This article discusses the fact that at least 710 (mostly female) indigenous people were reported missing in Wyoming from 2011-2020. It also talks about the Gabby Petito case and how the news media and people on social media responded to the case. The difference in the response when an Indigenous woman is missing compared to a white woman is clearly an effect of intersectionalism. Putting that aside, if so many indigenous women are reported missing in Wyoming alone, then where is all of the media coverage and hundreds of thousands of people coming together to find them and support their families?
Unfortunately, it is far from uncommon for Indigenous women to be kidnapped and/or murdered. Cases like Gabby Petito’s becoming top stories and making headlines highlighted just how many cases of missing minorities are swept under the rug. This is not to say that Petito’s case didn’t deserve the coverage it got. She is also a female victim that could have possibly been murdered by her partner (which is sadly is not an uncommon occurrence). When compared to that of an indigenous person the response from law enforcement and the public seems vastly different.
https://www.insider.com/710-indigenous-people-missing-in-wyoming-where-gabby-petito-disappeared-2021-9
It is infuriating to realize that I had no knowledge of this. More so, to remember that I saw a kidnapped white lady on the news just last week. The media made a big deal out of this one woman and I have not heard a single thing about the 710 indigenous people that are missing. This also makes you think about the BLM movement. The media never wrote stories about the deadly force that police would use until it became relevant. The bigger the BLM movement got, the more stories we would hear about these killings. Should we start a protest for the indigenous women of America?
Yes, what does it tell us about the mainstream media and social media responses to this? The coverage has been overwhelming.
Good question about whether we should start a protest. There are protests going on — perhaps there will be one planned here, especially after this.