It’s now been three months since my statement regarding a fellow musicians’ removal from a festival lineup. I spoke out about the licence we give men to act without reprisal, and how it reinforces the behaviours that lead to the stories of #MeToo. It’s not about any specific action, but when we cannot question the intent, or validate the emotions resultant of any man’s actions, it truly shows how much power men have over us. I was chastised, threatened, told I was overreacting; I learned that words leave a trauma of their own.



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Since then, I have read more about some incredible activists. One that stuck with me was Tarana Burke (founder of #MeToo movement) and her years of activism. Burke started the #MeToo movement as a way to heal from her own sexual abuse, for survivors to talk to other survivors, and for people to use the power of empathy to stomp out shame. With this in mind, I knew I had to lean on my community – women, LGBTIQ+, people of colour – in and outside the music industry for support.

When I needed my industry’s support, I was met with “closed door conversations” – people who would be happy to privately support me but publicly sit silent and be complicit. Similarly to Tarana Burke, my voice was dismissed as invalid while prominent white voices were amplified. As a trans woman of colour who has experienced direct abuse and oppression – in and outside of my industry – I received little to no support from these types of movements, from white feminists, allies etc, and it leaves me disappointed as my experiences become questioned and vilified. Those that left questions on my experiences instead of answers and support, penetrated the consciousness of the industry and community. Trans women of colour are not “perfect” victims.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Hip hop artist Miss Blanks. Photograph: Savannah van der Niet

#MeToo stories of cisgender white women have been the most amplified so far. Because of white supremacy, white women are more likely to be believed, validated, supported and make worthier victims when disclosing abuse and oppression, both IRL and URL. I have seen this racial bias within social movements in Australia – from my own experience, Thelma Plum, Tarneen Onus-Williams and more, while voices in the #MeNoMore campaign and within mainstream feminism are amplified.

When we talk about #MeToo, we must always remember to honour the true origins of the campaign. Like many other social justice movements, it rose from the struggles of black women and was co-opted by white women.

The conversation of #MeToo is extremely complex and nuanced. However, it’s impossible to talk about steps towards healing and moving forward without looking to our past and how race intersects with gender inequity, the current socio-political landscape of Australia, and #MeToo.

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The ways that whiteness, white supremacy, and white cultural pervasiveness directly impact and intersect with #MeToo in Australia has me looking at the type of women that are attempting to dictate change, lead movements, and hold a magnifying glass at the problems with the sentiment “we’re all in this together”, when in reality this conversation is complex, and there’s many layers for us to unpack and work through that many still don’t and maybe never will understand. While the phrase “in this together” is offered as a show of solidarity, people often fail to do the action to back it up. It can sometimes mean supporting harmful institutions when a lot of the time, it is cis (white) women upholding the same patriarchal and white supremacist thinking that goes into what we, collectively, are trying to eradicate.

Instead, minority groups within these movements are being silenced by the dominant narrative of what these campaigns are suppose to be all about, and completely shut out. Despite all of the work done by social leaders of colour, mainstream feminism still has a lot of changes to make – as white supremacy and patriarchy is often replicated within mainstream activism. Some cis white women such as Rose McGowan currently and publicly “leading” this movement have been criticised for making transphobic comments. How are all women including trans women meant to come forward when these views are still held by people, whether openly or as an unconscious bias?

So when we tell people about pain and trauma outside of the mainstream lens, don’t say we’re overreacting. We’re not overreacting or are too sensitive. White feminism is just too racist and misogynistic.

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However, we do need to work towards change, redesigning the already fractured system. So where do we go from here, you ask?

Be inclusive of LGBTIQ+ people, people of colour, and people of various intersectionalities when discussing social change. Men need to be championing change and doing the labour. Men must help dismantle a system that only rewards nuance or provocation when it is embodied by white people. Men must cut across the moral confusion of Australia. Make talking about healthy relationships and ending abusive behaviour and culture a regular activity with friends and family. Help create safer spaces where ALL survivors are believed and validated when disclosing abuse. Follow the wisdom of activists of colour who’ve been at the forefront of social movements and community development and social work for years.

• Miss Blanks is an Australian-born, Samoan Dutch artist and activist

• Comments are pre-moderated to ensure the discussion is about topics that have been addressed in this article