1948 Search results for "light"

The silent and sellout: What is the responsibility of prominent Black artists in an unjust society?
by Brittany Kirkland Back in the day, when someone labeled you a “sellout”, there was no mistaking it. You were being called out as a traitor, and it wasn’t something to be taken lightly. What’s interesting is that as unambiguous as the term is, “sellout” is loaded for Black folk. It’s become heavily weighed down […]
How anti-Blackness fuels my eating disorder
*Content Note: Discussion of eating disorders* By Gloria Oladipo I don’t know when my eating disorder began and I don’t know when it will end. An accurate metaphor would be a leech: a black, tarish leach that, under closer inspection, is just a jumble of anxiety, depression, germaphobia, and fear foods. Eating disorders take and […]
It’s past time for Black men to become traitors to the male privilege that protects us
by Donnie Moreland This essay contains descriptions of sexual violence, including r/pe When I looked at her, I felt nauseous. Here she was, a college friend of mine, recounting a time when she had asked a group of Black male acquaintances the question, “How many of you have ever fucked a girl while she was […]
British trans performance artist takes trauma from burger assault and turns it into a call to action with ‘Burgerz’
by Josh Rivers Travis Alabanza is an electrifying talent, but that’s obvious. One need only glance in their direction to see pulsing from them the potential and possibility of art manifesting in its purest, most acute form. To sit in their glow is to be enthralled, enchanted, mesmerised. Travis is a performance artist, poet and […]
On being too queer and not queer enough: Finding space for my asexuality
I don’t know for sure if my family knows I’m not straight, and yet I suspect they somehow knew before I did. My family, who policed my lack of femininity growing up, and punished me for being a Tomboy. Who teased me for being a “Plain Jane.” Who asked for years when I was going […]
Canada is still not a “Plan B” for Americans when our country is going to sh*t
by JaLoni Amor Owens For many Americans, one of the only days that left the nation feeling as hopeless and defeated as it did on November 8, 2016 was the day after. Those on the left, whether or not Secretary Clinton was their first choice for President of the United States and whether or not […]
Being a Black teacher is not enough for Black children
By Brittany Willis It took me seven years of teaching before I had the opportunity to work in a school where the student and staff population were both majority Black. I don’t mean “majority” as in just over half—no, literally everybody was Black except two white staff members and three Latinx children who were siblings. […]
Canada becomes second country to legalize marijuana, and also creates pathway to pardon past drug offenders
The Canadian House of Commons and Senate approved the legalization of marijuana in June. On Oct. 18, the law finally went into effect and not only did stores start selling recreational marijuana, those with past pot convictions were also pardoned.
Doctors refused to diagnose my chronic illness because this world ignores Black women’s pain
by Riya Jama The first time I experienced debilitating cramps. It awoke me from sleep. I will never forget how stunned I felt by the intensity of the pain that engulfed my pelvic area, forcing me to crawl on my hands and knees to get help. If I could have screamed, I would have, but […]
Queer sex freed me from the shame and discomfort of compulsory heteronormative sex
by Haillee Mason I wish I could say that I’ve always known that I deserved good sex. Or that I arrived into my twenties seeking out my own pleasure. But Black queer women like me are never taught that they deserve anything—not an orgasm, not empathy, or even apologies. I had arrived in my adolescence, […]
Could the UFC have prevented huge brawl after McGregor’s defeat by addressing his racism?
This past Saturday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) hosted one of the most anticipated main fights, UFC 229, in the company’s history. It was a fight between Muslim Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, the world’s lightweight champion, and Conor McGregor, the Irish international superstar coming to challenge him for the title. While the fight ended with […]
I am a childfree Black woman and I owe my womb to no one
This essay contains discussions of death in childbirth and reproductive violences “Who she pregnant for?” This is how I remember my aunts inquiring about the potential father of any given person’s unborn child while I was growing up. Not “Who are they pregnant by?” or “Who are they pregnant with?” The question was always, Who […]