The Earth Turns Because of Black Women
The Architects of Freedom: Black Women, Cis and Trans
No one knows America—or the world—like a Black woman.
“No one knows America like a Black woman.” - Daven Drew @imdaven on TikTok
Born from centuries of enslavement, we carry ancestral memory: our bodies are embodiments of freedom that white supremacy fears. Our struggle is not bound by borders—from China to South Brazil, Black women face assault: mental, physical, spiritual. And still, we endure.
Our Power, Our Foundation
Everything in this country—from families to governance, art to math, neighborhoods to civic life—has roots nurtured by Black women: wife, daughter, teacher, mentor, mayor. Our contributions are irreplaceable, unreplicable—they built and sustain the systems of both oppression and liberation.
That’s why systems of oppression—government, religion, whiteness—fear Black women. If we break free, the entire structure collapses.
But there is a deeper reckoning we must have: an honest conversation among Black women—cis and trans—about liberation from internalized systems. Some cis women reject trans femininity, demonizing Black trans women as “masculine” or not real women. This stigma not only hurts trans women—it fractures solidarity. It fuels shame, makes Black men hide their sexualities, and drives the dangerous "Down Low" phenomenon.
Anchored in History: We’ve Always Led
We carry names and legacies that spark light in the darkness:
Frances Thompson (c. 1840–1876), a formerly enslaved Black trans woman, testified before Congress after surviving the Memphis Riots—becoming the first trans woman to do so en.wikipedia.org.
Lucy Hicks Anderson (1886–1954) lived authentically in California as a Black trans socialite and chef until the state criminalized her identity en.wikipedia.org.
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a Stonewall veteran and advocate for incarcerated trans women for over 40 years translash.org+5them.us+5medium.com+5.
Andrea Jenkins, first Black openly trans woman elected to public office in the U.S. (Minneapolis City Council) thepinknews.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3wbls.com+3.
Fannie Lou Hamer (1917–1977), A Mississippi sharecropper turned civil rights legend. “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired”—became a rallying cry for justice. Beaten, sterilized without her consent, and surveilled by the FBI, Hamer never stopped organizing for poor Black families, women’s empowerment, and economic liberation. https://snccdigital.org/people/fannie-lou-hamer/
Kimberlé Crenshaw (b. 1959),The mother of intersectionality. A pioneering legal scholar, Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality in 1989 to describe how race, gender, and other identities overlap—especially in the lives of Black women. https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality
These women built the foundation we stand upon. They lived—in joy and in trauma—to forge paths we walk now.
Intersectional Violence & Economic Exploitation
Studies show that Black trans women face the most severe rates of violence, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, sexual assault, and health disparities—all compounded by racism, sexism, and transphobia williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu.
Human Rights Watch reports:
“One of the reasons Black trans women die the most is the intersectionality of being first, Black, and then a woman, and then trans…” hrw.org
And research confirms that Black trans women endure more misogyny than cis women, on top of systemic oppression reddit.com.
Scholar Patricia Hill Collins named our lived reality the matrix of domination, where race, gender, class, sexuality, and nation intersect to shape unique worlds—worlds of both profound suffering and radical resilience en.wikipedia.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1.
Globally, feminist movements—from the Third World Women’s Alliance to Combahee River Collective—have recognized our power. They argued early on that dismantling capitalism, racism, imperialism, sexism, and heteropatriarchy requires centering Black women’s liberation bwjp.org+3en.wikipedia.org+3newyorker.com+3.
A Reckoning Among Us
There’s liberation to be found in vulnerability, connection, and challenging legacy systems. But unity requires honesty. When cis Black women refuse to see trans Black women as fully women—or police femininity rather than defend it—they unwittingly uphold the oppressive structures we aim to dismantle.
Yes, cis women bear their own wounds. But refusing to be the bridge between cis and trans vulnerability only deepens division.
Black women worldwide live under siege:
Mental & spiritual attack: constant invalidation and stereotyping, intensified for Black trans feminists.
Physical violence: In the U.S., Black women disproportionately experience intimate partner violence (physical or lethal). Globally, authoritarian regimes still target us as symbols of rebellion and resilience tiktok.com+15bwjp.org+15tandfonline.com+15tiktok.com.
Systemic neglect: From limited healthcare access to child protective policies that surveil and punish Black motherhood—with parallels in global systems globalracialjustice.rutgers.edu+1en.wikipedia.org+1.
Laborer invisibility: Black women disproportionately engaged in low-wage, essential work—recognized by Collins as both confining and sources of resilience .
But There Is Hope
Increasingly, Black women—especially cis women—are choosing to wait, to watch, to see the consequences of their own political decisions. They’re stepping back, allowing America to “hit its head” on hypocrisy and ignorance.
Polling shows 92% of Black women voted for dignity, justice, and equity. Now they’re learning not to fix what hatred creates—they’re letting systems crash so rebuilding can happen.
This patience is revolutionary: you let them face the consequences of their choices. Then you ask: what have we learned?
Our Vision: Joy Through Pain, Together
Despite the downfall, I have hope. I believe in the power of Black women—cis and trans—to create joy from struggle and forge a future rooted in unity.
We will redefine freedom: no longer a tethered concept sold by oppressors, but a collective, liberated force owned by us—every sister, every mother, every child.
Call to Action: Black Women, in Solidarity
Gather in Safe Spaces: Hold dialogues that center Black trans voices. Learn, grieve, celebrate—together.
Amplify Each Other’s Stories: Through writing, art, testimony—make Black trans women visible.
Reject Policing of Womanhood: Celebrate all expressions of femininity—cis and trans—as valid and powerful.
Mobilize Politically: Support trans-led organizing, fund trans Black women candidates, refuse to vote for candidates who target trans womanhood.
Teach History: Introduce names like Frances Thompson, Miss Major, Marsha Johnson, Andrea Jenkins in classrooms and conversations.
Practice Intersectional Care: Offer resources that address overlapping discrimination—mental health, housing, legal aid.
We Are the Earth’s Turners
Black women—cis and trans—have turned this earth in more ways than any narrative can capture. Oppression was built to chain us, but we broke it. We turned systems upside-down, laid down tracks out of darkness, raised voices into justice.
Now, we stand at a crossroads. We can fracture or unite—to be architects of a future America built on equity, love, freedom.
This is our reckoning. Let us turn the earth, together—not apart.
