As we continue our Black History Month exploration, we turn to a critical theme: victimhood. For Black folks, this concept is deeply fraught. We are constantly expected to prove our resilience, to push forward despite harm, to avoid appearing weak or in need. When we name our pain, we are often met with gaslighting, dismissal, or the accusation that we are playing the victim. The truth is, we are victims—of systemic oppression, of historical and ongoing violence, of interpersonal harm. The problem is not victimhood itself, but the way it has been distorted and weaponized against us.
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