Protect Your Bag, Sis
Love and Hip Hop’s Yandy Smith and Mendeecees Harris renewed their vows in Dubai but not before the legitimacy of their first wedding was called into question once again. Yandy has admittedly let us all know that she was unwilling to sign a marriage certificate that would legally bind her to his finances… forever despite having an extravagant ceremony. Since this was exposed after the first wedding, she has faced repeated backlash by fans, family, and former friends turned foes. As for me, Yandy is doing what all women should you, protect the bag. I fully respect Yandy for not signing that paperwork. When you marry someone, you marry their debt and their credit score. If they don’t have their finances in order, you could, in fact, wind up paying child support, or the IRS, or extra insurance for their speeding tickets. The reality is, sometimes things don’t work out, and as women, we have to protect and plan.
In 2018, women made up 56% of Americans living in poverty. According to the CDC, “Black women represent 22.3 percent of women in poverty but makeup only 12.8 percent of all women in the U.S. population.” These disparities can be attributed to gender pay gaps, segregation in lower-wage jobs, ineffective workplace policies… basically patriarchy, and racism. Enough us aren’t taught to protect our coins, get prenuptial agreements, invest. We are told to be loving and caring, to put everyone’s needs before our own. F%ck that. Happy endings are ideal but not promised, and that is why collectively, we have to do better, plan more intelligently. I don’t doubt Yandy’s love and devotion to her “husband” because it’s possible to truly be invested in a man but still be equally invested in yourself. Takes notes from Yandy on how to handle finances and protect the bag, whether it’s from Chanel, Gucci, or Walmart.
