It’s officially gotten weird. Beyoncé, one of the most influential Black women in music history, wore a t-shirt during her Cowboy Carter tour stop; and apparently, that was enough to send the internet into a meltdown.

The shirt in question? A statement tee referencing America’s violent past and its current contradictions. Was it provocative? Yes. But is it worthy of the kind of backlash she’s receiving? Absolutely not. Yet here we are; another day, another Black woman being dragged for doing far less than her male peers, and a whole lot more with purpose. Obviously this isn’t the moral olympics, I acknowledge that what she did was very inappropriate and insensitive to many Native Americans, but in the same breathe I should not be seeing y’all hold celebrities to equivalent standards than politicians. If that were the case even Biden wouldn’t have become president.

But this isn’t even about the damn t-shirt. This is about what happens every single time a Black woman; especially one as powerful and high-profile as Beyoncé; dares to speak, dress, or exist in a way that challenges comfort zones. Just look at how even Democrats and left-wing people talked and treated Vice President Kamala Harris, one of the most overqualified candidates for President in modern American history. Y’all hate the person trying to free us from the grips of the extremist Republican party and the “MAGA” and conservative agenda that’s being paraded and pushed upon the society of the American people? “But I voted for her because I hate Trump more” HUH! You didn’t vote for her because she’s actually a decent human with progressive policies that better America, only because you don’t want Trump in office? But that’s neither here nor there.

This controversy; the unique combination and intersection of racism and misogyny that Black women face. The kind of hate Beyoncé is getting for a single fashion choice is not about taste or decency; it’s about control. For goodness sake republicans tried to sway us from voting for Kamala Harris because of her laugh, that’s it just her laugh but I digress. This is about policing Black women’s expressions. About punishing them for taking up space, if it wasn’t y’all wouldn’t be trying to push the morally flawed billionaire status that mind you Beyoncé doesn’t even successfully hold, yet.

The same people who were quiet when male celebrities abused, assaulted, or promoted hate speech are suddenly loud and righteous over a shirt. Where was this outrage when artist like Kanye West wore White Lives Matter gear? When Chris Brown has been found liable of countless domestic violence, and physical assault charges. When Tory Lanez was found guilty by actual lawyers for shooting 3x Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion in the foot. Diddy? R-Kelly? Drake? Morgan Wallen? Eminem? Where is this energy for male artist who spew homophobia, sexism, and violence in every other verse?

You’re Missing the Point

And the BeyHive needs to take some accountability as well, because we look just as dumb as her haters.

Some people are defending Beyoncé like she’s some fragile doll who can’t speak for herself. Others are twisting themselves into knots trying to explain her “real” intention; like Beyoncé hasn’t always made bold, political, and deeply layered artistic choice. I mean the woman literally spoke and publicly endorsed Vice President Harris at one of her rallies. We don’t need to water her down to make her palatable. Beyoncé doesn’t need to be sanitized. She needs to be heard.

Then there are haters; performing their outrage for clicks and clout, most of them never having cared about Black liberation or fashion until it gave them a reason to tear a Black woman down. Those “oh my god, I’m so glad the Beyoncé hate is here” comments are so fucking weird. Like you’re “activism” is so performative you just don’t like Black women. They don’t care about what the shirt said. They care about who was wearing it.

The Bigger Picture

What this moment exposes is something ugly: that Black women; even the most beloved ones; are never allowed to be complex, political, or even simply expressive without backlash. They must be “politically perfect” however you interpret that and quiet and meek and centrist. Because if they don’t’ agree with everybody they don’t matter, which is literally impossible. That they’re either “queens” or criminals. Icons or “too much.” There is no in-between, no room for nuances, and certainly no room for mistakes.

But Beyoncé isn’t here to be polite. Cowboy Carter itself is a reclamation. A country album that reclaims the genre’s Black roots. A statement that says; we belong in every space, every genre, every history. The shirt; no matter what it said; is part of that larger message.

So if you’re still stuck on the t-shirt, ask yourself why. And while you’re at it, ask yourself why you weren’t louder when real harm was being done by male celebrities who are still out here collecting awards and brand deals.

Beyoncé shirt is not the problem. Misogynoir is. Hypocrisy is. Silence in the face of real injustice is.

We need to stop falling for the bait and start asking better questions. Like; why is a shirt more controversial than assault? Why do Black women have to work twice as hard just to be torn down half as much? And most importantly: why are people still acting like Beyoncé hasn’t been giving us art, truth, and intention for decades?