WGSS Stands in Solidarity for Justice

In the wake of the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, we, the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Rutgers University--New Brunswick affirm the following:

We support the worldwide protests against police brutality and the white supremacist state. We want to take part in making the future better for everyone, particularly Black people who have been marked as subjects and targets of police violence and state-sanctioned racism throughout the history of the United States.

People like us, across the world, should be stepping up to lead, to listen, to teach, and to learn at this moment. We toil and struggle as minorities who never should have been in the academy, and we use our privilege as educators and writers, as scholars and activists, to produce new ways of understanding, to dismantle racism, patriarchy, homophobia, and classism, and to combat violence and brutality in all of its forms. We do this, but the current moment teaches us that we need to do it better. We need to be stronger, more stalwart in our activism, in our support, in our solidarity, and in our anti-racism. We can work harder alongside those who are on the front lines every day who are fighting for the betterment of our world. We must fight for a world where every precious body feels secure, where police brutality and anti-Blackness are no longer acceptable, and where everyone has a possibility of a future where our lives are recognized, our humanity is sustained, and our communities are supported.

Black Lives Matter. We affirm the life, the community, and the humanity of Black people and of all people of color worldwide. White supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, and colonialism have continually called into question the value and meaning of Black life in this country. Black people’s lives, histories, families, communities, knowledge, and contributions have been subject to the brutality, violence, and everyday racism that marks our country. The continual murders of Black people haven’t intensified in recent years; it was nearly thirty years ago that the beating of Rodney King was caught on video, thirty years since Eleanor Bumpurs was killed by police in her own home, and in those thirty years, the videos have multiplied and yet we seek justice. Black lives cannot continue to be sacrificed to the police regime. We can no longer allow this historically racist, flawed institution to wield control over our country’s people of color --we will fight tirelessly against this reign of brutality.

We remember those who have been murdered, we mourn them, and we stand with their loved ones and neighbors in marking this immense loss to our world and our future.

We are a community of multiply-marginalized scholars and activists. As Black, indigenous, people of color, nonbinary folks, women and queer people, in this critical moment, we are working to listen, to lead, to question, and to fight. Our field grew out of a social movement, and our research, writing, and teaching are all in service of creating a more just world. Our department is home to the Social Justice minor, and we teach, research and struggle for social justice both inside and outside of the academy. We hope to model activism and solidarity for everyone who is fighting to make this world a better place through protest, organizing, writing, and producing knowledge in all of its forms.

Black students, faculty, and staff across the University who are experiencing grief, fear, loss, anger, and frustration during this time: our department is here for you. We stand with you in this fight, and we offer you all of our love and solidarity. Whatever you need from us, you have our emails, phone numbers, and social media accounts; please contact us if you are in search of support. Nobody should have to endure this burden alone.

With love.

#BlackLivesMatter