Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Precious's avatar

I looooove this and agree with slot if not all of what you said!! I love that you went ahead and censored the word out of respect for the person that inspired this post and I also loved that you let it be known in the post that you’re a Black Brit. This is definitely one of those pieces I’ll come back to and reread

Expand full comment
Ashley S's avatar

First, appreciate the thought and intention you put into writing this. Most of the arguments for non-use of "nigga" carry this BIll Cosby-esq pound cake speech spirit, in my opinion. It lowkey gets into this murky territory for American folks born of slaves living in America. Because for me, it's a personal Black American relic, like hip hop. Even when I talk about the word "Black" and using it as an identifier, that too can become a great debate. ( I once lost a West African friend in argument about why she didn't want to call herself Black). Language is a fascinating thing that has many functions as you insightfully weaved together in this post. I'm a self determined real nigga and a bad bitch that does work even some feminists find repulsive. That sentence itself contains words of description, identity, politic and tradition that carry ambivalent, rich and horrific histories; and I choose 'both', 'plus' and 'and' . I choose in what settings I am and can be everything, for better or worse. Contextual determination and consensual relation is where I cultivate meaning. The coolest thing about your post is it demonstrates we (Black Folks) all don't have to use it and we all don't have to police other Black folks use of it and we don't all use it for the same things and we can respect our differences in opinions about it. That's a big part of freedom. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us on this.

Expand full comment
13 more comments...

No posts