hi, this thread is for black women and black women only. everyone else, there's a waiting room over there. It has a ping-pong table. free bubbly water. many brands, pick the one you like best. there's also cheese. catch you later.

black women, let us proceed.

I always think it's worth asking what our personal limits are when it comes to a politic rooted in identity or representation. that is-- what are the things a black woman would have to do for you to NOT root for her simply because she's a black woman?

to give one example -- what if the black woman in question uses her position of power to harm other black people? are those black people less important by virtue of not having... [a degree, a platform, a nice smile, a title]?

I know that we all have these lines, because when Candace Owens does whatever it is she does, black women don't show up en masse to defend her. that's an extreme example, to be illustrative. but we can dial it back inch by inch and figure out where the line is.

all of us can have different lines regarding which of our skinfolk we determine are not, in fact, our kinfolk. no one can decide that for you. but I think it's good to be honest with yourself about it.

if you profess to love people in the face of their antiblack actions, you gotta look in the mirror & say

"this black person has supported policies that hurt other black people (especially black people with less power) but I feel proud of them"

& if it feels bad sit with that.

we all have our lines. just be honest about your lines. with yourself and with the people you love.

anyway, thanks for thinking aloud with me. I think about this a lot in different contexts. for instance, as a resident of a city with a queer black woman mayor who defensively oversees a police department that criminalizes black people daily.