Megan Thee Stallion told the world Tory Lanez shot her in the foot. People turned their back on her and dragged Megan's name through the mud. Tory was ultimately found guilty of the crime. Now, for the first time since the trial, Megan is speaking her piece.
In an intimate interview with Elle, Megan spoke candidly about the aftermath of the trial, not viewing herself as a victim, and the courage to move forward.
"I don’t want to call myself a victim," Megan told Elle. "As I reflect on the past three years, I view myself as a survivor, because I have truly survived the unimaginable."
"Not only did I survive being shot by someone I trusted and considered a close friend, but I overcame the public humiliation of having my name and reputation dragged through the mud by that individual for the entire world to see."
"For years, my attacker laughed and joked about my trauma. For years, my attacker peddled false narratives about what happened on the night of July 12, 2020. For years, my attacker tried to leverage social media to take away my power. Imagine how it feels to be called a liar every day. Especially from a person who was once part of your inner circle."
But the jokes and mockery only landed Tory in more trouble. In fact, some of his insensitive tweets toward Megan encouraged the judge to raise his bail.
"I could have let the adversity break me, but I persevered, even as people treated my trauma like a running joke. First, there were conspiracy theories that I was never shot. Then came the false narratives that my former best friend shot me."
"Even some of my peers in the music industry piled on with memes, jokes, and sneak disses, and completely ignored the fact that I could have lost my life. Instead of condemning any form of violence against a woman, these individuals tried to justify my attacker’s actions."
Megan went on to reveal that she wished she handled this whole ordeal privately. In fact, that was her initial intention, but once Tory went public with it, everything changed. While Megan was feeling "drained," everyone else viewed her as "healed" because she was still performing, posting on social media, and making public appearances.
"The truth is that I started falling into a depression. I didn’t feel like making music. I was in such a low place that I didn’t even know what I wanted to rap about. I wondered if people even cared anymore. There would be times that I’d literally be backstage or in my hotel, crying my eyes out, and then I’d have to pull Megan Pete together and be Megan Thee Stallion."
"It never crossed my mind that people wouldn’t believe me. Still, I knew the truth and the indisputable facts would prevail. I had worked way too hard to reach this point in my career to let taunts deter me. When the guilty verdict came on Dec. 23, 2022, it was more than just vindication for me, it was a victory for every woman who has ever been shamed, dismissed, and blamed for a violent crime committed against them."
Tory, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, was found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence.
"Time after time, women are bullied with backlash for speaking out against their attackers, especially when they’re accusing someone who is famous and wealthy. They’re often accused of lying or attempting to make money from their trauma. From firsthand experience, I know why a lot of women don’t come forward. Any support and empathy that I received was drowned out by overwhelming doubt and criticism from so many others."
Megan said her heart hurts for women who have to suffer in silence, especially Black women who are overlooked when needing help because they're seen as "strong" and "outspoken."
Despite being in a dark place mentally for quite some time, these past three months have been her time for healing. That included a break from social media, hanging out with her dogs, journaling, and lots of praying. Although she still has anxiety, Megan admitted she's "in a happier place."
"I’ve accepted this chapter of my life as part of my journey, but I will not allow it to define my journey. I’ve been dragged through the mud, but I’m so happy that I’m able to finally come out of it with a new perspective."
"My purpose is for these words to serve as the final time that I’ll address anything regarding this case in the press. I understand the public intrigue, but for the sake of my mental health, I don’t plan to keep reliving the most traumatic experience of my life over and over again. I’m choosing to change the narrative because I’m more than just my trauma."
To read more of Megan's powerful piece, check out the full Elle interview.
I'm so proud of her! Just by reading it, you can tell a weight has been lifted off her shoulders. Wishing her nothing but peace and prosperity in the future.
I said it before and I'll say it again: I STAND WITH MEG!