A few months back I penned an article that ruffled a few feathers. The article went viral and I got messages and tweets from all over the world. Most of the responses were positive and and my inboxes were filled with variations of, "Gurrrrrrl! This was my momma." However there were a few responses from people who simply couldn't relate and argued that because none (or only few) of what I mentioned happened in their household, that it simply didn't happen at all. As a writer, I'm used to others opinions on what I write. Aside from wanting to entertain, enlighten or educate, writers love opinions and feedback (usually).

That being said, there was one opinion that really stood out to me. I knew when I wrote the article suggesting that there were 13 things that happen in the Black community in regards to parenting that were destructive and should to be put to an end, I needed to prepare for some "not all Black people," and "I never do those things," which is fine, because it wasn't an "all Black people" argument. It was a "this sometimes happens, and as a community we need to stop it when we see it" argument.

I was a little shook, however, when I came to find out that my article upset someone so much that she actually quit being a writer. Well, to be fair to myself, I'm not sure if she quit writing all together, but she was a writer for the same publication that I write for. After seeing my article featured on the the publications' website homepage, it upset her so much that she packed up and quit.

Now, I know what you're thinking...she was probably just upset that you were stereotyping her and her BLACK family. WRONG! She was a red headed white girl named Katie. And I'm sure Ms. Katie got all red in the face after realizing that her articles about *mostly* nothing wouldn't receive the same attention as articles pertaining to racism, racial justice, sexism and the Black community.

And per my portfolio, anyone can see what my niche is. I am a Black women, writing about Black people for, you guessed it, Black people. Now, anyone and everyone can read my articles, but at the same time, just because you can read it doesn't mean you're the target audience. Yes, I said it. Dear White People, not everything is for your consumption. I know that's a hard thing to swallow, but just imagine how hard it was for Black women to find lipstick and foundation before Rihanna's Fenty Beauty line.

And of course poor Katie didn't leave quietly, she first attempted to have my article taken down and I'm sure she would have loved to see me fired. When that didn't work, she had decided she'd had enough. She then wrote an entire article about why she was choosing to leave.

Aside from complaining about how she feels a job as a content writer required her to write too much content, *eye roll,* as if she didn't apply for the job, and not being paid because no one read her work, she went on to say that my article was "discriminatory" and included "hate speech" as it "accuse[es] individuals of" "financial contribution in the household, public embarrassment, threatening lives, beating and physically abusing, discouraging from the arts, homophobia and violence, taking away emotions, receiving things wrongly as disrespect, hovering, too much explicit language, pretending to never be wrong, making people have a different title, like auntie or uncle, than they really are, ignoring sexual abuse, [and] shaming their own daughters." LOL.

I almost drowned in the white tears.

Let me take a second to explain for the Katie's of the world what discrimination is. *clears throat.*

Discrimination is the treatment of a person or people based on class or category,such as race or gender,ratherthanindividual instead of individual merit.

Well, here is my response to you, Katie. I am not mistreating anyone. Calling someone out on their foolishness is not mistreatment. You don't have to like me or my articles, but let's get something straight and let's not use terms we don't understand. If the word you meant to use was "stereotyping," let me say this. My article was not about ALL Black people. I am not taking an entire ethnic group and generalizing. That being said, I write solely to and for the Black community. I am speaking to the Black people who do those 13 things or see those 13 things happening and allow it when they have a say. I am sure the things mentioned happen in other households, however, I am simply not concerned with other households.

I will also take this time to point out that attempting to silence a minority or a member of a disadvantaged group who is voicing an opinion on their own community or of their own oppression, is racist in itself because any act of suppression is an act of superiority. However, if you are interested in being a better ally, feel free to check out one of my past articles.

From the thousands of comments I received all over social media, most people got the point of my article. And so I am glad that I got some people thinking.

To the non-Black people who read my article, and felt some type of way about it. Honestly, mind your business.

Again, let me reiterate. I write to, for and about the Black community. Anyone is welcome to read what I put out there, but if you are not Black you need to read my work with the understanding that I a coming from a place that you might not understand or have ever thought about. If my writing makes you want to quit your damn job, I'm gonna need you to get all the way out of your white feelings. Dear, white women, stop stealing Black women's truths.