Black Girl Dangerous on Race, Queerness, Class and Gender

by Mia McKenzie

Mia McKenzie, creator of the enormously popular website Black Girl Dangerous, writes about race, queerness, class and gender in a concise, compelling voice filled at different times with humor, grief, rage, and joy. Her nuanced analysis of intersecting systems of oppression goes deep to reveal the complicated truths of a multiply-marginalized experience. McKenzie tackles the hardest questions of our time with clarity and courage, in language that is accessible to non-academics and academics alike. She is both fearless and vulnerable, demanding and accountable. Hers is a voice like no other.

"One of the most provocative and insightful writers of our generation."
-Aura Bogado, Colorlines

"A fierce voice among a generation of queer and trans folk of color."
-Janet Mock, New York Times Bestselling Author of "Redefining Realness"

"Tough-love activism at its best-straightforward, challenging, whip-smart, and uncompromising."
-Andi Zeisler, Bitch Magazine

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Race, Essays, Queer, Social Justice, LGBT

169 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2014

About the author

Mia McKenzie is the award-winning author of The Summer We Got Free and the creator of Black Girl Dangerous Media, an independent media and education project that centers queer Black women and girls. She lives with her parenting partner and two children in the Happy Valley of Western Massachusetts.

Reviews

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

If an alien came to earth and asked for a perfect book on what it meant to be Black and Queer during the age of Tumblr, I would hand them this book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bite sized essays on American dysfunction from the perspective of a young, queer person of color. Funny, insightful, and occasionally agonizing.

Well worth the time.

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a blog-book that I like!  I've read other essay anthologies in which the essays were originally online, but this soars above the rest.  Partially, it is her tone, which is a lot less internet oriented.  The other two books I've read had fun, joking tones that were clearly meant to be read on a screen, but even though McKenzie's posts were originally online, they were just perfect for the page, too.  

What also helps this book stand out is how all of it--design-wise, tone-wise, order-wise--lends a hand to the gravity of the topics of which she writes.  She discusses Trayvon Martin, the popular media, celebrities, white supremacy, white GUILT.  Which, speaking of white guilt, she touched on something that made me go, "Oh, okay, thank god."  That thing she mentions is how when she is on Facebook or a similar social media sharing site, all of her "supportive/allied" white friends suddenly do not interact at all with posts that are about racism.  She calls out this behavior and for good reason--even a like or a comment saying "Yeah, this is messed up and so true.  Thanks for sharing!" shows that there is support, and that support is beyond just a friendly check-in.  I've personally always wondered what to do in those sorts of situations, as I'm afraid that my sharing of a post will make me seem like I care about "woke points", but she brought me back down to earth.  So, thank you Mia McKenzie!

Overall, I found this was a fantastic book filled with punchy, bite-sized essays that enthrall as much as they do enrage.

Review cross-listed here!

[l · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate that this is a collection of blog posts and that it doesn’t make sense to criticize the pieces for not being dissertations but some points:

1.
I don’t think not immediately dismissing allegations of DV because the complainant wrote emails saying there wasn’t any physical abuse and is now saying there was means that she’s obviously a liar and that the courts are anti black. Sorry. I’m sure anti blackness was at play but it can’t be reduced to that. That analysis is a nope to me.

2.
If you’re going to say you’re anti prison but not suggest what to do with violent offenders then why did you even bother tbh.

3.
Sarcastically commenting on the idea that “these men can’t control themselves bc penises” and then having to clarify that not all men have penises is ridiculous. Are trans men committing violence against women at the same rates as men with penises? No? Then you don’t need the clarification. my god the queer culture is so stupid.

4.
Minimizing antisemitism to emphasize the extent of anti blackness is bad.

5.
Saying female isn’t a coherent group bc you’d prefer to bond with nerdy people is so stupid. I’m sorry but this is the stupidest take I’ve read on how female people don’t have shared experiences.

6.
Why use heterosexisn instead of homophobia?

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia McKenzie compiled essays she produced for Black Girl Dangerous and they range from satire pieces, to lists, to traditional essays. All are powerful and don’t hold back. McKenzie tells it like it is, highlights how painful and ridiculous some things are through her satire, and all while keeping an eye on her reader. These essays were powerful and I think these essays are accessible to many a person. Highly recommend you read.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only regret is that I didn't read this sooner, and now I'm bummed to learn that BGD just ceased to be. Everything is just as relevant as it was 3+ years ago. I've got a lot of work to do.

[Elizabeth Grateful Sadhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Thought provoking must read. And at times funny.

[Spencer Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the most accessible and poignant books I’ve read about intersectionality. Completely forces the reader to evaluate their own identity and privilege.

[Dontaná · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lately, I've found myself intrigued by black and queer writings. Not just black writings, though, all people of color. My role in the library has allowed me to examine the types of books that are being requested, checked out, and never coming back. These are the types of books my community are reading, and I feel like I should be knowledgeable about a wide variety of authors on the topic. Also, I like reading stuff like this. It helps me to refine my own thoughts on the subject.

Much like Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist discussed all the ways we can engage and identify, or not, with feminism, McKenzie asks us to think critically about the world around us. In no particular order that I can discern, McKenzie has collected her most popular posts and put them in book form for a wider audience. She hasn't changed the content of the posts-cum-essays, but she has added "afterthoughts" to a few of them explaining how and why her views have changed, if they have.

In terms of mechanics, the longer pieces are better than the shorter pieces. The short pieces work when placed in their original context as blog posts, but I wish they could have been fleshed out more for the book. The lists, also, work well in the shorter, blog form. That is not to say they do not work here, I just wanted them to be longer. I was reminded of Simien's Dear White People, even though BGD was written specifically with a people of color audience in mind. The subject is the same, how to survive as a black person in America. Though Simien's book has a more humourous slant, both books are dangerous and thought-provoking.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading for white people lmao. Not for the faint of heart.

[S. Wigget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently Reading means Currently Reading, nor Want to Read, Badreads.

[Kelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel Black Girl Dangerous is phenomenal, and life changing. The author Mia McKenzie voices her opinion about many social issues that affect transgender people of color. She fights against stigmas, and racism through her blog online. The content of this book is empowering to women because she gives you that courage to face tribulations against the world. Majority of the issues that she discuss in her book mentions issues that most fear to discuss. What really makes her book interesting is how she can show intersectionality through connecting ideas such as: class, gender, and race. At the end of each chapter she gives you an encouraging message with her own life experience, and reactions. The most beautiful characteristic is to be able to save the life of another individual through your thoughts. The way that Mackenzie words her sentences makes you think about what you could change differently within your life, or change your perspectives in a positive manner. Within some chapters of the book Mackenzie uses graphic language, but sometimes that’s what heart felt humans do when they are concerned about other people. You never find an author who can write what they really feel, in a way that you could be thinking the same ideas. As a young African American women I can honestly feel her emotions she expresses, because at one point in time I have faced those problems before in my life as well. I would recommend this book to young women who are trying to find themselves, but she lets you know that it is fine to have confidence, regardless of what others opinions. This book could also be recommended to people who are naïve of social issues that affect people that identify with a different gender, and race. Constantly throughout the book she voices her opinions about discrimination, white privilege, and transgender rights. Many people are not aware of these issues or how they could effect a fellow student, teacher, or friend. Being a sociology major this book gives you an understanding of social issues through the perspective of a person who experiences these conflicts on a daily basis. I can guarantee when you read this novel as an educator it will change your mind about a lot of things you thought you knew. McKenzie blows your mind with mixing feelings, rationale, and solutions all in one chapter. She will give you encouraging advice if you are growing into your own sexual identity by discussing challenges you may face, while overcoming the odds. She will stand up for the rights of African American men and women by breaking racial barriers through language. Last but not least she will make you become alive by being comfortable yourself!

[Late · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth a read for sure. Mia has a great voice and her writing feels very personal which gives it an undeniable authenticity. Admittedly, she is writing for herself and for other queer, female-identifying POC. At times this causes some of the viewpoints to seem a little closed-off and un-nuanced, although the nature of the original blog format shouldn't be expected to be nuanced and her perspective deliberately never aims to be 100% open as a necessary means of carving out a space for people of certain identities to lead their own discussions (note that the only scathing/1-star reviews for this book appear to be from white men). The breakdown of intersectional identity was a little sticky at times and there was a lot less of an emphasis on gender/queerness/class than I expected from the title... as in almost none and never that I recall outside of the context of intersecting with race. Nonetheless, it touches on a lot of really compelling issues and, though there were a few points/arguments that I felt weren't the strongest or the most well fleshed out, it was consistently thought provoking, interesting, and eye-opening.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't been formally introduced to BGD and Mia McKenzie, THIS is the excellent compilation of Executive Director/Creator/Editor-In-Chief McKenzie-authored posts to begin with. "With its focus on social justice from a QTPoC perspective, BGD is the only forum of its kind on the web." https://www.bgdblog.org/

Sometimes McKenzie includes Acknowledgments or Annotations following an entry to flesh out the whys of its inclusion in this personal compilation. Sometimes to parse the unexpected impact of a particular post. Often, the pieces stand on their own as they originally did, brilliant and biting in their social commentary. To white cisgender readers like myself, McKenzie offers you the challenges of challenging yourself and your conventions, of rebuilding your mental framework and perspective, and of acting on these (hopefully many) insights to pursue a broader justice, understanding, and acknowledgment of QTPoC perspective so otherwise lacking in the general narrative of our day-to-day.

Listen. Learn more. Think more. Do more. Do better. Repeat.

[Joshua Bertram · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short essays from Mia McKenzie's late blog Black Girl Dangerous is well worth reading, especially for white folks who want to learn more about the intersecting experiences of race and sexuality. McKenzie's writing is frank and often powerful, though occasionally undercut by her own glib sarcasm. I wish some of the pieces had been expanded on rather than just copied over from the blog (though some do included "updates" on the response to the piece, or how the author's thoughts on the piece have changed, since its initial publication). But for such a short book it covers a lot of thematic territory and provides an important Black queer perspective that many of us aren't used to hearing.

Good to accompany Roxane Gay's 'Bad Feminist'.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad I read this book, and I have much to think about and process. McKenzie challenges readers to not just acknowledge their privilege (whether based in race, gender, sexuality, ability, McKenzie deftly calls attention to many systems of inequality) but to push back against it. She calls for an understanding of allyship not as an identity but as ongoing action. This is a collection I plan to reread, to continue to learn from and digest how to work fighting racism and all forms of inequality, rather than furthering their strength in our world. This book was published going on five years ago and sadly the topics are not remotely dated. Highly highly recommend.

[Revy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading.. Super accessible, down-to-earth, easy to read (I read it in 2 sittings today) as it's structured in short bits that were originally blog posts. It briefly but straightforwardly (and with humor) covers some really important points about what it's like being a queer POC today and some ideas on what a white/privileged person can / should not do. She not only points out what people(read: you, I) do that may cause harm and why.. she also gives us specific advice on what to do instead and challenges us to do better. It's a few years old but might as well have been written yesterday.

[Casey Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading these online a few years ago, and I loved reading them now, both with her evolving perspectives and mine. Mia is both willing and skilled and being nuanced, and holding a bunch of thoughts together at once. And funny! A quick read, and highly recommended.

So many highlights, but I'm going to pull this one from "To The Queer Black Kids.":
Your mother may be trying to protect you. But hurting someone yourself to keep others from hurting them is really no kind of protection at all. I wish your mother knew that. I wish a lot of mothers knew it.

[Lyf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really solid printed blog posts. I do wish that Mia had edited them for a better reading experience, but I get the difference. I personally don’t enjoy reading books that are blog post books, I think blog posts were meant for blogs and essays are meant for books, but I’m a little old fashioned that way. The meat of the posts though were really good! Wish I would have discovered this book when it first came out!

[Drea Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it

Sooooo I was intrigued I usually get my books from the library DJM and I couldn't find it except online so being the curious soul I am I downloaded it to see what I was missing. It took me awhile to read as the book took a maze through being queer poc the inconsistency of beyonce and feminism to trying to survive in White America without getting shot which I read similar tips from dl hughley .

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the brutal honesty of every essay. From the very beginning it was like reading every argument about race,sex and gender that I ever wanted to make against the bigots of the world. I usually don't read nonfiction. Mainly because it seldom has anything to say but also because it's usually boring. This book was neither and I'm so glad to have taken this recommendation from good reads. So worth it.

[R C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm hooked. I think at least a weekly dose of BGD would be advisable. Such essential thought. Such excellent writing. Such epic racial critique and satire. A must read for anyone trying to "self-educate".

[Kitty Stryker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember really enjoying this blog, and getting a lot from reading and just sitting with what was being said. I’m glad to have a copy of this book so that I can remind myself of how to continue to, as the author says, “operate in solidarity with”.

[RoRo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An anthology of many important, powerful, insightful essays/posts. I learned a lot, reflected a lot, and recommend this book to everyone.

[Jpflager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. I definitely didn't agree with everything McKenzie had to say but most of it made a lot of sense and all of it made me think.

[Anne DeLessio-Parson · Rating 5 out of 5]

powerful, much-needed voice that challenges us all to be better.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Carolyn Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye-opening book that makes me see things from a totally different perspective. Excellent read for anyone wanting to catch a glimpse into the POC psyche.

[Cammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

cried several times

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for all white women.