🎴We need Black-Ass content warnings🎴
Welcome to the 51st installment of This Black-Ass Life! This week we’re talking about content warnings and why Black people deserve them when we’re constantly confronted with stories about threats to Black-ass lives everywhere. We also lighten things up with some *mess*.
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l. The Facts
The history of PTSD and content warnings start decades ago.
The concept of PTSD (the theory of memory and “re-experiencing symptoms”) first came about in the 1960’s when anti-war veterans grew dissatisfied with their care and wanted better coping mechanisms to deal with their violent memories. They would hold “rap sessions” to talk it out.
These rap sessions became a safe space to speak about what they were experiencing. For example, they only allowed psychiatrists to attend the session if they came as peers and not authority figures.
Content warnings, are verbal or written notices that precede potentially sensitive content. They help people engage or, if necessary, disengage for their own wellbeing.
They first came about in the 90s and 00s on feminist blogs, usually in reference to stories about sexual assault. Content warnings were also seen on early social media like LiveJournal and Tumblr.
The prevalence of content warnings are thought to stem from the fact that PTSD has grown in the cultural zeitgeist. In 2003, 190,000 veterans sought care for PTSD. By 2014, that number had nearly tripled to 540,000.
Now content warnings are pervasive throughout social media and in articles that reference experiences like sexual assault, disordered eating, and suicide.
Why does it matter?
We started writing yesterday after taking a mindfulness yoga class together. The peace we felt after went straight out of the window one minute after looking over two (JUST TWO) news site. We saw news about a Black man who was imprisoned for 10 days for oversleeping, UVA students brutalizing and raping enslaved Black people, the heartbreaking and infuriating end to the Botham Jean case, a racist showing his hatred in a photo next to a biracial child and on and on.
None of these articles had any content warnings. They should.
We live under continual fear and distress. Black folks are showing signs of PTSD from exposure to racism and it’s literally killing our babies.
Having the choice to be forewarned of content that may cause intense physiological and psychological symptoms will provide much needed, albeit short lived, respite.
Don’t get it twisted, as Black people living in America, we have no chance of completely escaping traumatic environments. But at the very least, content warnings will help us navigate these daily emotional landmines.
What can my Black-ass do?
A friendly reminder to take a break from the news and/or social media.
Try the box breathing technique for even a few moments out of your day.
Write to editors and writers to provide warnings for topics that deal with racial trauma.
Give yourself space to feel your hurt, but also please take time to find joy because we can’t let these news stories make us doubt our worth. For example, talk with that friend or family member who makes you laugh, connect with others, find a funny show to watch, read a messy book and so on. I (Jumoke) watch videos of Black women getting their ends trimmed. So soothing.
ll. Other Things
People are out here being so messy.
WAIT. Chingy and Tiffany Haddish hooked up once upon a time? Or not?
Oh Amanda Seales.
Cynthia Erivo needs to just cut it out.
Not Black-ass anything, but the thought of Richard Gere and Sylvester Stallone boxing over Princess Diana is hilar.
Pumpkin Spice Satan is the messiest bitch of them all.
Stacey, Stacey, Stacey. So sis couldn’t even afford a $500 bail?
RHOA Season 12 trailer. Wowee! Shouts to the RHOP ladies for giving us a SEASON and forcing the other girls to step it up.
We highly recommend:
We’ve been on a podcast binge lately and here are a few of our Black-ass old and new favorites: Scam Goddess; 30 for 30 (The Sterling Affairs); Still Processing; and Mogul both S1 and S2.
Our Black-Ass song(s) of the week (Jumoke):
It’s October. Autumn is here.
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
I (Jumoke) think my AC unit is trying to murder me because I keep waking up super stuffed up, so I look forward to cooler weather, opening my window and getting some fresh ass air.
I (Mitu) look forward to watching Addams family this weekend and everything spooky Freeform channel has to offer.
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Dad
My (Mitu’s) dad sent me the sweetest message “from” my dog who was celebrating his birthday.
Stay Black, thrive, and let’s keep Tammy Kemp out of office. We’ll hit your inbox next on October 21.