O P I N I O N
Black in NH
by Emerald Anderson-Ford
As I sit writing this, I’m warring with myself over if I should write the words that are bubbling to the surface. I like to use this platform to shed light on the issues and realities of Black folk, and Black folk in NH, more specifically. The beginning of this Women’s History Month however, has me reflecting on the sisterhood, how we act out solidarity with each other, and ways that we can continue to be better at building one another up in love and community.
As you read this, our trans siblings are enduring a barrage of hateful and dehumanizing legislation and policy at almost every level of our government, education system, and carceral system. Currently, there are roughly 475 anti-LGBTQIA in the United States, according to the national ACLU; almost half of which are targeting the transgender community, specifically.
New Hampshire currently has 15 bills that our legislative body is considering. We are not immune to the oppression and perpetuated harm of our trans sisters here in the Granite State and unless we are vigilant and intentional about how we are using our voices for allyship for ALL of their humanity, are we actually celebrating Women’s History Month? Here’s what we know: trans women are more likely to be killed at the hands of an intimate partner than cisgender women. 53% of Black trans women report having been sexually assaulted int their lifetime, with 13% reporting an assault within the last calendar year. And while the vitriolic rhetoric can be boiled down to ignorance and fear, that fear is leading to very real violence towards our trans sisters. We can not continue to allow ignorance and fear to set the stage and be the standard for how we engage with one another.
Another group of women that need elevation, support, and allyship are our Palestinian sisters. While it’s admirable to continue to learn the history of the first flight that Amelia Earhart took, or the chemistry breakthroughs of Marie Curie, right now – across an ocean, Palestinian women are surviving in some of the most harsh, violent, and unprecedented conditions we’ve seen in a century.
For decades, Black feminist leaders have spoken about the interconnectedness of the feminist struggle, Black womanist struggle, and the struggle of the Palestinian people – women most notably. In 2006 Toni Morrison led 17 other writers in an op-ed for The Nation in solidarity with the idea of a free Palestine and acknowledging the plight of Palestinian women. The letter still rings true today as our sisters are currently struggling to care and provide for their children, acquire products for menstrual cycles, and receive feminine hygiene care. To look at the conflict happening in the Middle East and not see it as a woman’s issue is to be voluntarily naive and willfully ignorant.
This March, in order to truly and fully celebrate Women’s History, we have to look to secure the future of women – ALL women. That means speaking up and standing in solidarity with our Palestinian sisters and their right to exist and their right to life. To be clear, I will not be held to the white dominant culture norm of ‘either/or’ thinking; in that I can either support Palestinians or support Jews. That type of false dichotomy is exactly how women stay held as second-class citizens around the world and is not in alignment with the ideals of solidarity. Each of us has the capacity to hold multiple truths at the same time and holding the humanity of all women – of all people – is something many are capable of.
And that brings me to my last point. A point that goes against the norms of what this column is about, but bears space to be considered as we move toward solidarity in the sisterhood. White women. Throughout history, the terrorization of the Black community has come wearing a mask of preserving the virtuehood of white women. I dare say that white women know the influence and power they possess. There is an inherent understanding of their ability to incite violence, as they activate the most violent proclivities of white supremacy with their tears and feigned fears of Blackness. We only need to look at the bloody history of this country to see countless times when White woman tears have placed BIPOC, and Black folk most specifically, in harm’s way.
This type of dormant power, that lies just beneath the surface, has the ability to turn white fear into white rage. We often like to associate white supremacy with men. To assume that it is hyper-masculine, when in fact, white supremacy is just as likely to be sporting a beautiful gown, light pink lip, and holding a freshly baked pie.
I want to be clear, I don’t bring up each of these items to spark shame in any one group of people. I bring up these points to ensure that as we move into the celebration of the monumental achievements, contributions, and wonders of women around the globe, that we are doing our due diligence in the work that each of us must embark on to better ourselves for one another. If we aren’t confronting the ways we are complacent in the erasure of stories, histories, struggles, challenges, and triumphs of all women, then we have no right to celebrate in the month of March.
This is a call to action: to cis women on behalf of our trans siblings; to women around the globe for our Palestinian sisters; to white women for your Black, Indigenous, Brown, and Asian sisters. If your celebration of women is not intersectional and bypasses the connective tissues that bind all of us, explore ways that your celebration can be more inclusive. Let’s spend time this March uplifting ALL of us, reminding ourselves that each of us is necessary and valued in the diverse tapestry that is the Sisterhood.
You can reach Emerald Anderson-Ford at elanderson85@gmail.com
