Black Woman Victimhood: An Intersectional Analysis of Meg Thee Stallion’s Testimony

• Published in: Journal of black studies Vol. 55; no. 7; pp. 574 - 590
• Main Author: Lane, Lauren
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.10.2024; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Black people; Domestic violence; Excessive force; Hip hop culture; Hip hop music; Intersectionality; Perpetrators; Police; Police brutality; Racial justice; Sexism; Stereotypes; Storytelling; Testimony; Textual analysis; Truth; Victimization; Victims; Womanhood; Women; intimate partner violence; textual analysis; police brutality; black women; hip-hop; intersectionality
• ISSN: 0021-9347; 1552-4566
• DOI: 10.1177/00219347241258157

The violent nature of Hip-Hop culture in tandem with racial injustice and sexism leaves Black women victims of Black male perpetrators feeling unheard, unprotected and conflicted. It is known that Black women are experiencing more domestic violence than their white counterparts yet reporting it less out of fear of prejudices and stereotyping. In this study, I engage in an intersectional textual analysis of rapper Megan Thee Stallion’s telling of violence enacted upon her by rapper Tory Lanez in 2020. Hip-hop concepts of violence and snitching, expectations about black womanhood, and issues of police brutality were all prominent themes of her storytelling. The analysis indicates that Black women who are domestic violence victims grapple with protecting the men of their community, protecting themselves from police, and endure doubt and criticism for speaking their truth. Plain Language Summary Study using rapper Megan Thee Stallions’ telling of her experience with intimate partner violence to understand unique struggles Black women have with speaking publicly about being victims of violence at the hands of Black menMany factors, such as racism and sexism, can impact the experiences of Black women victims of intimate partner violence. In addition to those larger systems of discrimination and oppression, sub-cultures such as hip-hop, glamorize and perpetuate violence. All these issues can impact how a victim speaks out about their violent encounter, or whether they speak out at all. In this study, I review how rapper Megan Thee Stallion recounts the violent experience she had at the hands of rapper Tory Lanez in 2020. As Megan shares her story on her Instagram Live, she accounts for how police brutality, stereotypes about Black women, and the culture of hip-hop all influenced her behavior during and after her traumatizing experience. This study highlights how Menga’s story stresses a unique struggle Black women victims endure as they balance protecting themselves and protecting their community, a community that often times includes their perpetrator.