Over the weekend, darling couple, Saweetie and Quavo set the internet on fire when they (she) announced that they had broken up.
And celebrities break up every day, b. But in this case, it’s more so about how publicly it happened.
Saweetie took to social media to announce the “news" after much speculation. She went on to say:
“I emotionally checked out a long time ago and have walked away with a deep sense of peace and freedom. Excited for this new chapter of elevation."
Sidebar: That's some unapologetic shit right there, love to see it.
Anyway, Quavo went on to basically blame her for her calling out his infidelity (make it make sense). To which she responded with a tweet that traveled around the world:
Twitter
Ouch.
But for me, all this isn't about the fact that they decided to split, or how publicly it was done. It's about the gems our girl dropped when doing so—specifically:
“Presents don't band aid scars."
I felt that. You felt that.
Since the beginning of their relationship, Saweetie has bragged on the extravagant lifestyle that she has, including the gifts that Quavo has given to her. For Christmas, he gave her a custom Bentley to match her brand, and a few months prior, she said on IG Live:
"If he not getting you a Birkin, if he not paying for your bills, then throw that n**** back to the streets, OK?"
She later clarified her comments saying:
"Well, you know, one thing that people have to realize is I'm an entertainer and I come to entertain. So that was an entertaining comment. Like Jay-Z says at the end of 'Ignorant Shit,' he goes, 'It's only entertainment,' and then he does this little evil laugh. I was having a good time promoting [her single] 'Back to the Streets.' And, you know, I'm popping my s**t for my girls. But I feel like a Birkin symbolizes a gift of value."
So, to see her tweet about why receiving gifts in response to being hurt is problematic, shows her maturity and growth as a woman.
And as an empowerment hub for all black women, and as fans of Saweetie and what she represents and provides to the culture, that's the kind of growth we love to see.
We're excited for your next chapter, sis!
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Ron Adar / Shutterstock.com
- Saweetie Confirms Breakup With Quavo | Teen Vogue ›
- Saweetie Addresses Quavo Cheating Rumors: 'I Don't Play That Sh ... ›
- Saweetie confirms Quavo break up rumors - REVOLT ›
- Saweetie Announces Quavo Split on Twitter ›
- Quavo to Saweetie after breakup: 'You are not the woman I thought ... ›
- Saweetie Confirms Quavo Breakup & Demi Lovato Collab | Billboard ›
RELATED
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Since it’s Stress Awareness Month, we caught up with Keanne Owens, LCSW, founder of Journey To Harmony Therapy Center, to talk about these triggers and what Black women can do to manage and cope.
Owens is an experienced South Florida-based counselor and social worker who offers her services via Grow Therapy, a therapy and medication management platform. She has worked with Black women professionals to unpack issues related to workplace stressors. “One is the pressure to perform–having to meet deadlines and deliverables. And a lot of times, these subtle stressors from performance are put upon ourselves as Black women. We want to make sure we’re doing our best. We don’t want to be critiqued in certain ways.”
Excessive micromanagement leading to fear of overly critical bosses is another subtle trigger that can negatively impact Black women in the workplace.
“Whenever something is done wrong, or we experience some type of injustice and have to report it, it’s the fear of retaliation–[fear that] we won’t be taken seriously or [our words] will be taken out of context because of being deemed as the ‘angry Black woman,’” she said.
Black Women And Workplace Stress Triggers
Her sentiments are backed by research. A recent report by Coqual found that 28% of Black women (compared to 17% of White men) say their supervisor uses “excessive control or attention to detail” when managing them. There’s more: A survey by the National Employment Law Project found that Black workers were “more likely to have concerns (80 percent) and twice as likely as white workers (18 percent) to have unresolved concerns at work, with 39 percent reporting they were “not satisfied with the employer’s response or did not raise concerns for fear of retaliation.”
The survey also found that 14 percent of Black respondents said they “avoided raising concerns to their employer for fear of retaliation—more than twice the average rate of 6 percent for all survey respondents.”
Owens pointed to the fact that these subtle stress triggers can negatively impact our physical health and our career advancement. “A lot of time it’ll affect our productivity,” Owens added. “We start to have negative thoughts of ourselves. The stressors can also cause fatigue. We’re no longer meeting or working up to our desired potential.” Other challenges as a result include insomnia and increased insolation, withdrawal, and lack of motivation to apply for jobs or promotions even when qualified.
valentinrussanov/Getty Images
How To Manage Subtle Stress Triggers
While there are systemic issues at play for Black women at work that has less to do with us and more to do with major overhauls that must be addressed by the powers that be, there are steps we can take for the betterment of ourselves and our mental health. Owens offered the following tips:
Tap into a support system, whether it’s a coworker you trust, a family member, an organization, or an outlet like a hobby.
Create a good work-life balance before burnout even starts. “Having certain boundaries [is the goal] such as, for example, if you get off at 5, you get off at 5. If your job description is this, you don’t go above and beyond because that brings you to a lot of burnout,” Owens said.
Prioritize self-care, whatever that means for you. “If you don’t have a routine, create one. Practice mindfulness and even some meditation,” she added.
Create structure in your life outside of work. “Even if you have a family, applying some structure in your routine helps relieve stress,” she said.
Get into grounding techniques. “Do a real quick square breathing exercise, that’s literally 30 seconds, or you can do a grounding technique that’s less than two minutes, right there where you are. You don’t need any other materials. That’s something you can do with just yourself and your body.”
Ask for help. “As Black women, we don’t ask for help enough,” she said. “Find where you need to ask for help. A lot of times, people think that’s indicative of weakness, but we need to rewrite that narrative. It’s okay to ask for help where you see fit. [If] you’re a mom, [it could be] every Wednesday from 5 to 6, your children are with the dad. You have to carve out that time.”
For more information on Grow Therapy, visit their website. You can also find out more about Keanne Owens, LCSW, via BeginYourJourneyToHarmony.com.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Charday Penn/Getty Images
