As the dumpster fire that is the year 2019 comes to a close, I want the final post of the year and decade to be one of hope, love, and joy. May the year 2020 be the start of a new era of healthy masculinities rooted in empathy, interconnection, and care for the self and others.
Black masculinity in the United States is often stereotyped as violent, hyper-sexual, and homophobic. The hashtag#BlackBoyJoy, originally used by Chance the Rapper, has created a movement to challenge this singular view while shining a light on Black mens’ joyous ways of being and interacting. The video below dives into Black Boy Joy and sets a lovely precedent for masculinities in the years ahead.
Original article/video produced by Curtis Taylor, Jr. and Nyla Wissa for Buzzfeed. Check out more examples of Black Boy Joy throughout this Buzzfeed article by Ikran Dahir
– Brett S. Goldberg
Cover photo by Curtis Taylor, Jr. and Nyla Wissa from linked video
