If you haven’t checked out “Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Own Words,” the new documentary from the Houston rap star, pause what you’re doing and go check it out now because spoilers lie ahead.
For those who’ve been a fan of Thee Stallion since she hit the scene in 2016, the documentary brings you behind the scenes of her rise to superstardom, and the painful moments that she’s endured along the way. While there can only be one Meg, she is able to connect with so many women – and especially women of color– because she is us.
Meg is an intelligent, confident, college-educated, charismatic, and talented Black woman from the south, raised predominantly by her mother and grandmother. She followed in the footsteps of her mother who was also a rapper, and that foundation has produced music that allows women to express the complexities of womanhood, showing that we can be powerful, sexually liberated, and the authors of our own narratives all at the same time. Her journey throughout her career and personal life thus far is a reflection of the experiences that women of color endure everyday, and particularly the workplace struggles of women of color
Women of Color and Exceptionalism
Megan’s earliest freestyles that ultimately brought her to the heights she’s at now proved that she couldn’t be anything but a star. Yet, like many women of color chasing their professional ambitions and passions, she remained unsupported and unprotected in a music industry that’s been built on racism, misogyny, and abuse.
Even after experiencing devastating losses, Megan pushed through with tours and new music releases, hardly ever stopping to process the grief she was experiencing over the sudden loss of her mother and grandmother. Women of color across all industries face similar experiences, seldom having the resources or support around them to prioritize their own wellbeing.
Betrayal, Abuse, and Harmful Narratives
When Meg was first shot by Canadian rapper Tory Lanez, she initially said she stepped on glass to prevent him from being harmed by law enforcement. Even when in pain, many women of color still try to protect abusers to prevent them from being harmed by the justice system. Yet, we can hold two truths at once: there is nothing just about the United States’ criminal justice system (and in particular how it treats Black men), and, perpetrators of violence against women of color must still be held accountable for their abuse.
The documentary shed new light on the toll that the shooting took on Megan physically, mentally, and emotionally. In its aftermath, she was berated online and accused of lying about being shot. The lies that circulated villainized Megan, and she admits that ultimately, it chipped away at her own confidence and made her question herself more. She went so far as to blame herself for the shooting and her experience with Tory Lanez, stating in the documentary that, “It must have been some signs that could have been showing me this whole time…something. I should have saw something.”
Women of color who are survivors of intimate partner violence don’t have a switch to turn off the toll it takes on them once they’re on the clock. Meg’s story is a call to action to believe Black women when we speak of our pain, and to show up and support them when they are hurting. While she’s achieved incredible things, the main takeaway from it should not be that she excelled and persevered despite the odds stacked against her. The moral here is that she should not have had those odds stacked against her in the first place, and was failed by the community around her when she needed them most.
“There are a lot of women who go through things and they feel like nobody will believe them, and they feel like nobody will care, so they don’t want to fight and they don’t want to speak up,” Meg shared in the documentary before the trial. Her courage to speak up knowing the consequences should be applauded, and corporations and organizations can learn from it how to protect women of color when they dare to challenge those in power.
It should be studied how rappers and bloggers, many of them Black men, rallied against her in such a heinous and hostile way. Workplaces can learn from Meg’s story how women of color are made the villain of our own pain, and seldom believed when it matters most.
Confidence That Intimidates
At 5’10” with a body that many would pay for, Meg’s confidence in herself intimidates others to the point that they would rather dim her light than have it expose the inadequacies they feel within themselves.
Similar scenarios play out in the workplace, where women of color are made to feel bad for simply being their beautiful, intelligent selves. Being surrounded by a village that truly uplifts, supports, and encourages women of color to shine on is paramount for their growth, development, and success.
Baddies Have Anxiety, Too
Meg has been open about her mental health struggles and suicide ideation– something that many women of color can certainly relate to. Her album Traumazine and a tearful 2022 performance of the single “Anxiety” on Saturday Night Live showed her vulnerabilities to the world, and the documentary provided even more insight. “I’m tired of acting like I’m not on edge,” Megan shared in the film, during the lead up to the trial.
Women of color are at higher risk of experiencing mental health problems, and are less likely to be treated for it. Losing her mother, and the affirmation that she provided, followed by the shooting exacerbated her anxiety symptoms, leaving her fearful and on edge nearly at all times.
Many women of color suffer from anxiety in silence and hardly realize the toll it’s taking on them until their physical health is greatly affected. Workplaces exacerbate this anxiety for women of color, especially those who have had traumatic experiences on the job. Shifting this tide requires an investment in resources to support women of color in their healing journeys, making mental health support, restorative time away from work, and ultimately safer worker environments a reality.
Meg is a girl’s girl, and she represents so much that women of color experience on a daily basis. If you see yourself in Meg and are looking for ways to be supported in your career, schedule a consultation with ShiftED Consulting today.
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