Platforms Matter, and Black Lives Still Matter

Over the last several weeks, Kanye West’s behavior has posed a grave and serious threat to the Black community, the Jewish community, fat people, folks experiencing homelessness, and people in need of abortion health care. 

He hosted a runway show featuring t-shirts with an anti-Black slogan that directly threatens the lives of the Black models who wore them, and then gave these same t-shirts to people experiencing homelessness, many of whom were Black. He posted a threatening anti-Semitic message on Twitter—where he has 31.5 million followers—that resulted in dangerous harassment of Jewish people by white supremacists. He has body shamed Lizzo—a worldwide music and performance superstar—and, most recently, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson who is one of the most powerful Black women in fashion as Vogue's global editor-at-large. Finally, he went on live television and once again referred to the act of abortion as “Black genocide”.

Of course, these are only his most recent incidents in a long string of egregious attacks on historically marginalized people, most of which have been directed against the Black community. The fame that West has gained over the last two decades has made him a trusted messenger across the globe, and regardless of whether or not he deserves such acclaim, his actions and words matter and they are dangerous. Time and time again, his behavior both sanctions and perpetuates racist, anti-semitic, sexist, and fatphobic ideologies. Ohio Women’s Alliance was founded on principles that strive to combat and condemn such behavior at all times and in all places. 

Whether you are Black, fat, Jewish, homeless, a woman, or gender nonconforming—we stand with you and we commit to always calling out these acts of violence. And we call on organizations, companies, and communities across the world to join us in condemning the behavior of Kanye West and all whose words and actions threaten the dignity and wellbeing of communities fighting for agency over their bodies, safety, and prosperity.

For more info, check out OWA’s Pillars of Prosperity and TheRoot.com.