a reconciliation of realities
Transnational Feminism Zoë Mercedes Transnational Feminism Zoë Mercedes

a reconciliation of realities

The oppression of the Palestinian people is wrapped up in the oppression of marginalized communities all throughout the world and squarely all the communities I am apart of. black, woman, queer, from a small Caribbean island.

This is the danger of white supremacy and colonialism, it oppresses many of us in many forms, all insidious. Be not deluded.

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My heart holds on

My heart holds on

Witnessing the Palestinian genocide on this large a scale and remembering that this is how they see all of us . . . .

What will happen when we become useless to Western interests? 

What will become of our culture? 

Because they will take our land and our lives and build memorials generations later to admit guilt. 

Or they will let the ocean swallow us up and say we weren’t loud enough at policy conferences.

After the damage has been done, they will give us a day to recognize the sins of the past. 

All with the intention to repeat history. 

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Un/furled
Growing up Queer Akilah Growing up Queer Akilah

Un/furled

My doormmates whispered about “the lesbian book”. When I told my church youth group my mother had transferred me to an all girls boarding school the elder boys regaled everyone with tales about the lesbians there who used bottles as substitute dildos.

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Spice up Your life
Growing up Queer Justin Credible Growing up Queer Justin Credible

Spice up Your life

Yes, I had experiences with girls however I could not help but be attracted to guys. My attraction to guys led to a few experiences, some of which I am proud of, some of which led to emotional scars.

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Learning and Loving Pink
More Stories Autumn Odlum More Stories Autumn Odlum

Learning and Loving Pink

I can see how stubborn a six-year-old I must have been to proudly proclaim that I would never own anything pink and to loudly declare ,to anyone who would listen, that my favourite colour was actually blue (in truth, I never liked blue that much) .

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The hostility between Afro and Indo Caribbean Women may be about Featurism not Colourism
Colourism Majella Mark Colourism Majella Mark

The hostility between Afro and Indo Caribbean Women may be about Featurism not Colourism

The Caribbean has a long history of multiculturalism due to the migration that occurred voluntarily and by force. This history includes the division of Afro Caribbean and Indo Caribbean people, predominantly in Guyana, Jamaica, Grenada and Trinidad & Tobago. The same system that was held in the United States, separating house slaves from field slaves based on their shade of brown was also implemented in the Caribbean between the Indians and the Africans.

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GET IN YUH SECTION
Carnival Bodies Nastassia Rambarran Carnival Bodies Nastassia Rambarran

GET IN YUH SECTION

I never really took part in Mash again, either as a participant or bystander, until University. You see, despite what the Wikipedia article on Mash says, the celebration was a very racially divided one. Sure, many ethnicities lined the parade route, although conservative families didn’t do even this, but the persons in the parade were largely Guyanese of African heritage

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I am that little Black Girl
Colourism Kelia/Kelie Colourism Kelia/Kelie

I am that little Black Girl

I can also vividly remember being told by somebody I loved that I was beautiful for a black girl. I can honestly say that I did not fully understand the implications of this comment. I now understand.

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Don't Marry Us. Instead, Stand By Us.
Colourism Jourdan "Riv-Ryker" Lobban Colourism Jourdan "Riv-Ryker" Lobban

Don't Marry Us. Instead, Stand By Us.

The worst part of it all, is that there are deep roots of trauma still plaguing our families yet the outsiders only care about the resorts, the plantain, or the reggae that is overplayed on certain radio stations.

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Colourism and Good Hair
Colourism Princess O'Nika Auguste Colourism Princess O'Nika Auguste

Colourism and Good Hair

My partner was a beautiful Muslim woman, and I realized I was jealous of her. Why? Because even though I had never seen her hair under her hijab, I was sure that she must have good hair, not hard hair like I had been cursed with, but the good hair that everyone coveted.

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Unlearning anti-Blackness
Colourism Annetta Jackson Colourism Annetta Jackson

Unlearning anti-Blackness

It was only after my hair started to grow into its own, after my hair started to gain length that the attitude they had changed. It went from “yuh good hair yuh cut off” to “you get your hair from me; you know Guyanese hair does grow long and nice”. Recently an aunt said in conversation that Black hair can only grow long if you’re mixed with something... I didn’t feel comfortable hearing that.

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