For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

– Psalm 139: 13-14 (NIV)

That Goes for Everybody!

The scripture above applies to all of God’s children, no matter what country they live in or what color they are, no matter their gender identity or their politics or their abilities. It’s a powerful passage, that reminds us that God knows at the very beginning and throughout our lives. Sadly, too often, individuals have denied that this also applies to the LGBTQI+ community. For that community, to seen and known has been both good and bad. But in the sense of Psalm 139, to be seen in this manner is to be loved and cared for. 

How do we see those who don’t look or live like us? One way could be through media. I’ve discovered a number of shows that have allowed me to better understand the perspectives of many different people, including women, non-binary folks, people of color and people from around the world. I’d like to lift one up for your consideration today, and explain why I think it’s so important. 

FANTI: A Teachable Podcast

FANTI is a podcast produced by Jarrett Hill and Tre’vell Anderson. The former is a self-described cis-gender black man, and the latter is a non-binary person of color. Now, right up front: this is not a work-safe or kid-friendly podcast. The topics are based on what concerns the two of them, and they are adults who speak in an adult manner. Sometimes they are playful and silly, sometimes they are downright angry about injustices they see in the world. They are always entertaining. The title of the podcast comes from how we can be “fans” of a something (teams, art, music, etc.) but also have problems with it (so we might say we’re “anti” this or “anti” that). It’s about having mixed emotions connected to the things we love.

One episode in particular caught my attention this week and it was their program titled “Episode 61: This is My Sorry for 2004.” They released it on April 1^st, but it’s got nothing to do with April Fools Day. In this program, they address apologies, especially those tendered in the public eye by white media figures. Tre’vell and Jarrett mostly discuss how these apologies come up short, and they go into detail on why certain behaviors on the part of the white community are so troubling. They address victim-blaming, weaponized tears, and other tactics that we’ve used to shift the blame from ourselves and back onto those we’ve wronged. 

If You’re a White Adult, You Should Consider Listening

There are some really hard moments in the piece, but I recommend it for several reasons. First, these are black voices, addressing black concerns without any worry over white acceptance or appreciation. They feel, if I’m permitted to say so, brutally honest and authentic. Furthermore, though I claim to support the LGBTQI+ community, if I don’t hear their voices in conversation then I can’t claim to know anything about them. I want to hear what they think about the things they think about. Not for anthropological research, and not so I can “give permission,” (as if it needed to be given). But rather, to seek to understand. 

As someone who wants to be actively anti-racist, it’s incumbent on me to reach out and to educate myself. But it’s NOT incumbent on the black community or any other people of color to make that easy for me, or to package things up in a palatable package. We need to hear and learn from these conversations because they represent voices that are underrepresented in our society. I don’t always get all the references, but when I’m confused, I follow Tre’vell’s advice: “GOOGLE it, honey.” And I do. I look things up and I educate myself. 

Do You Have Resources to Share?

What podcasts or shows have your found that gave you a window into the experiences of people of color? Is there something you have learned about your own walk through life and how we are intertwined? What have you embraced, and what have you rejected? It’s all food for thought, and I’m grateful that the hosts of FANTI are allowing us to hear their conversations.