10 Children of Anti-Blackness
A lot of times when I bring up antiBlackness to a nonBlack person, they will mention one of it’s children as a way to shuck accountability for their antiBlack behavior.
The included definition of Anti-Blackness comes directly from "How to Talk About Kamala Harris without being anti-Black." by Joquina Reed (she/her/hers).
There are absolutely more children, but these are the ones I come across being used in defense of antiBlackness often. Each “child” is linked to a piece of my work that may be helpful in understanding their relation to anti-Blackness. I’ve had a lot encounters like this since posting my work online and a lot of examples of how I’ve seen this compacted harm take place. I’ll share a few here.
Tanya Bilsbury is dismissive of Amira Adawe, MPH’s vulnerable post emphasizing antiBlackness in the beauty and cosmetics industries. Tanya responds to the post with antiBlackness. When called out for it, they respond with a list of antiBlackness’ children in a desperate attempt to deflect responsibility for their actions.
Misa on Wheels and braveen kumar
Other examples include advocates leaving out Black people completely in their advocacy. As seen in Misa on Wheels plagiarized graphic, presumably promoting the need for representation of people with visible disabilities on all levels of organizations. Unfortunately, Misa believes Black people do not have visible disabilities.
Advocates using anti-Black imagery to deliver #AccessibiltyAwareness, dismissing work that explains why the imagery is harmful and refusing to remove it. Along with nonBlack "allies" placing themselves as subject matter experts on antiBlackness and using, what I like to call, "the BIPOC blanket" or "racism bond" to account for their harmful behaviors.
An excerpt from Hit Dogs 🐩🗣
Not knowing of anti-Blackness’ children is a sure way to cause harm. Not caring enough to learn about antiBlackness and it’s children is harmful in itself.
To quote myself from Your Last Black Freebie 😘:
AntiBlackness isn't just the N word and burning crosses, it is also playing in Black people's faces the way you would never ever play in anyone else's. It is the devaluing of and overall dehumanization of Black lives. It is finding our concerns, protests, needs, time and work laughable.
K Mataōtama Strohl (They/Them)
K is an award-winning consultant, coach, writer and speaker. K is also the curator of a content space that shares “refreshingly genuine and educational bite sized yet profound insights and experiences,” as well as the host of two popular podcasts.
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