Category: Sincerely, Me
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It’s 2023, don’t “all lives matter” me
There is nothing more annoying than going about your business and having someone pull you into an unsolicited conversation about race. Believe it or not, not every Black person is waiting with bated breath to relish in the collective trauma of our community. White people are always the first to say that minorities make everything…
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Why I went away for New Year’s Eve
Every year, we are faced with the pressure of doing something great for New Year’s Eve. The pressure undoubtedly comes from our need of wanting to make the upcoming year better than the last, which means going out with a bang. For me, (for a long time) that meant getting dressed up, rallying all my…
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Overcritical or unproductive?
How do you know when you’re putting too much pressure on yourself or just being unproductive? For anyone who has a full-time job – or in my case a freelance role that feels like a full-time job – it’s likely that you’ll have goals and projects alongside the work you do from 9-5. Whether it…
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Why September is the reset everyone needs
September, to me, has always meant new beginnings. Maybe this comes from being institutionalised during school – which sounds like a bad thing – but it’s the time of year I most look forward to. The change in seasons is so apparent I can’t help but spend the month breathing in air that makes me feel…
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Taking the high road isn’t the epitome of maturity
I need to get this off my chest. Recently, Stylist posted a tweet from @TARYNxOFFICIAL on Instagram that said: “I hate how “being the bigger person” and “not getting out of character” are viewed as some high level of growth or maturity. There’s nothing mature or commendable about ppl disrespect[ing] you without consequence.” Finally, someone…
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It’s OK to turn down opportunities that don’t serve you
Since co-writing Hairvolution, lots of people have reached out to myself and my co-author, asking us to do talks, go on podcasts and be on panels discussing all things Black hair. It’s the one aspect of publishing the book I’ve enjoyed the most because I get to meet so many amazing Black women, hear their…
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Going to the gym for mental health
I hate gyms. As an obvious fat person, I have a warped sense that gyms are filled with people who are there to judge you and your body instead of working on themselves. As much as I know that isn’t true, just like with seasoned drivers who shout at learners on the road, some regular…
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Who were you before your anxiety?
I’m old enough to remember a time before we could pin our feelings and actions on our anxiety. Talking about mental health as openly as we do now was probably not something people imagined they’d see in their lifetime. For a long time, being open about mental health issues of any kind was a taboo,…
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Fat, Black, female and winning
An unapologetic ode to my fat, Black female self. Oh, to be a fat, Black female in a society that, if it had its way, would eradicate me and others like me from existence. Where do I even begin with the injustices that face anyone who embodies these qualities? First of all, society treats being…
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Dear Black men, wtf?
Whenever I’m struggling to write something, I make a conscious effort not to focus only on the things that irritate me. Then low and behold, someone goes and does or says something colossally stupid, and just like that, I am back on my soapbox. Recently, a group of white girls made a TikTok singing on…
Sincerely, Saskia 