05 Jun Black Lives Matter
I reside in New York. I am living through a global pandemic in the epicenter of the deadly COVID-19 outbreak. I identify as a straight, white woman (she/her). I am currently separated from my family. As I write this, it is the start of PRIDE month. With all that being said, I want to specifically address my support of the Black Lives Matter movement. I’ve included my support on other causes in this post to provide clarity in general. I acknowledge Black Lives Matter is a separate movement on its own.
My heart is broken. I am sad. I am angry. I am frustrated. I am disappointed. George Floyd was murdered. White privilege is real. I 100% stand with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Those that know me well know that I am not a very public person. However, lately I have received unsolicited advice on staying quiet during this movement, because taking a public stance could “harm my career”. I’ve heard similar sentiments in the past towards women’s rights and LGBTQ causes.
I want to make it clear that I support:
- Women’s rights
- Women owned businesses
- Black causes
- Minorities
- Queer causes
- Small businesses/startups
- Special needs
- Along with many others
I did not grow up in an environment that supported these types of causes or movements. Throughout my life and to this day, I am continuously corrected and educated. I have been wrong many times. But as a woman in business, I cannot stay quiet when I know that my position as a female business owner would not be possible without someone sticking up for women’s rights before me. At some point, someone with privilege took a stance.
If I have not been clear already, let me be crystal clear now.
- If standing with #BlackLivesMatter would harm my chances with a client or future employer, I am not certain it is a good fit to begin with.
- I am an intersectional feminist. For those who still associate this word to mean “women are equal to men” or “women hate men”, please note the definition at the end of this article.
- I stand in FULL, and may I add COLORFUL, support of PRIDE, Queer and LGBTQ causes. I have family and friends who are members of this community and it has been and will continue to be important to me.
- I stand in absolute support of #BlackLivesMatter. I am 110% against police brutality and police that take advantage of their position of authority to further racist and homophobic agendas.
For those saying it isn’t personal, it is personal to me. No, I am not black, but how could I not be angry and outraged that my black friends, ex-boyfriends, colleagues, peers, businesses, clients and others in my network/community are being affected in this way? How is that not personal? How does that not have an impact on my life? So yes, I stand with #BLM and will continue to do so.
If any of this offends you, I encourage you to use the link provided below to better educate yourself. I hope your journey continues, as does mine. For now, if you are a person of color, let me know how I can best support you.
https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/
Definition of Feminism: Ideologies that aim to define, establish, and achieve the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes.
Intersectionality broadens the lens of the first waves of feminism, which largely focused on the experiences of women who were both white and middle-class, to include the different experiences of women of color, women who are poor, immigrant women, and other groups.