Isanah S. is a 17-year-old student from Brooklyn, NYC who is peaked by controversy and dialogue around immorality and justice within our society. Over the course of 2 months, she has been avidly following the reemergence of R Kelly’s life ruining sexual abuse towards young women of color since the 90s. In this piece, Isanah doesn’t hold back on the moral issue at hand: the dismissal of the narratives of black women.
Often times within our communities, young black girls, especially those in underprivileged neighborhoods, are ignored, abused and taken advantage of. This is an underlying reality showcased in the recent Lifetime Documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” as many of the victims described heart-wrenching abuses and manipulation under the hands of R&B singer R.Kelly. I will not discuss my personal opinion on this topic, however, I will point out that the stories and accounts of minority women have always been forgotten or completely erased to protect other people. We need to set a higher standard for ourselves as a people, as a community, and active members of society. We cannot allow this to go on within the next generation of children observing the dismissiveness of authority, R. Kelly, other abusers, and their sympathizers while these accusations are flaring up. The abuse is coming from black men themselves.
Just because women aren't laid slain in the streets (although violence against women is rampant) doesn't mean they aren't facing their brutalities at the hands of predators, and manipulators. While we protest for the lives of our brothers, our cousins, our fathers, we have to remember to protest for our mothers and daughters as all black lives matter. Few are taking strides in the music industry, many celebrities seem to be quiet on the abuse. Now, RCA records, owned by Sony, has dropped R. Kelly from their label amid the accusations, documentary, and the “Mute R. Kelly” movement which gathered momentum through Twitter.
But is that enough?
What does this mean in our communities if we are still playing his music? Many are continually defending him using the black man struggle dynamic to victimize R. Kelly, but the truth is that the girls walking the streets of Chicago are being pimped out by those like Kelly or worse. Is it bad because he got caught or because it’s now in our faces, and flooding our timelines?
We mute and shame who we want, especially in the black community. We really choose to believe things when they're exposed, knowing of previous affairs not just with R. Kelly but so many figures who some may look up to. It's not just with musicians, screenwriters, actors, athletes, it can even be the authorities and people we are expected to trust. We're used to ignoring rumors and horrible actions thinking it can justify liking one's work. We are a people who have to see it believe it, stemming from years of our own battles with those who have lied and cheated us. Time and time again we've fought and tried to be heard. That's what these girls did with telling their stories, whether the accusations are true or not there's something true about all of us who heard them speak, we never really cared to look before.
Black girls matter too.
Once something affects you directly or makes its way closer to your world we suddenly start to become concerned. We fear undesirable consequences. R. Kelly and many others who've allegedly done things are never held accountable. Women are almost forced to have a voice and flow with traditional feminism, being put down as anti-R. Kelly. Nowadays you have to speak out or if not, then that shows that you are fine with it. That shouldn't be the case. Be level headed and look at facts. This goes for both men and women. A lot of holding others accountable comes from those with the platforms and time to do it. For example, Jay-z was requested to speak in the R.Kelly doc but he as many others asked declined. What that does is give him the power and security he needs to continue and maintain his career. Also, Jay-Z isn't new to speaking out against forms of social injustices and inequalities especially in the black communities. He spoke up for Trayvon Martin, and Mike Brown as well as late rapper XXXTentacion.
Not to dismiss those acts for not being great for bringing awareness to the brutalities faced by black men, but the silence of the masses when the same is faced by black women is simply hypocritical.
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