Many have been unwavering in their support for Megan, believing her from the moment she came forward about being shot in the foot during an Instagram Live video in August 2020. There were others who said there was no way Lanez could have shot her.
Megan has been met with extreme vitriol and what seems like an organized hate campaign. And it has felt especially cruel. When she took the stand Tuesday in the trial on assault and firearms charges, she offered jurors a glimpse into what the ordeal has been like for her. She summed up the past two years and spoke candidly about what it felt like to be a woman in a male-dominated industry. Yet it was her confession that this mistreatment has caused her to wish she were no longer alive that was most heartbreaking.
When Megan came onto the scene, she was a breath of fresh air. We all rooted for the resident hot girl because it felt like we knew her. Then, just as her star was rising, her world came crashing down. In March 2019, Megan lost her mother after a battle with brain cancer. Having lost her father in her childhood, she was now navigating the world without both parents.
The immediacy of grief can cloud anyone’s judgment. The shooting took place as she was leaving a party, only a year after Megan’s mother’s death and amid her desire to create a new family to lessen the pain. Undoubtedly, there is guilt, shame and a belief that your actions — on some level — are what brought you here. Add online harassment and songs mocking your experience, who wouldn’t wish they were dead?
At times, this world can be incredibly cruel, and finding light often seems impossible. I believe we are supposed to be light for each other. That will include fighting against injustice and using our platforms to speak for those who are being victimized. Meg may or may not see it, but someone else will, and they will know that they are not alone. Being light also means being there to remind people that the mistakes they made in trusting and loving the wrong people aren’t character flaws but opportunities for deeper growth and true healing. It’s important to find every way imaginable to let people know you are grateful that it — whatever it is — didn’t kill them, and they are still here.
Admittedly, I am nervous about the impending verdict and what it means for Megan. Regardless of what the jury decides, she will still be subject to unnecessary hate and ridicule. At the same time, it’s refreshing to know that she’s an advocate of therapy and has the resources to move through this ordeal as healthy as possible. Still, I pray for her heart and her spirit because it cannot be easy. Despite this tragedy, she has a beautiful life and deserves to flourish in it.
This content was originally published here.
