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Been following the shit show that is Virginia leadership and just realized that the woman accusing Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax is a former political science professor of mine—Dr. Vanessa Tyson. AND WOW.
Right now, the Lt. Gov. is denying Professor Tyson’s accusation and some sources are even reporting that the Lt. Gov. recently said, “Fuck that bitch” in a meeting in response to the allegations, though Fairfax denies saying these words.
I am here to say that I wholeheartedly believe Professor Tyson. @VanessaCTyson #IBelieveVanessa #MeToo #ListenToBlackWomen
I took Vanessa Tyson’s Marginalization and Representation course an an undergrad at Dickinson College @dickinsoncol when I was an upperclassman in 2011-12. Her course and vivacious spirit were life changing.
If y’all don’t know, Dickinson was and still is white AF, so too was a lot of the coursework. Tyson’s class was a refuge from the homogeneity. She was 1 of like 4 black female professors at the school.
Her syllabus forced us to examine who has power and representation in our country’s political system as determined by gender, race and socioeconomic status.
We talked about social justice in ways that I never thought possible for a college course, well before #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter became part of our collective dialogue.
Tyson was one of those professors that everyone agreed you had to take before graduating. Thank god I did.
Everything happening in the political sphere now, from the gaslighting to the refusal to believe the marginalized, we discussed in her class. The framework Tyson introduced us to is my foundation.
Back then, we knew she was a survivor and we respected her for openly sharing her experiences as victim of incest and molestation. She used this deeply personal experience as a tool to elevate our understanding of oppression.
Read Vanessa Tyson’s statement on the Fairfax assault for yourself.
I am so proud that Tyson is able to stand in her truth after so many years. This is who Professor Tyson is: “I felt a responsibility to myself, the beloved students I teach, and the brave women I’ve tried to help overcome their own trauma.”
It pains me that another woman has to come forward only to have her life scrutinized, name marred and credibility questioned. Tyson is a BLACK WOMAN, which further complicates things. Fairfax has already mischaracterized the nature of the Post investigation into Tyson’s claims.
This is not a smear campaign against Fairfax. This is a woman motivated by a horrific wrong. And she is trying to save us from ourselves.
Please don’t turn this into a “They tryna take a black man down” argument either. Fairfax is not trying to buy NBC. We’ve seen this too many times. Now too many black women are living with even more pain. See: Anita Hill., R. Kelly survivors.
Tyson is a survivor. I stand with Tyson. Please support Professor Tyson’s legal defense here
Lt. Gov. Fairfax @LGJustinFairfax must resign now. #IBelieveVanessa
