I am a little concerned by the discourse that is surrounding Cardi B's pregnancy that is coming from BW on here. The discourse reminds me of something that Toni Morrison said about having children while being interviewed by Junot Diaz
She said that white feminist in her day believed that having children meant the loss of freedom. Toni said that having children made her free and that she never felt freer. It's interesting to see how so many women still believe that children = loss of dreams
I don't think that's going to be Cardi's story. Cardi has proven that she knows her lane & talents better than the folks who tweet & write about her. She has also proven that circumstances that would thwart others fuel her & makes her win. Having a kid may make her hustle harder
The idea that children universally ruin lives and dreams is myopic and white AF. This is why white feminis is so obsessed with abortion rights and not reproductive justice.
I spent the majority of my life when I was dating men avoiding pregnancy because I too thought kids ruined lives. I have accomplished nothing "on time." I have always been a late bloomer.I wonder if I had been less hawkish about pregnancy if I would have hustled a little harder?
I think we need to complicate our conversation about women and pregnancy. Secondly, I think Cardi B has not even scratched the surface of her creativity, potential, & talent. I think her comedic timing is perfect & she'd be amazing in a comedy o doing voice overs
I also think she has the Midas touch when it comes to doing commercials it's only a matter of time before Cardi dominates arenas we never imagined a woman like her dominating
Cardi had one very specific goal and that was stop stripping by any means necessary and she has accomplished that goal and won the majority of the public over in the process
A second thing I see online about Cardi that I find disturbing is the shaming of her for choosing to stay and remain pregnant by her fiance
Esther Perel the psychotherapist who studies & writes about infidelity says, "staying when you can leave is the new shame." This is why as rabid as the stans of HRC & Beyonce are women still refuse to forgive them for choosing to stay with their husbands
Why are we projecting our anxieties and fears on people who have unlimited resources to tend to their issues? Capitalism is so weird yo. Imagine if we tended to our lives with that kind of tenacity and attention to detail
Also, so what if women announce their pregnancy to men who cheated on them while performing songs that allude to mistreatment or finally being chosen. That's their truth
I for one appreciate the vulnerability and the truth telling. Let people live their lives & have their moment(s).
I am so here for Cardi B winning. I wish I could be on her team. Cardi is smart and she knows her lane and is exploiting it to the fullest and I live!
I am sure folks will take certain things from this thread out of context, but that's how twitter works
Final point, for now, the road to success for low-income Black and Brown femmes has never been the traditional route that white folks have had access to. Folks like Cardi are remixing the American dream & authoring their own success
Which is amazing to me. She is doing it and winning on her own terms and in her own way. May the spirit of Cardi B rest, rule, & abide in you too. Go forth and win fam. However, you define winning. Sermon over
Epilogue: it's not children that ruin or defer dreams & lives its the imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy that makes being a mother esp if you are low-income Black/Brown hard AF. Critique the system and the structure, not the ppl trying to navigate it #fin
