Black people have struggled for centuries not just economically but emotionally, physically, and mentally. The most general statement of our politics at the present time would be that we are actively committed to struggling against racial, sexual, heterosexual, and class oppression, and see as our task the development of integrated analysis and practice based upon the fact that the major systems of oppression are interlocking. Living as a black woman in the United States of America, I have come across many forms of discrimination and racial bias. I can’t imagine living as a transgender black woman. They are looked down upon tremendously and many of them lose their lives. Transgender black women have the highest mortality rates due to the violate crimes they face. It is important that they find a community that is accepting of them so that they can be themselves completely and feel safe. This is way ball room culture is important to the LGBTQIA+ community. They feel at home and accepted. They feel free and loved. ‘Paris is Burning’ shows a great representation of ball room culture.  

            Being a black woman in America, I face double discrimination. As a woman when men see me driving, they try to intimidate me by speeding up or cutting me off, in meetings men try to speak over me or mansplain things I already know. As a black person, white women are often intimidated by me or feel uncomfortable in my presence and white men think I’m not intelligent or capable of doing what they can do. Black women have the highest count of sexual assault cases. After reading Osayanmo’s post, I feel the frustration she feels. She said we should be treated like everyone else but unfortunately, we’re not. As I do believe we have come a long way, we have not made it where we need to be.