“Black on Both Sides” Disrupts Black and Trans History as You Know It
Blackness and transness interconnect in this radical history of not just black and trans people, but also where beliefs about black and trans people come from.
Blackness and transness interconnect in this radical history of not just black and trans people, but also where beliefs about black and trans people come from.
Meet the queer black feminist who helped hang the RESIST banner, there’s a crack in the desert, Rebecca Solnit, tons more on the Women’s March, the Doomsday Clock has some bad news, and so much more!
A new study finds trans people are less likely to be white and more likely to be Latinx or Black compared to the U.S. population.
Why is that people of colour have to bear the brunt of speaking out about racism while white people enjoy the privilege of remaining silent? What happens when the tables are turned?
Tech does not talk about black people being killed by police, white America has to decide racism is fucked up, the mortal threshold of whiteness, parenting while black, free summer food programs for kids across the country, being the sober one at the party, fireflies, ice cream, LGBT foster kids need fostering, queer in the Coast Guard, moms for marijuana, and so much more!
“Why some people mean? One income that isn’t a livable wage plus racism will do that to you, and you can’t imagine the rage until you’ve lived it.”
We’ve got data and timelines and infographics and conversation on topics including: white actors getting Oscars for playing people of color, white savior narratives, roles that garner nominations for Black actors, the shocking lack of nominations for Asian, Latinx and Native American actors and so much more.
There were some moments of anti-racist creativity that were so sublime, I’d like to take a moment to honor them. These are the top ten moments of radical art or artful activism that I encountered in my own little world this year.
“And I thought how interesting is it that America can be this dark star, death star, and also at the same time this incredible shining light.”
So maybe my pregnancy path isn’t as simple and straightforward as baby books would have you believe it should be because I’m a poor QPoC with anxiety, but it has been an interesting worthwhile journey so far. I can’t wait until I can take the next step.
“We recognize that not even a Black President will pronounce our truths. We must continue the task of making America uncomfortable about institutional racism. Together, we will re-imagine what is possible and build a system that is designed for Blackness to thrive.”
“But unlike the missing 43 from Ayotzinapa, I was going home. And it’s what I store in my memory each time I read an article or update about the disappeared. I am home. They are not.”
Accepting ambiguity feels like being welcomed home.
One of the first things my mother’s boyfriend noticed upon waking up Thanksgiving Day was that all of the rooms were named after prominent confederate soldiers.
“While it is definitely tragic we still have to march, there is something beautiful and hopeful about the fact that I am fighting for [my mom’s] freedom as much as mine, and we’re both out here so that my nephew, who just turned one, hopefully won’t have to march when he grows up.”
While data is technically — partially — protected from search by the Fourth Amendment, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that our right to privacy is not always honored by law enforcement.
“It’s so important to do what makes you feel centered and strong again as a QTPOC trying to deal with this country right now. It would have taken Herculean levels of self-care to come close to what one Speakeasy Google Hangout did for me last night.”
A Staten Island grand jury decided not to indict Daniel Pantaleo, a white police officer who choked Eric Garner to death during the summer.
When a grand jury failed to indict Michael Brown’s killer, protests broke out across the globe. Members of the Speakeasy, with heavy hearts and revolutionary intentions, were on the front lines.
What do you do when you’ve done everything “right” and you are still mistreated? You take it to the streets. You take your rage and pain and power you make people listen. You burn and you scream and you keep screaming until someone else shows up and offers you a hand.