‘Our Culture Has Failed You’, Southern Black Girls Collective Pens Open Letter to Support Megan Thee Stallion

The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium released an official open letter in support of Megan Thee Stallion denouncing violence against Black women.

The collective consists of Black philanthropists, activists, and figures who are all dedicated to creating movements, securing funding, and providing resources for causes that aid women and girls, Essence reports.

Consisting of prominent public figures like Marc Lamont Hill, Tamika D. Mallory, Angela Rye, Bevy Smith, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and ‘Me Too’ founder Tarana Burke, the leaders came together to extend their support to the Grammy Award-winning rapper who has seemingly been mocked for her 2020 shooting incident with rapper Tory Lanez.

Most recently, the shooting was referenced by rapper Drake in a line that seemingly suggested Megan lied about her claims against Lanez, Vulture reports. Meg took to Twitter to respond to Drake and others she feels have used her traumatic experience for their own personal gain.

“Stop using my shooting for clout bitch ass N- – – -s!” she tweeted.

Now, in a letter released on Saturday, the Southern Black Girls Collective praised Megan for her success in music and serving as a role model to young Black women. Read the letter in part below.

“Dear Megan,

You are larger than life in many ways; your name is in lights, your face on billboards, your songs in the history books…and this is still just the beginning of your story. In a very short amount of time, you’ve achieved success probably beyond your wildest dreams,and it seems that each day brings a new announcement about something amazing you’ve done or are preparing to do. Women all over the world consider you an inspiration, in part because you make them feel good about themselves. You’re a special kind of talent and a special kind of person; the place you hold in your fans’ hearts is a testament to that.

As you’ve risen to the top, you’ve also had to endure a lot of obstacles along the way. In the face of triumph and tragedy alike, you always keep your head held high, maintain your poise, and push forward. However, while so many of us celebrate you for your strength and perseverance, it must be said that you have been treated in ways that no young woman–no person at all–should be treated.

It must be said that our culture has failed you, one of its most brightly shining daughters.

In July of 2020, you experienced a violation of the highest order at the hands of someone whom you considered a friend. Since then, you’ve had to endure public harassment and taunting not only from that person but from others choosing to stand with him. Bloggers have circulated rumors and excitedly reported on the most traumatic experience of your life as if it were juicy gossip, often perpetuating the idea that you’ve got a reason to lie, that you shouldn’t be believed. You’ve consistently been clear about what happened to you, but instead of being met with widespread support, people who should have had your back have chosen to stay out of the matter.

You don’t deserve any of this, Megan. You deserve to be heard, to be believed, and most importantly, to be safe.

There is no amount of power or prestige that can prevent a woman from becoming a victim of violence and there is no level of achievement that exempts women from our society’s complacency with that violence.

We salute you for the bravery it has taken to defend yourself in the court of public opinion, though you shouldn’t have had to do so at all. We raise our voices against those who have made light of this heinous example of violence against women and will drown them out with our demands for society to take what happens to Black women seriously. You are not alone. You are believed, loved, and supported.

We stand with you Megan.