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Monica

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The official site of the Cite Black Women. campaign.

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Maiya

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When Moya Bailey first coined the term "misogynoir," she defined it as the ways anti-Black and misogynistic representation shape broader ideas about Black women, particularly in visual culture and digital spaces. She had no idea that the term would go viral, touching a cultural nerve and quickly entering into the lexicon. Misogynoir now has its own Wikipedia page and hashtag, and has been featured on Comedy Central's The Daily Show and CNN's Cuomo Prime Time . In Misogynoir Transformed , Bailey delves into her groundbreaking concept, highlighting Black women's digital resistance to anti-Black misogyny on YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, and other platforms.

At a time when Black women are depicted as more ugly, deficient, hypersexual, and unhealthy than their non-Black counterparts, Bailey explores how Black women have bravely used social-media platforms to confront misogynoir in a number of courageous-and, most importantly, effective-ways. Focusing on queer and trans Black women, she shows us the importance of carving out digital spaces, where communities are built around queer Black webshows and hashtags like #GirlsLikeUs.

Bailey shows how Black women actively reimagine the world by engaging in powerful forms of digital resistance at a time when anti-Black misogyny is thriving on social media. A groundbreaking work, Misogynoir Transformed highlights Black women's remarkable efforts to disrupt mainstream narratives, subvert negative stereotypes, and reclaim their lives.

Moderated by Rolland Murray, Associate Professor of English, Brown University.

Purchase Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women's Digital Resistance from the Brown Bookstore.

Moya Bailey is an assistant professor in the Department of Cultures, Societies, and Global Studies and the program in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Northeastern University. Her work focuses on Black women's use of digital media to promote social justice as acts of self-affirmation and health promotion. She is interested in how race, gender, and sexuality are represented in media and medicine. She currently curates the #transformDH Tumblr initiative in Digital Humanities (DH). She is a monthly sustainer of the Allied Media Conference, through which she is able to bridge her passion for social justice and her work in DH. She is a co-author of #HashtagActivism: Networks of Race and Gender Justice (The MIT Press, 2020) and is the author of Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women's Digital Resistance (New York University Press, 2021).

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Moya Bailey, "Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women's Digital Resistance"

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When Moya Bailey first coined the term "misogynoir," she defined it as the ways anti-Black and misogynistic representation shape broader ideas about Black women, particularly in visual culture and digital spaces. She had no idea that the term would go viral, touching a cultural nerve and quickly entering into the lexicon.

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On Misogynoir: citation, erasure, and plagiarism

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On Misogynoir: citation, erasure, and plagiarism

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-Maiya

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People boycotted TikTok because Black women weren't cited.

If you don't credit the source of something, you end up getting a watered down version of something really great

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Listen to ALL Black women, not only those who make you comfortable

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Listen to ALL Black women, not only those who make you comfortable

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Hear our stories before you assume our stories

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Hear our stories before you assume our stories

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We are living in a world where we need to cite Black women

Black girls on social media movement dances

Black women in liberation sharing ideas and not stolen

Liberation

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Black women have historically experiences a lot of trauma and violence. It is just recently that everyone has started to understand this since the media has highlighted police murder of Black women

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When Black women create something, it's respected or taken as seriously as others.

This includes academia, science, business- Alter product of what is being dished out.

Our message is watered down. Need authentic information

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“If you are not that Black woman thn I respect you. . . as long as if you aren’t ghetto you are fine, I respect you.

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Emphasis on the importance of rest- perhaps go and journal or take a nap

IG TV panel where women can tell their stories

Create an Instagram page where women can tell their story

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Adultification of Black girls

The adultification piece also lends itself to suspension rates and school to prison pipeline

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She also was shot in the foot by her partner, and people in the industry asked what she did to deserve that. And she also did a dance performance not long 

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Megan Thee Stallion being compared to a man- her body type.  How a Black woman's body is supposed to be

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Cardi B - WAP feat. Megan Thee Stallion [Official Music Video]

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Audiences in the male perspective when viewing Black women.  Black women are being used by Black men in the media.  These are the type of songs that are going to keep her in the industry and making money.  Men control the industry and we are being exploited for our sexuality.

Also, there are Black women rappers who tell about how they love their bodies.  For example, WAP is not supposed to be taken seriously but Black men think that is really how women want to be treated.

Discussion of enthusiastic consent. . .
Megan is going to school.

On what the outrage from “WAP” revealed to her, Megan says, “Although we have so many incredible women in hip-hop killing it right now and in the past, there’s still a shift [that needs to happen] around the perception of a woman owning her sexuality. Powerful women who have agency over their bodies aren’t something to look down on.”

On what the outrage from “WAP” revealed to her, Megan says, “Although we have so many incredible women in hip-hop killing it right now and in the past, there’s still a shift [that needs to happen] around the perception of a woman owning her sexuality. Powerful women who have agency over their bodies aren’t something to look down on.”

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No room for vulnerability- I need to rest and be able to cry- I need to take a break.  I don’t have to keep fighting.  Expected resilience is not realistic.  takes a control, give myself grace and take a break from all of it. . .

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Black women in America and are taught to wear masks and this is passed down generationally from mothers to granddaughters through oral traditions.

Black girls don't get the love that they deserve. They have to be strong, it's the only way to survive. If we don’t find spaces and people to take that mask off, we are going to die. We have to wear these masks in just about every space, academic, on the train, hanging out with friends. . .

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Strong Black woman stereotypes

We can take more pain. Don’t listen to us when we have certain needs- outright or unconscious racism- affects our lifespan

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When Tina Sacks worked for the Centers for Disease Control years ago, she and her Black female colleagues would make it a point to wear their government IDs when going to the doctor for checkups, to telegraph that they were professionals who understood medical terminology, and had good health insurance - all so medical staff would take them seriously. "In other words, we were playing against a type," Sacks wrote in her book " Invisible Visits," which looks at the biases middle-class Black women face when seeking health care.

Sacks, now an assistant professor at the Berkeley School of Social Welfare, says that not much has changed since then. The 30 women she interviewed for her book echoed the experiences of many of the women we interviewed for TODAY's " Denied" series. Their concerns about their bodies are dismissed or ignored; they are often met with suspicion from doctors; they have to "prove" they are in pain and not seeking drugs; they aren't thoroughly examined; and they aren't told about the full array of treatment options available to them.

"Many of the women I interviewed would have that inkling that they weren't getting the same care as their white counterparts, but there really is no way to know for sure, because you are only one person and you don't really have a control group," Sacks said. "And part of the challenge of that experience is the anxiety about whether or not it is true. 'Can I trust my own perceptions? And what can I do about it?'"

Bias, both implicit and explicit, is rife within every structure of American society. While explicit bias is easy to spot and weed out (the blatant racist using the N-word, for example), implicit bias is more difficult to recognize, especially because it often doesn't line up with the overall values of the person exhibiting bias. Everyone has implicit biases, whether we admit it or not. These biases are the automatic associations we make, driven by stereotypes, that ultimately can skew how we perceive others and how we make decisions.

"The more that you're exposed to stereotypes, the stronger that implicit association becomes," explained Preshuslee Thompson, a training and development specialist at Ohio State's Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity. These implicit biases cause people to rely on assumptions to inform how they read and react to various situations.

"Our associative memory really is about quickly being able to accurately assess threat and responses," said Thompson. "But we do live in a racist society. So now we've associated those different levels of threat to people with different identities."

Because implicit biases are unconscious, they are most likely to emerge when we have to make quick decisions - a given in healthcare with doctors rolling through patients every 15 minutes. In fact, a 2015 review found that "most health care providers appear to have implicit bias in terms of positive attitudes toward whites and negative attitudes toward people of color."

"We know people in society are biased, so there certainly will be doctors who are biased, too," said Janice Sabin, a research professor at the University of Washington who was one of the first academics to study implicit bias in healthcare. "Doctors go into a room with a whole set of assumptions by reading a chart description of the patient and seeing the patient for two minutes." She conducted a 2008 study that found doctors were more likely to stereotype Black people as being medically noncompliant. "If a doctor perceives that a patient is less likely to comply with what they're going to say, they may actually give a different recommendation or scrap their recommendation altogether," Sabin explained.

For Black women, these biases mean they are perceived as not being knowledgeable about their bodies, that they are difficult to deal with, that they don't have insurance, and that they have higher levels of pain tolerance, among other stereotypes. There's a clear connection between these biases and health outcomes regardless of their economic status, as study after study shows that Black women are not getting the same standard of care as their white counterparts.The maternal mortality rate of Black women is more than three times what it is for white women, a fact that gained national attention when tennis star Serena Williams opened up about being ignored by doctors before nearly dying from a pulmonary embolism during childbirth. Black mothers experience the highest infant mortality rate. Black women with endometriosis are more likely to be misdiagnosed compared to white women. Black people are chronically undertreated for pain.

"There's a pervasive de-valuing of Black people's lives and Black people's bodies in general and Black women in particular," said Sacks. Black women undergo hysterectomies at three times the rate of white women, and Black people with diabetes have a limb amputated at three times the rate of white people with the same condition, who are more likely to be presented with other options.

When Black women do advocate for themselves as patients, they worry about being seen as the "angry Black woman" stereotype and compromising their care as a result.

"I heard that over and over again," said Sacks, recalling one interviewee who wanted more information than she received from her podiatrist about an upcoming surgery. "She was mad at herself afterward for not asking more questions about it ahead of time. But, she said, 'I just know not to get too rebellious.'

"Most of them felt like they had to come into the healthcare encounter really ready," Sacks continued. "You know, it was sort of like an attack. You've got to walk in with your research, you've got to dress a certain way, talk a certain way, carry yourself a certain way to be taken seriously. There's so much of a power difference, because the provider has specialized knowledge.That's why you're going there. And then a lot of times you're naked. I mean, it's an incredibly vulnerable experience."

The emotional toll of these negative experiences leads to distrust of doctors, and eventually, some people just stop going. This becomes problematic for preventative care and just continues healthcare disparities.

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The invisible racism that makes Black women dread the doctor's office

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When Tina Sacks worked for the Centers for Disease Control years ago, she and her Black female colleagues would make it a point to wear their government IDs when going to the doctor for checkups, to telegraph that they were professionals who understood medical terminology, and had good health insurance - all so medical staff would take them seriously.

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Strong Black woman stereotypes

We can take more pain. People don’t listen to us when we have certain needs- outright or unconscious racism- effects our lifespan

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Strong Black Woman Stereotype and health

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Strong Black Woman Stereotype and health

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The strong black woman stereotype leads to doctors not hearing our needs, and thinking we're stronger than other groups of people and can take more pain

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KENNETHA GAINES: African American women have the highest rates of infant mortality and adverse outcomes of all major racial ethnic groups in the United States. And as of 2016, based on some statistics, the U.S. infant mortality rate for African American women was 11.4 percent compared to 4.9 percent for whites, and that's almost three times higher. So what does that really mean for our health and our population health care in the United States?

SHANOOR SEERVAI: Hi, everyone. Welcome to The Dose. This is our third episode on disparities in health care, and you just heard from our guest, Kennetha Gaines. Kennetha is the clinical nurse manager for the UCSF Health System in San Francisco. She's also studied African American studies, urban planning, and most recently nursing, all with the goal of understanding how structural inequality impacts health. Last year, she became one of the first experts to receive the Posen Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Leadership at Yale University.

Kennetha, welcome to the show.

KENNETHA GAINES: Thank you for having me.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: So tell me a little bit more about what researchers, other people like yourself, found when they started looking into why there's such a high disparity between African American women and women of other racial groups in the United States?

KENNETHA GAINES: So since 2007, even though the infant death rates have declined, there still is a racial inequality gap when you look at white versus black. Just for some context, so babies delivered preterm before 37 weeks gestation and low birth weight, which is less than 2,500 grams or five pounds, they are at the greatest risk of dying close to birth or before their first birthday. And so given that African Americans have a higher incidence of infant death, it's also not surprising that they have high rates of preterm delivery and low birth weight.

At the time people were studying this, they were confused because they weren't really sure what are the causes and why African Americans are so different when it comes to white women in terms of birth outcomes. So there are of course the social determinants of health, there is your neighborhood composition, there's your socioeconomic status, there is your educational attainment, transportation, availability of resources. However, even controlling for these factors, there is still a problem.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: What you're saying is that even once we control for access to transport, housing, educational attainment, income, African American women are still more likely to give birth to preterm infants, are still more likely to have babies of lower weight than white women?

KENNETHA GAINES: Yes. Specifically looking at socioeconomic status. Although health improves in a stepwise fashion as your income increases, racial disparities persist at each rung of the socioeconomic ladder. So in the case of infant mortality, the gap widens surprisingly as your socioeconomic status improves.

And we saw this example with Serena Williams, who's African American, who's wealthy, and she had some adverse outcomes, and even controlling for wealth and income she still had some adverse birth outcomes. So one explanation for this persistence of racial differences, after income has been taken into account, is that level of socioeconomic statuses are not equivalent across all racial groups given the historical obstacles that minority communities have had to face. So, for example, at every level of education African Americans have lower earnings and less accumulated wealth than whites.

Another interesting thing to note is that the black middle class really didn't start to form until after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That's not that long ago. And previously, African Americans were living in abject poverty. For example, myself, my children, my daughter is 14 and my son is six. In my family, they're actually the first generation to not have been born into poverty. So it will be really interesting to see based on that aspect of their lives, where their lives will actually develop from that point on. Further, the researchers noticed something startling. That grandchildren of immigrant parents were born smaller than their mothers, and they were more likely to be preterm, similar to African American infants.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: There is something about being African American in the United States that has an impact on you from the time that you are born, and an impact - an adverse impact - that potentially makes it worse than being born in a developing country?

KENNETHA GAINES: Right. I think the question, the foundational question, is: What is it about being born black in America that has adverse and fatal outcomes on birth outcomes and maternal health?

And so controlling for these social determinants of health and socioeconomic status and genetics, what research has looked at is that the day-to-day encounters with racial discrimination is actually linked to preterm birth in African American women based on chronic stress. So African American women live a more stressful life, which increases stress hormones that can have an adverse effect on labor.

So when we look at racism, it's not the only unique stressor which African American and other minority groups have to face, but it also heightens exposure to and impacts other types of stressors. So what I mentioned before in terms of chronic stress, so chronic exposure to racism and inequality produces a link to prematurely aging the female reproductive system via stress-induced pathways that render a woman vulnerable to adverse birth outcomes before she can even become pregnant.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: Would you mind if I come back to the point that you made about your own children? They're the first generation in your family who will not have been born into poverty. But I wonder if there is some sort of generational stress? Is there research or evidence that shows that even though they were not born into poverty, the legacy perhaps that they carry of decades and centuries of discrimination could still have an impact on them?

KENNETHA GAINES: Yeah. I mean, it does - I think their experiences may be a little bit different because when you are looking at the fact that not having to be born into poverty, and there is a lot of other nuances that comes along with that, and how that shapes your life and your future. But at the end of the day, my children are still African American. So yes, I do believe they will have to face challenges of what that means in the United States.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: And I mean, what is it like for you to study discrimination against African American women, being an African American woman? You're looking at this system that's been so horribly stacked against you, but you're in a position where you can actually look at it and do research on it.

KENNETHA GAINES: Right. It's an interesting question. And it's one of those things where, you know, both of my children were born by C-sections, and for my second child it was something that was understandable based on my first experience.

With my first experience, you kind of feel like in the back of your head, if I had been white, would my experience have been different? I had labored for quite some time and I got to six centimeters, and my doctor, she was white, had come in and said that, you're not projecting, so we're going to have to give you a C-section, I do think of sometimes, if I had been white, would they have given me more time. I'm educated and I'm looking at my socioeconomic status, that didn't seem to come to play when I was in my birthing room. But for my second experience, when I had my son, it was really important for me to really take control and have a voice in terms of how I wanted to drive my health care. And I think a lot of times, especially for minority communities, they sometimes don't have that opportunity to understand their health care. And for them to be able to make their decisions, sometimes they have other people making their decisions for them. And so for my second experience, I was really looking at okay, I would like to try a VBAC, which is a vaginal birth after a cesarean section. I changed my physician. She was Latina, she was amazing, she listened to me, she agreed with me in terms of yes, if you want to have a VBAC I'll support you in that. At the end of the day I ended up having another C-section, but it was very different because I felt like my physician actually listened to me.

I wanted to take my own experiences and say, hey these communities may not have advocates, but what can we do as a hospital to make sure that they get the best quality care that they can.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: So tell me more about that. Tell me how you took these experiences of your own and then applied them in your work.

KENNETHA GAINES: I gave birth to both of my children on the West Side of Los Angeles. Just the way that the staff, in terms of how they interact with me, the questions they asked in terms of breastfeeding, and how that was the norm. They didn't even ask if I wanted formula or - it was just kind of known that that was the plan. And when I would visit some of the other hospitals I could see how staff would interact with different minority groups and the questions they would ask them were very different, than the experience that I experienced having my children in a more affluent hospitals in Los Angeles.

It's really important to make sure that we are asking the questions the same way and giving all women the same opportunity. And so one of the things that I did when I was over at the maternal-child health department in both of my hospitals, I would ask the question: Do you have any questions about breastfeeding? Instead of asking: Are you going to choose to bottle feed or breastfeed? And by changing that question, I was able to open up more discussions with different patients about why they're not choosing to breastfeed.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: Could you tell me about a patient who, when you had a conversation like this with her, actually you were able to change what she wanted to do?

KENNETHA GAINES: Yeah. So one of the first things that I did, which I think is really important, is really getting the nurses and the staff including the physicians educated. And so very specifically just talking about breastfeeding. And so really educating the staff so we're all kind of saying - have the same message, was really important so that we can give that same message to the patients. And just having these conversations about the difference between breast milk and formula, in terms of nutrients, in terms of access, in terms of what insurance companies and health care plans are going to do more to increase support for moms that are breastfeeding, even just having those conversations with moms - and one of the things that was pretty amazing was when moms - first-time moms actually saw the first expression when you would express breast milk. And just seeing their face knowing that they're producing food for their child, which was an amazing experience. We need to really start giving these moms education, and then letting them make their own informed decisions based on the evidence and based on the information that they have, because it's not one size that fits all, but at least they have this information and they can make their own decision based off of that.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: So Kennetha, obviously when a woman comes in to have a baby, you can't really compensate for the decades, the centuries of racial discrimination that we were talking about earlier. But what can you do to make sure that women are getting really good care?

KENNETHA GAINES: In terms of providing the best possible care that we can for our patients, irrespective of their race, their gender, and their class, it's really important to normalize health care so that everyone is getting the same type of quality of health care, which hasn't been the case in the past. Being an African American woman, what I wanted for patients that I was responsible for and that I took care of was that I wanted to make sure that we were providing the best possible quality care for these patients that may not otherwise get it any place else. And so one of the things that we looked at, so at one community hospital, we did receive a number of moms that were incarcerated.

And one of the things that was a little startling, was that there was a high - almost 50 percent C-section rate for these women. And what we looked at and tried to understand is that a lot of these women didn't have advocates for themselves when giving birth. Because incarcerated moms, when they come to the hospital, they're not allowed to have any other family member or anyone in the room with them. And so, who's making the decisions for them, how are we making sure that they're getting the best possible quality care?

One of the things that we had come up with is working with some of the jails in Los Angeles County and with a nonprofit organization to be able to provide doula services for these moms so they do have a support and advocate. And so working with them to put together this program so that these moms could have advocates for them while they're giving birth, and see if that had an effect on reducing the C-section rate. The other thing that we noticed with these moms is that based on the fact that they're incarcerated, how are they going to be able to breastfeed? And so we were on a process of working with them in one of the jails in - actually L.A. County has a program set up that moms can actually pump. They can store their milk and whoever's taking care of their infant can come to the jail cell and actually pick up their milk so that they can be able to feed their infant.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: That is an amazing program. Coming back to some of the things we've been talking about, for some women it's just a given that you will be able to pump or able to give your child breast milk. And for other women, it's something that we look upon with amazement or as an exception to the norm, that there's one jail that has this program.

KENNETHA GAINES: Right. Right, and this is - I mean, this is kind of one step - in the past it was if a mom was incarcerated then there was no way that they could breast feed their infants.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: And what you're pointing to is basically that we have a sort of two-tiered system of care in this country, where there are women who have always been getting care like this. And this is sort of bringing me back to something you told me the first time we spoke about your previous work on communities and discrimination. At the time, we talked about food insecurity and how where people live has such a big impact on the access to food that they have, and then that in turn has an impact on their health. Can you tell me more about that?

KENNETHA GAINES: Yeah, so during my urban planning studies I did some analysis looking at food deserts, and just to give some context and background. So according to the United States Department of Agriculture, food deserts are defined as parts of the country vapid of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. And this is largely due to lack of grocery stores, farmers markets, and healthy food providers. So based on my research, what I found is that in Los Angeles you see this in low-income census tracts that largely affects Hispanic, Latinx, and African American communities.

And so you would have - you have these communities where they don't have access to a large grocery store. They don't have access to fresh fruits. And what impact did this have on our obesity epidemic, the childhood obesity epidemic, because of not having access to these types of foods. People of the poorest socioeconomic status have 2.5 times the exposure to fast food restaurants compared to those living in wealthier areas. And 2.1 million households do not own a vehicle and live more than one mile from the nearest grocery store.

And one thing that I also noted in my studies is that low-income zip codes have more than 30 percent convenience stores actually which tend to lack healthy items than more in middle-income zip codes. And so not having access to fresh fruits and vegetables, this can add into obesity and some other types of chronic health issues. One of the other things that I noticed is that when we have higher-end grocery stores, they are actually using data and analytics to solidify where they would like to place their stores.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: So what you're saying is that grocery stores are actually using data, demographic data, to perpetuate this vicious cycle that keeps people with low incomes from having access to healthy food?

KENNETHA GAINES: Yes. A lot of them say that a lot of that information is proprietary, and so they don't release it. But they look at population density, education, demographics. And we kind of already intuitively know what that means. And so by using this data in order for them to be able to locate their high-end grocery stores in specific neighborhoods, it's increasing this disenfranchisement of these communities in some of the lower-income and lower-educational-attainment areas.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: If there's one thing that you could do to change the way that African American mothers get care, what would you do?

KENNETHA GAINES: So the long-standing nature of this disparity suggests that there needs to be a shift in focus from individual-level risk factors to larger social factors that shape disease risk in populations. And this can be in the form of maybe a national task force to bring attention and put pressure at all levels to acknowledge the problem and start problem-solving. However, this conversation needs to include African American women.

So just looking in general, African American women are multifaceted, they're multidimensional, and they're resilient.

And one of the things that we can start looking at is how to utilize social support for those communities, their churches, their family members, friends, and trusting relationships. Social support networks, African American women are present and they have the potential to tap in and to use as coping mechanisms to reduce stress and also increase their mental and physical health. There's something in African American women coming together as a community, as a group, having conversations around their day-to-day stressors.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: I really like that. I think it's, as you've pointed out, so important to really engage people and communities on the issues that matter most to them, because who knows them better than the people who experience these things every single day.

KENNETHA GAINES: Right.

SHANOOR SEERVAI: All right. Well, thanks so much for joining me on the show today, Kennetha.

KENNETHA GAINES: Thank you so much. I appreciate you having me.

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How Our Health Care System Treats Black Mothers Differently

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African American women die of pregnancy-related causes at three times the rate for white women, even after accounting for income, education, and access to other resources. What is it about being born black in America that leads to such outcomes?

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Black women are supposed to be strong.  Megan Thee Stallion was shot in the foot by her boyfriend and then does a performance on her ankle two weeks later to show that she is strong. To be in the industry she needs to be extra strong.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

Images
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blacksportsonline.com

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Images Video: Megan Thee Stallion Confirms Tory Lanez Shot Her in The ... blacksportsonline.com Images may be subject to copyright.

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Amazing show about mental health, work, sexuality, r*pe, breaking stereotypes of what black women can experience

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I May Destroy You | Official Trailer | HBO

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Black women have historically been made to conform to what society deems to be acceptable. There is a history of respectability- of how a respectable Black person should look. This causes trauma around Black woman identity overall as well as for those who do not fit the acceptable image of Black women

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Dealing with biases/racism at work, being overlooked no matter how much you try or how qualified you are. Never fully fitting into your work environment.

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Black women and health-Too Strong to Get Burnt Out at Work- resilience

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Black women and health-Too Strong to Get Burnt Out at Work- resilience

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My story is unique....My journey is unique

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Stereotypes Tyler Perry- we are not monolith

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Stereotypes Tyler Perry- we are not monolith

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Representation of Black women is important- Must listen to our voices

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Representation of Black women is important- Must listen to our voices

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Context is important
We need to tell our own stories.  They are misconstrued.
The authentic narrative of Black women should come from Black women. People need to listen to our unique stories and they must be fully present when they hear them.

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It is important that Black women tell their own counternarratives

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Let Black women who want to tell their stories- give them a space to tell them on Instagram.

Expand how people think about Black women
(Similar to Black Girl Trek has a word-of-mouth collective without a lot of publicity. When they don't have events, they coordinate challenges, through podcasts etc.)
Black women only space

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-Active
-learn more/intriguing
-Good to launch campaign

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From a young age we are taught to cover up when men are present. As little girls, we learn that our bodies may attract male attention. Our parents hint around their sexual abuse trauma. They try to protect us.

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Black women and health- Peaceful, Healing, Kind

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Black women and health- Peaceful, Healing, Kind

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Black women healing

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Sound Healing is an ancient practice of using sound and vibration as a way to heal. Sound healing is used in all aspects of medicine and spiritual growth and is necessary to our emotional and psychological well-being. Western medicine is still catching up to the healing implications of sound healing therapy.

Sound therapy brings brainwaves to a slower rhythm, in order to bring about a state of deep relaxation. It has significant benefits on stress and anxiety healing. Quite similar to meditation which regulates the breath, sound healing influences the shift in the brain through its frequency and particularly helps in reducing anxiety, stress, and sleep disordersMy sound immersion experiences include sound healing with crystal singing bowls crafted from selected healing crystals, guided meditation, chakra balancing and intuitive journaling.

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Sound Healing - Thriving With Heather Wellness Coaching

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Sound Healing is an ancient practice of using sound and vibration as a way to heal. Sound healing is used in all aspects of medicine and spiritual growth and is necessary to our emotional and psychological well-being. Western medicine is still catching up to the healing implications of sound healing therapy.

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These victims, like all of us, are loving partners, parents, family members, friends and community members. They worked, went to school and attended houses of worship. They were real people -- people who did not deserve to have their lives taken from them.

As HRC continues to work toward justice and equality for transgender and gender non-conforming people, we mourn those we have lost in 2020:

Dustin Parker, 25, was fatally shot in McAlester, Oklahoma, early on New Year's Day. His employers released a statement shortly after his death, remembering Parker as "a steadfast friend, an amazing husband and father and generous to a fault. He loved fiercely, worked tirelessly and took on life with so much hope and enthusiasm that his presence brightened all of our lives."

Neulisa Luciano Ruiz, was fatally shot in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico on February 24. According to Metro Puerto Rico, members of her community knew her as "humble" and "noble."

Yampi Méndez Arocho, 19, was killed in Moca, Puerto Rico, on March 5. Arocho, a transgender man, shared his love for basketball and the NBA -- donning Miami Heat apparel on social media. The biography line on his Facebook reads simply, "Humility Prevails."

Scott/ Scottlynn Devore, a 51-year old gender non-conforming person, was killed in Augusta, Georgia. Friends remembered Devore as "sweet" and "beautiful" on Facebook.

Monika Diamond, 34, a Black transgender woman, was killed in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 18. Diamond was active in the Charlotte LGBTQ+ and nightlife community and was the co-owner of an event promotion company. She also was the co-CEO of the International Mother of the Year Pageantry System -- a pageant that honors LGBTQ+ mothers.

Lexi, 33, a transgender woman, was killed in Harlem, New York on March 28. According to reports, Lexi was fatally stabbed in Harlem River Park. "I really looked up to her because of her tolerance and respect," said Lavonia Brooks, a friend of Lexi. "Lexi had a beautiful heart, she was very gifted." Brooks also noted that Lexi loved poetry, makeup and fashion.

Johanna Metzger, a transgender woman, was killed in Baltimore, Maryland on April 11. According to reports, she was visiting a Baltimore recovery center from Pennsylvania at the time. Johanna was known for her love of music and taught herself to play multiple instruments.

Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos, 32, was killed in Puerto Rico on April 21. Ramos was killed alongside Layla Pelaez Sánchez, 21. According to reports, Ramos was visiting the island on vacation, and was set to return to her home in Queens, New York, at the end of the month. Loved ones are mourning her death, calling her "full of life," a "happy person," and a "sincere friend." On May 1, two men were charged under federal hate crimes law for Ramos's death.

Layla Pelaez Sánchez, 21, was killed in Puerto Rico on April 21. Sánchez was killed alongside Serena Angelique Velázquez Ramos. According to reports, Sánchez had recently moved to the island, and was living in the Tejas neighborhood in Las Piedras. On May 1, two Puerto Rican men were charged under federal hate crimes law for Sánchez's death.

Penélope Díaz Ramírez, a transgender woman, was killed in Puerto Rico on April 13. "Penélope did not deserve to die. Transgender people do not deserve to die. Every single advocate, ally, elected official and community member must stand up in light of this horrific news and say 'No more.' What we are doing is not enough," said Tori Cooper, HRC Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative.

Nina Pop, a Black transgender woman, was killed in Sikeston, Missouri, on May 3. She was deeply loved by her family, friends and community, according to her Facebook page.

Helle Jae O'Regan, 20, a transgender woman, was killed in San Antonio, Texas, on May 6. O'Regan was proud of her trans identity and on Twitter, she often spoke out against injustice, including the LGBTQ+ inequality, the prison industrial complex and the need to decriminalize sex work. Damion Terrell Campbell, 42, has been charged with O'Regan's murder.

Tony McDade, a Black transgender man, was killed in Tallhassee, Florida, on May 27. His friends and family shared how he was an energetic, giving person with a big heart.

Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells, a Black transgender woman was killed in Philadelphia, Pennsyania, on June 9. One personal friend posted online, "Dom was a unique and beautiful soul who I am lucky to have known personally. I am beside myself right now. We need to fight!! We need to do more!!!! We will get justice."

Riah Milton, a 25-year-old Black transgender woman, was killed in Liberty Township, Ohio on June 9. In March, she posted the status "Never been scared to struggle. Imma get it eventually" -- a comment highlighting her resilience and optimism as a person facing a transphobic, misogynist and racist society.

Jayne Thompson, a 33-year old white transgender woman, was killed in Mesa County, Colorado, on May 9. She was killed by a Colorado State Patrol trooper and misgendered in initial news reports.

Selena Reyes-Hernandez, a 37-year old transgender woman, was killed in Chicago on May 31. "We have lost a beloved member of our trans family because of hate -- hate that has corrupted our country's soul and that shatters lives and futures every day," said Tori Cooper, HRC director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative.

Brian "Egypt' Powers, a 43-year old Black transgender person, was killed in Akron, Ohio, on June 13. Powers worked at a local catering company and is remembered for wearing long, colorful braids -- "unicorn braids," as Powers called them.

Brayla Stone, a 17-year old Black transgender girl, was found killed in Little Rock, Arkansas, on June 25. "Brayla Stone was a child. A child, just beginning to live her life. A child of trans experience. A Black girl. A person who had hopes and dreams, plans and community," said Tori Cooper, HRC director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative. On September 4, a man was arrested on a murder charge in connection to her death.

Merci Mack, a 22-year old Black transgender woman, was killed in Dallas, Texas, on June 30. Her loved ones shared how beautiful of a friend she was. On her social media, she had recently posted that she enjoyed baking and that she was looking forward to returning to work. On July 8, a man was arrested on a murder charge in connection to her death.

Shaki Peters, a 32-year old Black transgender woman, was killed in Amite CIty, Louisiana, on July 1. "In just four days, we have seen the deaths of at least three transgender and gender non-conforming people, including Shaki Peters. This horrific spike in violence against our community must be an urgent call to action for every single person in this nation," said Tori Cooper, Director of Community Engagement for HRC's Trans Justice Initiative.

Bree Black, a 27-year-old Black transgender woman, was killed in Pompano Beach, Florida, on July 3. "These killings are being fueled by the deadly combination of racism and transphobia, and they must cease. We must come together as a community and demand justice for those who were taken from us," said Tori Cooper, Director of Community Engagement for HRC's Trans Justice Initiative.

Summer Taylor, a white non-binary person, was in Seattle, Washington, on July 4. Taylor was participating in the Black Femme March in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and against police brutality. Taylor worked full time at Urban Animal veterinary hospital.

Marilyn Cazares was a transgender Latina killed in Brawley, California. Mindy Garcia, an aunt of Cazares, said she "loved to sing and dance" and "never bothered anyone."

Dior H Ova, who some reports identify as Tiffany Harris, a Black transgender woman, was killed in the Bronx, New York. According to her Facebook, Ova loved fashion -- listing her career as a personal shopper and posting photos with luxury fashion brands that she loved. On August 13, a man was arrested on a murder charge in connection to her death.

Queasha D Hardy, a 22-year old Black transgender woman, was killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 27. Hardy, a hairstylist, was extremely loved by her community. Friends and loved ones describe her as loyal, loving, "always smiling," "the life of all parties" and "truly one of a kind."

Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears, who sometimes used the name Rocky Rhone, a Black transgender woman, was killed in Portland, Oregon, on July 28. According to Facebook, she studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and was the owner and founder of International Barbie, a Portland-based clothing brand.

Lea Rayshon Daye, a 28-year old Black transgender woman, died in Cuyahoga County Jail in Cleveland, Ohio on August 30. "Lea's death is unacceptable. Increased risk factors such as homelessness, combined with racism, sexism and transphobia, conspired to lead to a death that never should have happened," said Tori Cooper, HRC Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative.

Kee Sam, a Black transgender woman, was killed in Lafeyette, Louisiana, on August 12. "We must all speak up in support of trans and gender non-conforming people and affirm that Black Trans Lives Matter," said HRC's Tori Cooper, Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative.

Aerrion Bur, a Black transgender woman, was killed in Indepedence, Missouri, on September 19. Her friends and family shared "if you wanted to have a good day, you need to smile, Aerrion was the person you wanted by your side."

Mia Green, a 29-year old Black transgender woman, was killed in Philadelphia on September 28. Her friends and family shared how "her smile was so perfect and so contagious. She made me laugh."

Michelle Michellyn Ramos Vargas, a transgender woman from Puerto Rico in her mid-30s, was killed in San Germán, Puerto Rico on September 30. "This level of violence- any level of violence - is unacceptable. We are not doing enough to protect transgender and gender non-conforming people, especially trans women," said HRC's Tori Cooper, Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative.

Felycya Harris, a 33-year old transgender woman, was killed in Augusta, Georgia in October. Felycya was an interior decorator who ran her own company where she enjoyed lending her eye to improve the surroundings of others, and made others feel comfortable in their own space.

Brooklyn Deshuna, 20, a Black transgender woman, was killed in Shreveport, Louisiana, on October 7. Brooklyn attended Bossier Parish Community College and studied cosmetology.

Sara Blackwood, a transgender woman, was killed in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 11, recognized as National Coming Out Day. She enjoyed playing video games and was a fan of the show "My Little Pony."

Angel Unique, a 25-year old Black transgender woman, was killed in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 25. A licensed cosmetologist, friends and family of Angel remembered her for being "very funny, very nice to everybody she met" and "such a bright person [with] a positive spirit."

Skylar Heath, a 20-year-old Black trans woman killed on Nov. 4 in Miami, Fl., was described as a "kind and gentle soul" who "had such a love for family and close friends." Skylar had a "warm personality" and a "friendly spirit," and brought people who knew her "so much joy."

Yunieski Carey Herrera, also known as Yuni Carey, a 39-year old Latina transgender woman was killed in Miami, Fl. on Nov. 17. Herrera was a well-known model, performer, dancer and activist loved by the LGBTQ+ community in Miami. A friend of Herrera described her as "besides being strikingly beautiful, she was kind and she was good."

Asia Jynae Foster, a 22-year-old Black transgender woman, was killed on Nov. 20 in Houston, Texas. Her death occurred on Trans Day of Remembrance, a day created to honor those in our community taken by violence. Asia was remembered during a candlelight vigil where family and friends described her as "a beacon of light in their community."

Chae'Meshia Simms, a Black transgender woman in her 30s, was killed on Nov. 23 in Richmond, Virginia. Simms, who sometimes used the nickname "ChaeChae," was close with her family and friends. They remembered her on social media as "good," "kind" and "caring."

Kimberly Fial, a 55-year-old white transgender woman, was killed on Nov. 22 in San Jose, California, at a homeless shelter where she volunteered. She is remembered by friends and loved ones as "a kind & loving person" and someone with "a twinkle in her eye."

Jaheim Pugh Jaheim Barbie, who might have also used the name Bella, was killed on December 13 in Prichard, Ala. On December 18, Jaheim's family held a celebration of life, including a motorcade and gathering. On social media, friends and family remembered Jaheim as "the life of the party," "such a bright light" and "so loving."

Courtney "Eshay" Key, a 25-year-old Black transgender woman, was killed in Chicago, Ill., on December 25. Loved ones described her as "a vibrant and beautiful woman who had a big heart and big dreams."

Alexandria Winchester, a 24-year-old Latina trans woman, was killed on Dec. 26 in the Bronx, New York. Sadly, not many details are known about Alexandria's life. She was a client at the Ali Forney Center, who is working with community leaders to host a vigil in memory of Winchester. "Alexandria mattered to her community and to the world. The loss of another transgender person in 2020 is devastating," said HRC Associate Director of the Transgender Justice Initiative Lindsey Clark.

These victims were killed by acquaintances, partners or strangers, some of whom have been arrested and charged, while others have yet to be identified. Some of these cases involve clear anti-transgender bias. In others, the victim's transgender status may have put them at risk in other ways, such as forcing them into unemployment, poverty, homelessness and/or survival sex work.

While the details of these cases differ, it is clear that fatal violence disproportionately affects transgender women of color -- particularly Black transgender women -- and that the intersections of racism, sexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and unchecked access to guns conspire to deprive them of employment, housing, healthcare and other necessities.

HRC Foundation's "Dismantling a Culture of Violence" report demonstrates how anti-transgender stigma, denial of opportunity and increased risk factors compound to create a culture of violence -- and provides clear ways that each of us can directly make an impact to make our society a safer place for transgender and gender non-conforming people.

As is too often the case in the reporting of anti-transgender violence, many of these victims are misgendered in local police statements and media reports, which can delay our awareness of deadly incidents. In the pursuit of greater accuracy and respect for transgender and gender non-conforming people in both life and death, HRC offers guidelines for journalists and others who report on these communities.

HRC has been tracking reports of fatal anti-transgender violence for the past several years. Previous reports can be found: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015.

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Violence Against the Transgender Community in 2020

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As HRC continues to work toward justice and equality for transgender and gender non-conforming people, we mourn those we have lost.

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From a young age, we are taught to cover up when men are present.  As little girls, we learn that our bodies may attract male attention.  Our parents hint at their sexual abuse trauma.  They try to protect us.  Passing down masks about needing to be strong and then not protecting kids from what they need to be protected from.

For example, a mom telling her daughter your uncle is coming over, put on your sweat pants.  No! You are at YOUR home, you want to be safe!

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A tall dark-skinned woman with muscular arms must be a man.
There are lots of conspiracy videos and documentaries dedicated to trying to prove that she is a man and has a penis. How can she be a woman with broad shoulders and muscle tone. Black people get more muscle tone than others. Muscles are looked down in standards of beauty so Black women are automatically considered ugly

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Monika Diamond was a 34-year-old Black transgender woman killed on March 18, 2020 in Charlotte, NC. According to HRC, Diamond was "active in the Charlotte LGBTQ and nightlife community" and was "co-CEO of the International Mother of the Year Pageantry System-a pageant that honors LGBTQ mothers."

Lexi was a 33-year old Black transgender woman who was killed in Harlem, New York City on March 28, 2020. Her friend Lavonia Brooks noted Lexi's love of poetry, fashion, and makeup and said: "I really looked up to [Lexi] because of her tolerance and respect. Lexi had a beautiful heart, she was very gifted."

Nina Pop was a 28-year old Black transgender woman killed in Sikeston, Missouri on May 3, 2020. Pop was well- known in the area, and a friend shared that she was "always happy."

Tony McDade was a 38-year old Black transgender man who was killed by police in Tallahassee, Florida on May 27, 2020. Friends shared that he had "such a big heart" and his "energy would lift [their] spirits."

Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells was a 27- year old Black transgender woman who was killed in Philadelphia, PA on June 9, 2020. A friend shared that "Dom was a unique and beautiful soul who [they were] lucky to have known personally."

Riah Milton was a 25-year-old Black transgender woman who was killed in Liberty Township, Ohio on June 9, 2020. She was a home health aide and a loving sister and aunt.

Brayla Stone was a 17-year old Black transgender young woman who was killed in Little Rock, Arkansas on June 25, 2020. In honoring her memory, people have said that "Brayla was someone who always held space for others to be themselves and express their identities."

Merci Mack was a 22-year-old Black transgender woman who was killed in Dallas, Texas on June 30, 2020. According to her Facebook page, she was a restaurant worker and loved baking cookies and relaxing in the jacuzzi.

Tatiana Hall was a 21-year old Black transgender woman who was killed in New Jersey on or near June 30, 2020. Not much is known about Tatiana at this time.

Draya McCarty was a Black transgender woman who was killed in Baton Rouge in late June or early July 2020. Not much is known about Draya at this time, but she was from Hammond, Louisiana.

Shakie Peters was a 32-year old Black transgender woman who was found dead close to Baton Rouge, Louisiana on July 1, 2020. Shakie's friend shared that Shakie was "a very independent person and very loyal to her friends" and was also "full of laughter and an abundance of life."

Bree Black was a 27-year old Black transgender woman who was killed in Pompano Beach, Florida on July 3, 2020. Not much is known about Bree at this time, but local activists set up an altar for Bree and are hoping to get in touch with her family.

Brian Powers, also known as Egypt, was killed in Akron, OH on June 13. Powers, 43 years old, was a passionate chef and worked for a catering company. He also had a love of dance.

Queasha Hardy, 24 years old, was killed in Baton Rouge, LA on July 27. Hardy owned a hair salon business, "So Federal Styles," that she had recently started. Friends said she was unapologetic about her identity.

Tiffany Harris, who also went by the name Dior H Ova, was 32 years old when she died in the Bronx borough of New York City on July 26. Her Facebook page noted her hometown as Kingston, Jamaica, and showed a love for fashion.

AJA RAQUELL RHONE-SPEARS

Aja Raquell Rhone-Spears, also known as Rocky Rhone, was 34 years old when she was killed at a vigil for a homicide victim in Portland, OR on July 28. She had studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and she was the owner and founder of her own clothing brand in Portland. She was active on social media against racial injustice.

Isabella Mia Lofton, 21 years old, died on September 7 in Brooklyn, NY. She was originally from Chicago, IL. Her sister said she was kind to everyone despite hardships.

Aerrion Burnett was killed on September 19 in Independence, MO at 37 years old. She died several days before her birthday. At a vigil, a friend said, "She was a goddess."

Mia Green, 29 years old, was killed in Philadelphia, PA on September 28. A friend said, "Her smile was so perfect and so contagious."

Felycya Harris was killed in Augusta, GA on October 3. The 33-year-old was an interior decorator with her own business. Her social media showed her love of dance and fashion.

Brooklyn DeShuna, a 20-year-old who also used the name Brooklyn DeShauna Smith, was killed in Shreveport, LA on October 7. She studied cosmetology at Bossier Parish Community College. A friend described her as a "genuinely a good person."

Note: This list was last updated November 1, 2020.

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Black Trans Deaths in 2020: Say Their Names - Tagg Magazine

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Monika Diamond was a 34-year-old Black transgender woman killed on March 18, 2020 in Charlotte, NC. According to HRC, Diamond was "active in the Charlotte LGBTQ and nightlife community" and was "co-CEO of the International Mother of the Year Pageantry System-a pageant that honors LGBTQ mothers."

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Lack of acceptance of the transgender community

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Lack of acceptance of the transgender community

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

Images
Dwyane Wade's Transgender Daughter, Zaya, Makes Red Carpet Debut ...

www.nbcnewyork.com

Images may be subject to copyright.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Images Dwyane Wade's Transgender Daughter, Zaya, Makes Red Carpet Debut ... www.nbcnewyork.com Images may be subject to copyright.

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Lil Boosie on the Breakfast Club.
Defending statement that he doesn’t want these images of gay men on the TV screen for his children to see.  The host says what about the violence and misyogny that is on the screen?

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This is a huge issue.  Acceptance in the Black community.
There are a lot of Black kids who have come out that share that they felt that they were not protected by their parents.

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I got a story to tell
I am its SOUL author
A lifetime in the making
#BlackGirlTelling

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Get the source from a Black woman.
This happened a lot during Black lives matter.
People were Googling how Black people act and how Black women feel.

A friend used their script for talking to Black people about Black Lives matter and how I was feeling.  Why didn't she just ask me directly instead assuming how to say it or how it should be said.

She could have just asked me directly how I was feeling!