Tida Dukuray

Smith College, Northampton, MA, USA

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Content warnings: racial slurs, homophobic slurs, mentions of sexual violence

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You call me terrorist, killer, monster, alien, ugly
But what have I ever done to you
How do you have the audacity to call out my blackness as a demon, a threat, a weapon, a
poison

Terrorist? Why because every Muslim is a terrorist? Why because you are insecure of your own
image that you had to reflect on someone else’s? Why because you scare of a Muslim girl
wearing hijab for Allah and not for anything?

You call me beautiful, melanin, queen, light, pure
And yet you demonize the very thing you praise
Why do you keep on repeating the same circle of rejection, oppression, delusion

Beautiful? Because I’m too black to be beautiful? Because you can’t stand the silky, strong
kinky hair passed down to us by our great ancestors? Bootylips because our smooth, delicious,
and sexy lips drive you crazy ? I know it’s a blessing not a curse

You call me faggot, sinner, lost, crazy, dramatic
I accepted myself for who I am but have you
Am a diamond in fake jewels. I shine bright even you can’t stand my radiance.

Faggot? What’s your problem? Am I too much of a burden for staying true to myself? Do you
need Tylenol or something to speed up your brain cells because honey I don’t understand your
hatred for a lover?

You call me decent, proper, perfectionist, stylist, fashionista
For wearing clothes that shield my body
Wearing makeup as my creation and you think I wear it to impress you

Decent? A little exposure makes me a whore? You said dressing up in my shorts and tops
is giving you the permission for you to get my attention? Do I go to Marshall’s, Macy’s, H&M,
Rainbow, Joyce and buy clothes for you to degrade me? I don’t dress up for you or anybody I
dress up for me

You call me animal, criminal, thief, rapist, nigger
But I was just jogging down the street when you hunted me like an animal. But I was just buying
cigarettes using the very money you created and call fake when you choke me to death and
called me a criminal
But I was just walking from a party when I was accused and send to hell for so call “being a
thief” But I was just cutting off school with a girl who gave me an oral sex when you branded me a
rapist
But I was just a king in my own kingdom when you kidnapped me from my own continent and
brought me here to be your slave and your nigger

Let’s get things straight
My Body is my right
What I wear? How I look? Who I am? Where am from? Is none of your business. Am not here to
please or abide to anyone or anything.
I am here to be me and do me.
And I advise you to do the same!