A reminder that several of your favorite cishet African women writers share similar opinions on trans people as She Who Must Not Be Named 🙃
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This is not the first time CNA has dismissed people's condemnation of transphobia as 'noise'—when you people ignored her transphobia to platform her in SA a few years back, she said the same thing because she gives no fucks about trans people or harming us.
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When she first made her transphobia public, I speak for those of us who genuinely loved and looked up to her, that shit broke our hearts. Me, I had graduated from her workshop + published a whole piece about it, I actually developed my nonfiction voice there.
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She edited and wrote an introduction to my work and I was over the moon. I couldn't wait for her to read Freshwater. When she said those things and then doubled down and then mocked those of us who called her out (she called the response "trans-noise"), I was gutted.
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I was also anxious as hell because speaking against her publicly, even just by retweeting content, was a THING. But there was no other option, we have to stand by trans women, period.
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I do want to say that this is also an intracommunity thing. CNA means something very specific to young Nigerian writers, especially those who were in her workshop. It is layered and heavy on the heart because the way we LOVED her???
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To now know that people will happily throw trans people under the bus rather than hold her accountable for her views? To be reminded that for so many people, CNA is untouchable and trans people are not worth deplatforming her? 💔
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This was her. Two days after Freshwater debuted, she asked that her name be removed from my bio everywhere because of my tweets online. Most were about her transphobia.
Quote Tweet
The year FW debuted, I lost the support of a prominent writer because of my tweets about them. I'm okay with that because they were being transphobic. Like, by all means, let us not align. Take your ring away. None of this is by force.
Show this thread
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I was okay with it because tbh, I agreed that my connection to her shouldn't be used to sell my work. We do not stand for the same things. I didn't and still don't want her name on my books.
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This thread doesn't really have a point, other than my God, it's been years and it still hurts that she's transphobic. We were rooting so hard for her. So many people gently tried to educate her. So much grace was extended, and she went to loudly align with You-Know-Who.
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I mean, to be fair, we are talking about a woman who aligns with war criminals, so I suppose it all tracks. But also, even her transphobia is so much bigger than her. There's that reminder that Black cis women will continue to uplift her at the expense of trans people.
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And if there's one thing I will never forget from when I disclosed I wasn't a woman in 2018, it's the realization that many Black cis women are only in solidarity with you if they think you're one of them.
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There are so many communities I used to be a part of and got pushed out of simply for existing truthfully as myself, for seeing and pointing at true things, where staying would have meant violence. The costs, the losses, and a world that consistently supports those who harm us.
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Are you not fucking ashamed?
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We are truly all we got. I'm very proud of debut me for standing by my beliefs, because the anxiety of knowing you've pissed off CNA right in your publication week?? BRUH. You're there calculating if the loss of her support will tank your career. Over common tweets. LMFAO.
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If anything, take heart and know that your chi is very much awake, no matter who you're facing down or their perceived power. I am fucking honored to be writing books for Black queer and trans people. We are impossible things cracking the world open.
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As for CNA and that white woman, at this point, anyone who supports them knowing their views is also openly supporting transphobia. There is no justifying it. Kill your idols.
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Here’s pictures of Güs in a patch of sunlight to cleanse the timeline. In this house, we stan, support, and pay Black trans women ✊🏾✨💞
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PS: I run a Patreon where 100% of the income goes directly to Black trans people in need. I post only a few times a month but you get insider gist, writing tips, early cover reveals, etc. for as little as $1 a month 🥰 Please share + retweet! 🙏🏾🌿
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I’ve been given a heads up that Adichie has recently stated in a public interview that she’s planning to write a ‘call out letter’ to address ‘lies’ about her? From other statements in her interview, it’s fair to assume that retaliation for this thread is a possibility.
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There’s been so much transphobia directed at me since I disclosed in 2018, and I’m not in the mood for the wave of bigoted violence a prominent cishet figure like her can incite, especially from other Nigerians, so I’m not going to subject myself to that.
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I trust that there are other people who will pick up machetes to protect us from the harm transphobes like Adichie & Rowling seek to perpetuate. I, however, will be in my garden with butterflies, trying to figure out how to befriend the neighborhood crows. Find me on the gram 🦋
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