many of y’all are not protecting or respecting Black women in life or death, and it will never not piss me off. April alone has shown us Black women being treated as less than human, often ending in loss of life. I can’t even move through my day without thinking about it, so I write
.Starting with Coach Dawn Staley. My girl. My girl. My girl. On April 3rd she led South Carolina to victory over UConn in the 2026 Women’s Final Four, 62–48. A moment worthy of celebration. After the final buzzer, during the handshake, UConn coach Geno Auriemma comes over angry, pointing, yelling, all up in her space. An old white privilege temper tantrum because he felt she didn’t meet him for a pregame handshake. Sir, be serious.
Now folks want to focus on the clip of Dawn saying “I will beat Geno’s ass” and act like that’s the issue. Excuse me? You come at me loud, aggressive, disrespectful, and I’m supposed to just stand there composed? That expectation, especially for Black women, is the problem. Historically, y’all think we are lesser than, so you can say and do whatever with no consequence. Sometimes folks need to be reminded that an ass whooping is always a possibility if you keep playing in people’s faces. Respect is not optional.
He apologized later. First general, then directly. As he should have. But let’s be clear, the standard for Coach Dawn is different because she is a Black woman. Geno would not have done that with his white male counterparts. He hasn’t. And the people defending him, you are part of the problem too. Let Black women win and shine in peace.
Then we have Ashly Robinson, a New Jersey content creator. She went to Zanzibar for her 31st birthday with her boyfriend. There’s video of him proposing behind some large wild cat, she says yes, leaps up into his arms, kisses, all that. By April 8th they’re arguing so badly the hotel separates them, putting them in different villas. Sometime between the night of the 8th and early morning on the 9th she’s found unresponsive by a hotel staffer when she did not answer the door after requesting a phone charger. By April 10th she’s pronounced dead. Her fiancé claims she hung herself. Her parents are questioning everything. They spoke to her frequently while she was on the trip. She was not suicidal. She was happy.
Stories like this hit me deeply. Too often Black women travel with people they trust and don’t come back. And what makes it worse is the comment section choir talking nonsense like “this is why you shouldn’t date white men.” What? The data is clear. Black women are disproportionately killed by romantic partners across the board. In fact, CDC data shows Black women are about 2.5 to 3 times more likely to be killed by an intimate partner than white women. And let’s be real about “loyalty” too, since y’all love to bring that up. Roughly 86 to 94 percent of married Black women are married to Black men, making Black women one of the most racially loyal groups when it comes to long term partnership. So no, the race of the partner does not equal safety. We are being murdered, period. Stop speaking on things you haven’t done research on yourself.
Case in point, Metayer Bowen, Vice Mayor of Coral Springs, Florida. Found dead in her home on April 1 after missing city meetings, which led to a welfare check. Police discovered her body wrapped in blankets and trash bags. Her husband, Steven Bowen, a Black man, was arrested and charged with first degree premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. He later confessed, saying he “couldn’t take it anymore.” She was scheduled to announce her run for Florida’s 20th Congressional District that very day. Gone. So no, proximity to any race of man does not protect Black women.
And then Dr. Cerina Fairfax. Killed April 16 in an apparent murder suicide involving her husband, Justin Fairfax. She filed for divorce. Said she didn’t feel safe. Put cameras up. Did everything right. Still gone.
Like Malcolm X said in his 1962 speech Who Taught You to Hate Yourself?, 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. And here we are in 2026, still watching that truth play out in real time. And I refuse to sit and be quiet about it.
April showers might bring May flowers, but right now it is not growing a more caring humanity. And that is what’s really upsetting.
No comments:
Post a Comment