Black, Latino, and Indigenous Women Matter too
We need to be found!
Gabby Petito’s fate has the country riveted as new details surrounding her disappearance come to light. Petito’s body was found at a campsite in Wyoming. Her fiancee, Brian Laundrie, has since disappeared. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. Laundrie is allegedly hiding in a large reserve in Florida, an area full of swampland, tall reeds, and alligators. The world watches to see if Laundrie will be found.
I, personally, believe that Laundrie is dead. He hasn’t been seen since September 14th. He allegedly got ahold of someone’s bank card and stole $1,000 before heading into the reserve. If he’s still alive, it could take weeks to find him. But I believe he is dead. I think he sacrificed himself to the gators. That’s what cowards usually do when they don’t want to face the consequences of their actions.
Meanwhile, thousands of Black, Latino, and Indigenous women have gone missing with little or no attendance to their disappearances. Most notably, it was recently announced that Gospel singer, Kelley Price, has gone missing in the Atlanta area. Ms. Price was diagnosed with COVID-19 just prior to her disappearance. Her disappearance has garnered attention in the media. The story of Price’s disappearance was trending on Twitter. What happened to Ms. Price?
The lives of Black, Latino and Indigenous women matter. They are mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and aunts. They have family, friends, and colleagues. Some women have been missing for weeks, others for months, and the rest, missing for years. Their cases have not been given the same level of urgency as Petito’s case.
This lack of urgency regarding missing Black, Latino, and Indigenous women is typical in the U.S. Racism and White Supremacy are the two factors driving the disinterest in women of color. Black Lives Don’t Matter. The lives of Black, Latino, and Indigenous women don’t matter. Our bodies are considered expendable. Our minds are considered a threat.
Things must change. Too many women are dying at the hands of the main people they know. These would be the men in their lives. Toxic masculinity and outdated mindsets of how women should be regarded in society must end. Racism and its effects must end. Too many women have suffered in this country. The United States must do better.
