Hey Rebel,
Some of y’all think staying quiet keeps you safe. It doesn’t. Silence doesn’t shield you; it signals compliance. And compliance won’t save you.
The Problem
This week has been disheartening. I’ve watched too many women of color jump on social media telling us we should censor ourselves, that we should keep things “in the group chat,” that speaking out against injustice is “bad for business.”
Let me be clear: this is dangerous thinking. When you start prioritizing optics over ethics, you’ve already chosen the side of silence. And history has shown us time and again, silence in the face of hate is not protection, it’s permission.
The Reality Check
Imagine your husband, your child, your sister, your cousin—someone you love—becomes the victim of a hate crime. Fueled by rhetoric from people who openly dehumanize us, deny us civil rights, and embolden others to act violently.
Would you still say, “Don’t post about it—it doesn’t look good for business”?
That’s not a difference of opinion. That’s complicity.
What’s Really Being Said
The truth is, nobody in their right mind is glorifying violence. What many of us are doing is amplifying the rhetoric that was already spoken, already recorded, already documented, by the very people who spread the hate.
If you use your freedom of speech to spew bigotry, hatred, and racism, you open yourself up to criticism. That’s not an attack, it’s accountability.
And yet, here we are being scolded for daring to say aloud what others whispered. The irony? The same folks telling us to hush are hiding behind religion, behind professionalism, behind “brand image.”
The Dangerous Illusion of Safety
Here’s what I need you to understand: siding with oppressors, parroting their talking points, or sitting in silence doesn’t protect you.
Driving through a sundown town doesn’t suddenly become safe because you’re quiet. The mob doesn’t pause to ask whether you agreed or disagreed with their rhetoric. If you are Black, brown, a woman, marginalized in any way, they see you as the same. You are not shielded by silence.
That’s the dangerous illusion too many of you are buying into. And it makes you a liability, not a safe space.
Why This Matters
We cannot afford to be lulled into silence by respectability politics. Because every time we mute ourselves, we embolden hate. Every time we trade truth for “business optics,” we show the world our voices are for sale.
Money won’t save you. Silence won’t save you. Playing it safe won’t save you.
The Call-Out
To those sending me messages, trying to shame me for speaking truth: let the record show, I never glorified violence. What I did—and what I will continue to do—is speak out against hate.
Because when someone has openly said they don’t believe in empathy, why should I extend empathy that was never going to be returned?
Closing With Love:
I share this not to divide us, but to remind us: our voices matter. Our courage matters. And our collective refusal to normalize hate matters most of all.
So to those still standing, speaking, and showing up—thank you. To those wrestling with fear but still leaning toward truth—you’re not alone.
Let’s keep the conversation going, let’s keep each other safe, and let’s never forget that connection is our greatest form of resistance.
At the end of the day, if you’re standing on the side of silence, you’ve already told us who you are. You’ve shown us you’re not safe. And for that clarity, oddly enough, we thank you.
Because the rest of us? We’re not going to be quiet. We’re not going to play small. And we’re not going to prioritize dollars over dignity.
With Love,
Wendy
