Opinion: Stop encouraging sexual assault of our young Black and Latina girls
Editor’s Note: Raquel Cepeda is an award-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker and author of the forthcoming book, "i, latina?: My Year of Tripping Through my Ancestral DNA, Running The Fukú Down, and Making Peace with my Dad along the Way" (Atria, Simon & Schuster). She’s currently in production on "Before I Deconstruct", a documentary exploring Latino-American identity through the eyes of teenage girls from a Bronx, NY-based suicide prevention program. Follow her on Twitter @RaquelCepeda.
On February 15, Vanessa Satten, the editor-in chief of XXL Magazine responded again to the growing furor and calls for her resignation. Read her statement here.
By Raquel Cepeda, Special to CNN
(CNN) – Here, some “fatherly advice” for middle school aged boys from one Todd Anthony Shaw: "You push her up against the wall,” and then, “You take your finger and put a little spit on it and you stick your finger in her underwear and you rub it on there and watch what happens."
No, the man isn’t a convicted child sex offender or pornographer. He isn’t a New York City teacher’s aide accused of lewd acts with a minor, either. Shaw is Too $hort, a 45 year-old hip-hop artist who became a household name when he stepped onto the scene in the early 1980s.
So, when my dear friend and colleague, author Joan Morgan—she coined the term “hip-hop feminism” in 1999—tweeted me a link to a story in which the rapper, on XXL magazine’s website, gave boys advice on how to “turn girls out,” I thought it must have been a mistake.
Surely, something like this wouldn’t happen today. Our aging hip-hop artists have become adults now, businessmen, television executives, stockholders, and excellent, responsible fathers like Eminem, Run-D.M.C.’s Rev. Run, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Master P, and Jay-Z. I mean, have you heard the man rap about the euphoric rites of passage that is fatherhood on his chart-busting track “Glory”? We know better, now, don’t we?
Apparently, Too $hort and, more predictably, XXL magazine proved that I was sorely wrong.
This week, a barrage of tweets have come in from hip-hop’s literary feminists. The writer and filmmaker Dream Hampton tweeted, “There's a war on Black girls @XXLStaff let us know where they stand by posting this near-criminal @TooShort video.” Joan Morgan tweeted under her handle, @milfinainteasy, “Really wondering why when it comes to violating the bodies and spirits of black women and children are apologies expected to be enough?” Veteran journalist Kierna Mayo, co-founder of the multicultural women's magazine, Honey (which went out of business after being bought out by Harris Publishing, also the publisher of XXL Magazine) and current editor-in-chief at Ebony.com tweeted, “So this is why hip hop is STILL conflicting for a sis…”
I haven’t visited XXL’s website or looked at an issue of the magazine for years now because, unlike its motto, XXL hasn’t been “hip-hop on a higher level” for quite some time now. This most irresponsible move to date by the magazine's staff has succeeded in doing just the opposite, dragging hip-hop culture down to an impossibly low standard. And the effects may ripple down to a vulnerable demographic: young Black and Latina girls.
"Teenage girls, and particularly girls of color, are an extremely vulnerable population for sexual assault. Forty-four percent of rape victims are under the age of 18; and according to a new study conducted by researchers at Black Women's Blueprint, 60 percent of African-American women have been sexually assaulted by the age of 18," states Dr. Salamishah Tillet, a rape survivor and co-founder of A Long Walk Home, a nonprofit organization that uses art therapy and the visual and performing arts to end violence against girls and women." Moreover, unlike adult survivors, teen girls are less likely to report crimes of sexual assault while also having fewer medical, legal, and community resources to help them heal when they do come forward."
“The truth is that this is not the first time XXL has cultivated a climate of misogyny in its pages—that is a long-standing tradition,” Morgan wrote me via text, “But to run a video by a 45 year-old man that targets an unquestionably vulnerable demographic, 12-14 year-olds…calls into question not only Satten’s ability to lead but the potential casualties bound to occur as the magazine repeatedly fails to identify its bottom line.”
The “Satten” Joan Morgan is referring to is XXL’s female editor-in-chief, Vanessa Satten, who shifted the blame onto her staff. In the form of an update, Satten offered a weak sort-of-kind-of-maybe-apology: “I am disappointed that an employee decided to post it and I am putting internal procedures in place to make sure content like this does not go on the site. The video goes against my value system and represents poor judgment on behalf of the individual who posted it." How’s that for taking responsibility?
As for Too $hort, he released an apology on the aforementioned magazine’s site—the video was taken down—that partially reads, “Just coming from a man who wants to see young people get ahead in life, I'm gonna do my best to help and not hurt. If you're a young man or a kid who looks up to me, don't get caught up in the pimp, player, gangster hip-hop personas. Just be yourself.”
The timing couldn't be worse. "Within this context, Too $hort's comments are not only inappropriate, but dangerous, not only vile, but violent," adds Dr. Tillet, who is currently an assistant professor of English and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, "[a]nd another cruel reminder, during February, the month of Teen Dating Violence Prevention, that extraordinary violence against girls has become the most ordinary of crimes."
Morgan, along with a growing list of women, myself included, are demanding Vanessa Satten's immediate resignation or firing from her post at XXL magazine for her hand at promoting rape against our teenaged girls.
Here, a few ways in which we can let our voices be heard:
To contact Harris Publications directly:
1115 Broadway
New York, NY 10010-3450
Tel. 212-807-7100
Fax 212-924-2352
Or contact Too $hort and/or Vanessa Satten directly on Twitter.
To sign the online petition sponsored by People Against Medial Violence, follow this link: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/xxl-magazine-and-its-assault-on-women-and-girls/
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Raquel Cepeda.
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For most young people, the idea of to become young model is an desirable and exciting task. The field of teen modelling looks glamorous as well as packed with ...nn models
Totally agree...we are beyond acknowledging and legitimizing such people as worthy of even opinion pieces. In terms of this entertainer's sphere of influence on such an issue that breaks down to an on/off condition of human decency, you are talking about a fringe that will not be reached by taking the time to write something like this. That's so obvious...might as well single out some random dude in the comment sections of CNN and write a piece on him as well. When I stopped in passing to read this, my attention turned to the writer and immediate perception of her as just another opportunist. I haven't even read the comments here, but let me guess...a bunch of hillbillies turned out to clump all minorities into one group for blanket ignorant statements. Did I get it right?
Rape and molestation and exploitation are absolutely disgusting but the reality is that this kind of language (especially the exploitation of women) is part of the community where these artists come from.. change the culture should be your mantra.
My advice to the victims of the boys 'NO! YELL! GO! TELL! !"
Yeah! We should be focusing on middle-aged white women.
What happens when a government outlaws something it cannot prevent? Black markets. And what happens in black markets? Girls get turned out & differences are reconciled in the streets.
so we are supposed to accept it?? What a joke.
It doesn't matter whether or not you accept it.
Who's playing big brother with the comments? What a joke.
Rapsters being thugs. Who would of thunk it.
It's a culture thing. Don't judge.
The funny thing is you'll never hear Too $hort rappin about these animals sticking around & being fathers to their illegitimate children because they're pimps,ganstas & players who love spreading their seed around but heck if their going to be responsible for their offspring let Uncle Sam pick up the tab.
Brazzers rock!!
I personally don't think that Satton should be fired. She didn't make the post. I think it is a bit ironic that you say you're trying to promote awareness of misogynistic behavior and I wouldn't say that this is necessarily a misogynistic idea (to fire Satton), but it's certainly pointing fingers at someone else entirely not to blame. I think rather than wasting time trying to get her fired, you should use that time to try to contact the rapper that made the video in the first place. He is to blame and he is fully responsible. OR you could even find out who actually posted the video on the website and ask to have THEM fired, but not their boss. That's just pulling at straws. I guarantee you there is not a woman on this planet that would approve of this. You can't assume she knew about it before it was posted.
As ediot in chief it is her job to know what content is being used.
Sorry for the typo-thats editor in chief
Sorry, but you're wrong. As the boss you are responsible for your staff's behaviour and actions. Obviously the staff have way too much leeway in what they do but it all comes down to the boss. If they are going to stand up and bow and take the accolades when the business does good then they should also bow down and apologize and take the blame when the business takes a dive. Saying that the artist is responsible as he is the one making the video, well these people didn't have to post the video. Then we probably wouldn't even be talking about it.
Also, you certainly can't guarantee anything on behalf of the entire female population of the planet.
I'm sorry, you're right, maybe some women would support this video.
I just think it's foolish to point fingers at someone that probably had nothing to do wth it. Maybe she should get a reprimand, but take her job? No. Boycott the rapper and end his career? That seems like a better idea.
I love all the hate that things like this bring. I wasn't meaning to say anything to offend anyone, but I realize everyone gets sensitive when it comes to sensitive issues.
Uh..... that is her job and the Editor's job.
Every race gets raped and every race commits rape. It is not an issue of race. It is an issue of the human species. It always had been and it always will be.
Thats my point as well. Black folks always leaving out the rest of the races in everything. All races of women deal with this so get with reality already!!
...just as every race gets diabetes, drops out of school, gets high blood pressure, etc. it's just that, the aforementioned things all happen at an alarmingly high rate amongst Blacks. when things happen at a higher rate in any community, like Tay-Sachs in the Jewish community, for instance, it's worth deeper inspection. after all, men lie, women lie, but NUMBERS DON'T LIE.
Correct. Also, where did the rapper say push only black or hispanic girls up against the wall?
This article is looking for something that isn't there to push its own agenda.
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AMEN TO THAT
HIP-HOP = GARBAGE
Hip hop is hip hop..Like everything else it has it good and bad....
Stop it!! How dare you be so careless!! I am sure you are not married to the mother of your daughter, I bet you haven't seen your kids in ages. Some men treat their kids like hot bags of garbage to be dumped and ignored!! SHAMEFUL
And this is whyI hardly listen to any rap music, there truly is no respect for women in them...and too many people take this stuff and let it lead their life. Living in a gang infested area is not fun...trust me, and stuff like this being said will not help any.
AMEN TO THAT
Unfortunately rap and pop culture are both American mainstream music. That means it what is aggresively marketed and promoted by Whites and Blacks alike. Mainstream music that is heavily marketed for corporate profit does not, has not and will not ever represent the varietys of African American music. But because these rappers are usually black, the music targets vulnerable black youth especially female and does damage to the community and culture so it is an assualt on black society.
"Surely, something like this wouldn’t happen today. Our aging hip-hop artists have become adults now, businessmen, television executives, stockholders, and excellent, responsible fathers like Eminem, Run-D.M.C.’s Rev. Run, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Master P, and Jay-Z. I mean, have you heard the man rap about the euphoric rites of passage that is fatherhood on his chart-busting track “Glory”? We know better, now, don’t we?
Apparently, Too $hort and, more predictably, XXL magazine proved that I was sorely wrong."
Smh. Don't let Too Short and XXL mess up your view on Eminem, Run-D.M.C.’s Rev. Run, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Master P, and Jay-Z being responsible fathers. That's just Too Short's opinion, don't make it EVERY rappers opinion.
But on Twitter she's corrected me, so it's all good.
Just for the record, Too Short is a rapper, and there is a fundalmeental differnce between a Hip-Hop artist and a Rap artist, when will you people get it right, the differnce is the substance of the music they do..seriously
A very, very, very thin hair to split....
They both condone and encourage criminal behavior in varying degrees.
They both condone and encourage a disrespect for women.
They both condone and encourage organized crime.
They both condone and glorify violenence.
They both don't play any musical instruments or even write their own musical accompaniment– all they do is sing or rap.
The Roots are a hip-hop band that writes and plays music, not just lyrics.
Phonte, Q-Tip, Andre 3000, Common, Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco, and the like are rap/hiphop artists who never support violence against women or objectify them; they even do the exact opposite and empower them. "Mix Melissa Ford / with Maya Angelou / become a top model / and Sojourner too" ~ Lupe Fiasco
All music has both negative and positive lyrics, as all humans are comprised of that.
"I met a critic / I made her s*** her drawers / she said she thought hiphop was only guns and alcohol / I said 'oh hell naw / but yet it's that, too / you can't discrimi-hate cuz you done read a book or two / what if I looked at you with a microscope / saw all the dirty organisms hangin in your closet / would I stop or would i pause it? / to put that b**** in slower motion / got the potion / and the antidote / and a quote for collision / the decision / is do you wanna live or wanna exist? / the game changes everyday so obsolete are the fists / and marches / speeches only reaches those who already know about it / this is how we go about it'" ~ Andre 3000
Don't defend his hateful and dangerous behaviors!
I agree! Hip Hop and Rap art two different things. Hip Hop is an art of poetry and lyricism and rap is just -"YMCMB"- talking to a sound beat. There are several hop hop artist out there but they are not who Americans want to represent us as African Americans. They rather choose the ignorant and the fastest money making. The Pop and Rock world are the same way. Some of their songs are degrading to women as well, but this article is not about that, I understand.
more white boys and girls listen to rap and too short then anybody so why are they not mentioned
because nobody takes white boys who listen to rap seriously
I'm white & the last rap I listened too was Run-DmC back when I was in ji high because these days rap is crap.
I thought Too Short died years ago of aids. Are there 2 rappers called Too Short?
you're talking about easy e.
That was Easy E
Frat boys rape too, the difference is no one is cheering them on from the sidelines. That being said, I don't know how anyone with a daughter under 40 can sleep at night.
When white frat boys rape, it's not glorified in a magazine or by white musicians. They're condemned for their disgusting actions. Statistics also show that the African American community is reproducing at a higher rate, has more teenage pregnancies, higher rates of STDs, and so on.... So when a prominent black figure publicly promotes this sort of behavior to a mainstream audience, the black community has a right to be concerned.
Never heard of this guy. To bad you brought him to world attention.
Wait...
You can be a professor of 'Africana Studies'?
How much does that pay?
How much does welfare usually pay?
Yeah, and the people who would defend that right for them to spew that garbage like this in the name of civil rights and liberalism are Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton et.al. They sing gospel on Sunday and promote male bovine excrement like this on Monday...and then they have the nerve to wonder why people are racist.
The two gentlemen you just mention, has never approve of the type of Rap lyrics some of these artist has put out. Don’t dare use rap music as an excuse to be racist, because that is just who you are.
Just because it works for him and his daughter doesn't mean it should be used on other peoples daughters.
What surprises me is that these people haven't been under federal investigation for diliquacy of minors.
why's that surprising? we live in a society that pays millions to guys who admittedly sold drugs for a living (50 Cent, Jay Z, Young Jeezy, etc) instead of taking out back and shooting them
The 'gangster/rap culture" is prevalent in our local public high school. This is why I spend 15K a year to send my daughter to a private school.
In my family the 5 for 5 public school students went to college. On the private school side 1 out of 2 went to college. And the best college was the public school student in the poorest community.
Hiding your kid in private school or in home schooling is giving in to the bad guys.
Just because something costs lots of money doesn't make it better.
The advantage of a private school education is that you're allowed to kick bad kids out! A kid has to be a murderer before he gets expelled from the public schools!
While you're spending money spend $10 or some time on google and find out that Too Short is not a "Gangster Rapper".
Hip hop, rap, whatever. When you have Chris Brown beating up his girlfriend and idiot teens tweeting they want him to beat them- there is a massive problem with African American music being toxic to our children. I don't want my kids exposed to it and I don't want my kids exposed to the idiots kids of all races who want to emulate this nonsense.
Let your kids think for themselves. You can't shelter them forever. They've already been exposed to stupidity and will be exposed to a lot more.
Again NERCITY– that is a very thin hair to split. They both don't play musical instruments, they both sing about violent crime, and they both don't write their own music. Rapper, gangster rappper, whatever you call them– they all fall under the category of "antisocial no talent".
Contrary to popular belief most of them do play instruments and produce their on music.
Also, this guy was talking about middle schoolers? 13 year olds?
Pedo. Gross
Ask Too Short if he feels ok if that happens to his mother. The moron.
This is absolutely disgusting and every female of every color in the country should be completely outraged by not only the publications that promote these pigs but by the consumers who fill their pockets with cash. If no one bought it, these people and their sick messages would cease to exist. Want to change the culture then spend your money on real music and entertainment. This is neither. I'm a white woman and appalled that the black community, men and women, permit this sort of degrading filth to continue in their community.
Your reply is not only stupid, but it is also ignorant. This degrading fifth does not happen in our communities and if you are familiar with the black community, you would know that we would not accept nor condone this type behavior. You people make me sick!!!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately, CalJ, it absolutely does happen in the black community and at an alarming rate. Earlier in 2011 there was a story out of Texas about a dozen or so young black males who repeatedly raped an 11 or 12-year-old mentally disabled girl who was also black.
I'm glad the community you find yourself surrounded by is good but these stories appear in the paper and on the internet over and over again. Something's wrong and blacks need to fix it themselves instead of pointing fingers and asking for government solutions.
It happens in the black community and it happens in the white community. Anybody remember the Yale fraternities who made their pledges march thru campus chanting "No means Yes! ... Yes means Anal!" last year? The first step in stopping it is to admit that it happens – even if it is on our own doorsteps. Gals, we gotta educate our brothers, our fathers, and our sons.
This comes out because adult men don't think of women and young girls as human beings. Period.
Rap and hip-hop have ALWAYS been about violence and misogyny and irresponsibility and low self-esteem and dishonesty and criminal activity and ignorance; just like the talentless ghetto crawlers that produce it. The "community" that holds these rappers (as well as pro athletes with an 8th grade education) up as role models revels in this lifestyle. These people have no impulse control, no empathy, no real sense of self (they are all weak-minded followers) and little respect for themselves.
Thank you Henry!! now go grab a history book and read the part that freed slaved were not allowed to be educated as mandated by the US Congress after slavery was abolished... Go on...Check it out Big Hen!! Then maybe you will see the REAL big picture...
Always, if you ignore all rap that happened before gangsta rap. I'd suggest you look up Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight," but I doubt you'd want facts to muddle up your idiocy.
Horrible, but how ridiculous is it that she kinda defends or puts on a pedestal those responsible older rappers. Amazing how people can denigrate women and promote promiscuity, drugs, and gangsterism, make a boat load of money from said actions, and then fool everybody into thinking they are some nice guy. Are you that dumb?
umm, Too Short has been rapping/talking liket his since i was at least 13...this is nothing new...this is the culture that we as a society have decided to put up in the spotlight...& then wonder why kids get into trouble emulating these "role models"...how about we leave them as rappers, nothing more, nothing less...don't let the media hold these people up as role models or anything our kids should aspire to...but that'd take too much forethought and parenting...
Thank you for writing this, Raquel!
People stupid enough to listen to rap deserve whatever they get! Who took off the C? To listen to it is to support it. If we didn't listen to it and didn't buy it or go to rap concerts it would simply fade away into oblivion where it belongs.
That's why I do not listen to that crappy music.
It's not music!
Crappie music J? Please.. There is only your opinion to judge which says this... If JayZ likes what JayZ hears its great! if JayZ don't then it's crap? I say BS! Music is smarter than that! Music get's in where it fits in! If it makes you feel good then roll with it but leave your judgment about music at home! Besides that, who are you too judge what is good and what is not?
I see the statistic of 60 of African American women being assaulted, but what is the percentage of white women that have? Why should we ignore the fact that ALL women are victimized by this type of behavior and influence?
You ma'am, are racist.
It's wrong that so many people actually look past these rappers (like Too Short–what a dumb name by the way) who advocate violence against women in general. While I agree with the author that the encouragement of assault of young women needs to stop, I would say that it's ALL women, not just Black or Latina. I'm an Afro-Latina and I believe that this should extend to all women, as this type of misogyny effects women in general.
seriously... because we know that Weird Al doesn't get nearly as many ladies trying to get him in bed as guys like Eminem or Axl Rose do... guys act whatever way that gets them laid... so guys acting like this piece of trash just comes down to being the fault of the majority of women
The way we socialize boys in this country is a real travesty. But they are one part of the equation. Girls and women also need to redefine their definitions of masculinity. Many men wouldn't act like boorish brutes if a cadre of women didn't respond favorably to it.
yuck. put him away....far away.
Well said. In hip-hop you are either part of the solution or part of the problem. I can't believe Too $hort is 45 and STILL playing the EXTREME misogyny card!
Wow, what a disgusting pig. I hope he doesn't have children because he's advocating that kind of treatment for his girls and that type of behavior for his sons.