Azealia Banks begins her redemption arc by raising awareness of the rising violence trans women face
Azealia Banks amplified awareness of the violence trans women face in an Instagram video. (Screen captures via Twitter)
Azealia Banks, routinely plunged into controversy for making anti-LGBT comments, took to Instagram Wednesday to lash out against the rocketing rates of violence against trans women in the US.
The singer shined a spotlight on what the American Medical Association has called an “epidemic” of violence against trans people.
In a wave of brutality, 29 trans and gender non-conforming people were fatally shot or killed by other violent means alone in 2019.
In a passionate rant, the bisexual artist slammed “[men] in the f***ing world lusting” over trans women, “lusting, lusting, lusting”, yet, these same men commenting that if they were to “find out” someone was trans they would kill them.
https://twitter.com/mixedhunty/status/1229973729800851456
Known for her raucous, outspoken comments that rattle many LGBT+ fans, her sudden positivity towards the trans community comes after she bid “adieu” to gay fans following her foul-mouthed rants about PrEP, a life-saving and vital HIV-preventative drug.
What did Azealia Banks say?
She continued: “But they wanna sit up and be like, ‘Oh, if I f***ed a woman and found out that she used to be a man, I’ll kill her’,” before staring down the camera.
“Just the amount of f***ing stupidity still left in the world.
“I promise you, this isn’t some performative s**t, I’m not doing this because I’m not like: ‘Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh.
Azealia Banks performs at KOKO on January 25, 2019 in London, England. (Jo Hale/Getty)
“The amount of stupidity and f***ing, like, secrecy and lies that are, like, inside of men. You now what I’m saying?
“Like, you would kill somebody? You wanna kill somebody?
“Wow, wow!”
Fan reactions are mixed towards singer’s renewed redemption arc.
Considering the 28-year-old’s track record with controversial comments made towards the LGBT+ community, some fans and followers felt a sense of unease against Banks’ trans-positive statement.
https://twitter.com/osamaBinBottomn/status/1230290634885521408
as woke as she’s trying to be she’s been cancelled ever since she called zayn malik a terrorist https://t.co/R6jf0g9Oio
— a m a n d a (@a_riveraa_) February 20, 2020
this doesn't … necessarily contradict the transphobic shit she's said before, but it's at least good she's vocal against murderous transphobic men https://t.co/mt3e0fjAg2— abe (@stubbornsticks) February 19, 2020
While others fans praised the rapper for raising awareness on the spate of transphobia, imploring the community to “give her another chance”.
https://twitter.com/beysintentions/status/1230198911098335232
Azealia spilling some truth in her Azealia way.
Trans women are actually one of the most fragile groups in society, specially trans women of color. They are sexualized and then physically assaulted and killed.
Feminism needs to include transfeminism. Our trans sisters matter. https://t.co/gDvuAqoNFx— Cecilia 🩷 (@sislarson) February 19, 2020
Yes hello I watched this in the middle of class today and actually started crying because yes, the excessive transphobia has gotten to me *that* much and seeing just one person speak out for trans women just made me that fucking emotional https://t.co/ho8cngjnCa— Nonexistent Tiddy Goth gf🎵❤ (@nonexistentweeb) February 20, 2020
