2017 is about finding peace, personally.

In the last couple years, I’ve been venting about my identity on the internet. A blessing and a curse, I guess. In this last while, I’ve come across many who have enriched my own views about the coloured community and the layers within it.

But this year, this year, I fully plan to hou my bek on constantly discussing coloured issues on the internet. You see, time and time again I find myself talking about coloured ID as a response to something violent. A toothless man meme on the internet, a tweet asking if we deserve the land or some other shit. I debate these topics with my family, friends and colleagues every other gotdamn day.

And for what? Emotional labour that I don’t a damn get paid for.

There’s plenty to chat about, though. How we praise lightskint, Eurocentric features/straight hair and focus on Cape Town more than any other space? Coloured men who want you to cape for them but happily turn around and perpetuate violence on us. How white-passing folks will always hold privilege over those who don’t pass for anything else but brown. How I get asked if “being coloured” is really a thing, regularly.

I want to learn about South End instead of just District Six and maybe can we address classism or anti-blackness while we’re at it?

I want to talk about coming from Gelvan Park, growing up in the Northerns and going to St Thomas Senior Secondary on my own time and someone else’s dime.

I have enough to share on the internet and have done so. As much as I’m glad we’re making work by us for us – there’s a lot to more to discuss and branch out on.

I however, choose my health and peace over anything else.

Excuse me while I go listen to Leka Djy.