The Onion Attacks Quvenzhané Wallis, Calls Her The “C-Word”
I struggled with whether to report this or not, but the fact is we can’t allow our women and children to be denigrated and disrespected and remain silent about it. Last night, the satirical website The Onion tweeted this about 9 year-old Oscars Best Actress nominee Quvenzhané Wallis:
Everyone else seems afraid to say it, but that Quvenzhané Wallis is kind of a cunt, right? #Oscars2013
The tweet was initially posted close to 9 PM EST and deleted an hour later. As of press time, The Onion hasn’t responded or acknowledged the message and subsequent outcry.
Calling a child the “C-Word,” the dirtiest gendered obscenity, is abhorrent and totally unacceptable — even hiding under the guise of humor. As such, the post sparked outrage among many who voiced their grievances by contacting the publication directly and tweeting the editor at @WilliamTracy.
dream hampton wrote:
This isn’t me mistaking the Onion’s sarcasm and satire for an actual headline. This is a human being w/a job calling a 9 y.o. a cunt.
Roland Martin said:
Look, I get comedy. I get satire. But what @TheOnion said about a 9-year-old girl nominated for an Oscar is atrocious.
A select few defended the tweet, calling it satire and citing Freedom of Speech. But since the C-Word carries with it traces of sexualization, objectification and vile disrespect, many feel that even in satire, referring to a nine year-old using that term crosses the line.
There’s also the argument that celebrities like Dakota Fanning or Abigail Breslin would never be referenced that way, while Willow Smith is often the target of taunting and disrespect despite her young age.
According to The Hollywood Reporter: “Elizabeth Hawksworth tweeted: “Quvenzhane Wallis is a nine year old woman of colour. Let’s let what @TheOnion did sink in and remember that Dakota Fanning never had this.”
At first, I was going to say white people are becoming too comfortable with saying whatever they feel like about our children. No! I am going to say what I think is the truth. Not just white people, but ANYONE who feels a certain way about black women is unapologetic. They think they are WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS – so it is not a problem to fly off at the mouth. What is the problem if I refer to a very talented and naturally gifted [9 year old] as a cunt? A cunt? Black women are less and end of the day; we don’t have to recognize her talent. After all, she is still a little girl.
We cannot allow this to continue to happen. It is ridiculous! Every time one of our precious gems rises above expectations, they are attack. The Rutgers Ladies Basketball Team, then Gabrielle Douglas, and now our new rising bright star. . I think we should NEVER stop talking about this. If this process hasn’t already begun, we should have this person removed from their position (immediately). To just complain is NOT enough. If this is all that we do, it will not be enough to show these people we are not standing for these types of attacks.
When I first heard about this, I couldn’t help but tear up from anger. Is there a petitiion? I want these people fired. An apology is not enough.
Let’s be honest. If not for trolls these threads would be little more than boring echo chambers.
“I struggled with whether to report this or not…”
I know this issue is disturbing, and I don’t want that to get lost, but who are you trying to fool with that opening?
i like how this whole thread turned into black women vs. black men. AGAIN. LOL
This is really the only time Clutch get hits, is when the troll squad come through -_-
Which is pretty sad, but se la vie. I’ll let yall tear each other apart, and worry about bigger things. This is all we ever talk about. If bw hate bm and vice versa, just call it quits and give up on the community. Focus on your legacy and your family. Because we’re getting nowhere.
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