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Have you ever noticed that when you try to uplift Black people, particularly Black women, people seem to take issue with it?
Well, singer and rapper Jidenna, known for hits like “Classic Man,” and “Yoga” with Janelle Monae, perfectly summed up why such attempts are so important.
The 33-year-old wore a hoodie that read, “Protect Black Women At All Costs” to a Toronto Raptors game this week, and did so proudly. He took to Instagram to explain the message behind it, and it has us both swooning and saying, “Amen!”
“‘Protect Black Women At All Costs” does not mean that I/we/you should not protect other women,” he wrote. “Undoubtedly, we must protect ALL women everywhere in the world.”
“This sweatshirt simply recognizes the fact that Black women have been historically unprotected by this nation (and others) and, unfortunately, by Black men,” he continued. “In the same vein as the phrase Black Lives Matter, this sweatshirt does not negate the protection of other women. It simply highlights the protection of a particular group of women. If I were to wear a sweatshirt that says protect Muslim women or Queer women, it would not negate the protection of Christian women or Heterosexual women. I want men to support women worldwide and I’ve had enough of Black men, in particular, acting as if our women are disposable and worthless. We can no longer take our women for granted. There were so many Black women who were on the frontlines during the inception of the Black Lives Matter movement; they marched and fought for us. But where are the men when the Black maternal mortality rate is 57% and when Black women in NYC are 12x more likely to die from childbirth or childbirth related causes?! Where are we when Black women are being harassed, assaulted, psychologically and physically abused at higher rates than any other ethnic group in the US?! This sweatshirt means a lot to me, my family, my friends, and my community because I have seen and heard stories from Black women that bring me to tears full of rage. We must support, defend, protect, embrace, and stand behind Black women. By protecting Black women we are taking a significant step in protecting ALL women. When someone protects their specific marginalized community, I am always inspired to protect my own marginalized communities. I wish the same inspiration for you. All I fight for is one love and harmony on this planet. Bless.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrF6wmbAjps/
Woke, sensitive and fine? Somebody better go scoop him up ASAP! And if you needed further understanding of why Jidenna is a catch, hit the flip to see how easy he is on the eyes:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrF6wmbAjps/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZWut7EjWtZ/
