When powerful men are accused of harming Black girls and women, there are too many who rush to protect the man's name, career, music, legacy, and publ
When powerful men are accused of harming Black girls and women, there are too many who rush to protect the man’s name, career, music, legacy, and public image. But who protects the girl?
This post examines reputation protection culture, the pattern of defending beloved or powerful men while treating harmed Black girls as collateral damage. It also looks at the unfair burden placed on Black women journalists who are criticized for asking hard questions that others would rather avoid.
At the center is a deeper truth: protecting “the culture”-any culture- cannot mean abandoning Black girls. Their pain is not bad publicity, harmful to the community, or just a footnote. Their safety matters too. In this episode we speak that into being.
We also honor the courage of author Reshona Landfair, who has written a memoir about her experience of being Jane Doe-a child victim of celebrity R. Kelly—to now reclaiming her name publicly.