Live Through This...

Reading Frank Ocean’s comment about the Grammys, I can’t believe people are seriously focusing on Taylor Swift. Get over it. She will be mentioned and half of the time whatever’s being said, might not be true. What Frank Ocean said about the Grammys and her win was ABSOLUTELY true, but I don’t have the time to discuss all the reasons for that. Now, Frank’s quote above... I don’t know about you, but as a black woman trying to make her way in the film industry, that was one of the most powerful things to be said. A lot of you sit there and talk about how men in whatever industries neglect to bring up how women are being treated... Okay, that’s cool, but realize when you say that it mostly extends to and recognizes white women, not women of color. This extends to a majority of things -- from various industries to even feminism (let’s be serious and acknowledge that the concerns/issues of women of color are often left out or forgotten). Growing up, two things that I heard within the black community that I didn’t understand until I started getting older: “the two worst things you can be in this world are a black, gay man or a black woman”. If you’ve never heard that before, let that  really sink in and think of why.

Now yes, Taylor was mentioned, but have you ever really asked yourself why? She’s not just a fun person to drag, Taylor is probably the biggest representation of what Frank was talking about. Let’s be serious, Taylor Swift is a dime a dozen... She’s a great performer and I won’t take that away from her, but it’s nothing you haven’t seen before. Why is that in world where there are tons of Taylor Swifts winning awards for just okay music, that women of color only can get recognized when it’s across the board, indisputable that they have talent? Like, why do they have to be a Lauryn Hill or Beyonce for someone to say they deserve an award? I think it’s even more bothersome that women of color, especially black women, not only have to compete with other women for equality, but with men of their own race as well. If you really wanna talk about being at the bottom of the societal food chain, well there ya go...

What Frank Ocean said was light and only scratched the surface of a much larger, uncomfortable issue, and if all you got out of that was “why are people attacking Taylor again?” and then shifting the issue to another one, well, you missed the point. 

Like I get that it was created for people to celebrate and embrace their blackness and I 100 percent think that shouldn’t change, I just don’t think it should be a “black only” admittance. Like vendors and artists, sure, but it shouldn’t be limited. Like this could be an opportunity to educate people on the BLM movement and cultural appropriation and other things, too. I know as informed as I try to be, I’m not totally there because I am not centered in this community and I have not experienced these things. 

This could be a great opportunity to expose other people to black culture and teach them and get them to really appreciate it and give credit where credit is due instead of having more of the “boxer braids” thing happen again and when runway takes from black culture this could be a great opportunity to teach non-black people why the black community is so upset. 

These festivals are set up to promote community (and to make money) and let everyone in. Mind you will have have a very different feel to them if you’re white/white passing, but anyone can go. That’s what open to the public means. (Never forget this can happen tho)

I’d say you’d have a different feel not being punk, but afropunk has been fleeing from anything really counter culture for a years. (Bonus link)

Be a little weirder, be a little more you. Wear yr hair that one way nobody else likes. Shave – or skip it – if it makes you feel free. Tell the joke when it strikes you, sing with your headphones on the train, compliment a stranger – the way you’d want to be complimented if someone found they were suddenly in love with you.