Who's Responsibility Is It?

I had a work training in Las Vegas this weekend and made a vow that I was going to work on my writing and ideally wanted to finish a piece. There's something about traveling and then finally getting into your hotel room. I was pooped and just wanted to sink into my bed and do absolutely N.O.T.H.I.N.G. lol. So I did mostly that but remembered my vow to myself. I grabbed my writing journal, pen and breathed. I immediately knew what piece I wanted to work on.

Recently there was an interview done with a popular rap artist out of Oakland, Too Short, that was just ridiculous. He was giving "fatherly advice" to young boys about how to manipulate young girls and was fairly graphic. XXL magazine made the grave mistake of printing it. After reading it, I was enraged for various reasons, you can imagine. 1. What a terrible reminder that this man is like many and what so many of our youth are looking to as an example. 2. This magazine felt it was OK, whoever approved it or however many people read this disgusting article. 3. There was a response by a reporter who was a Black woman who said the blame falls solely on the magazine instead of recognizing BOTH of their behaviors.

This led me to adding to my piece titled "It Happened To Me". The piece is originally a monologue telling my story of being molested by my cousin and sexually assaulted by my brother's friend before the age of 13. What I am doing is changing it where the monologue happens at a poetry performance and is followed by an interview with a local reporter. During the interview the speaker will be questioned about what she did to bring this upon herself.

How many times have we heard remarks like "What was she doing over there anyway?" or even "What was she wearing when it happened?" These questions take the responsibility off the perpetrator and put it on the victim. I want to address this in my play. It's attitudes like that rapper and even the reporter who commented on his interview that concern me. Put the blame where it belongs and hold THAT person accountable for their actions.

Peace, Kiki