Many of the most enduring and culturally resonant television shows and films centering the lives of Black women place our friendships at the heart of the story—think Survival of the Thickest, Girlfriends, Living Single, and Insecure. These narratives remind us that sisterhood is not a side plot but a central force.

The Brazilian butt lift, or BBL, is described by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, as a type of fat transfer designed to shape and enhance the buttocks. hile people of all backgrounds get cosmetic work done, BBLs have become especially popular among Black women. Unlike the Eurocentric beauty ideal that’s all about being super thin, a lot of Black women are drawn to what’s often called the “thick ideal” — that balance between slim and curvy.

In 2020, Black women were murdered at a rate of 11.6 per 100,000 people — nearly four times the rate of White women, who experienced three homicides per 100,000 that same year. And these deaths are not random acts of violence on the street. More than half of Black women murdered were killed by a current or former romantic partner, and 90% of victims knew the person responsible.