Megan Thee Stallion reflects on Tory Lanez verdict in powerful essay: 'We must protect all women'

Megan Thee Stallion calls herself a "survivor" in a powerful new essay for Elle's May 2023 cover, where she reflects on being shot by Tory Lanez nearly three years ago.

Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was found guilty in December of three felonies in the 2020 shooting of the hip-hop star that left her wounded with bullet fragments in her feet. In a criminal complaint, prosecutors said Lanez fired a gun at a victim identified as "Megan P." after she got out of an SUV during an argument in the Hollywood Hills. Megan’s legal name is Megan Pete.

"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," Megan wrote in in her personal essay published Tuesday.

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The "Her" rapper does not want to refer to herself as a "victim." "I view myself as a survivor, because I have truly survived the unimaginable," she wrote.

Megan said she also survived "public humiliation" as her "attacker laughed and joked about my trauma" to discredit her story.

"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," she wrote.

"Instead of condemning any form of violence against a woman, these individuals tried to justify my attacker’s actions," Megan added.

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The Houston rapper said it "never crossed my mind that people wouldn’t believe me" when she came forward after Lanez decided to make the case public. "But my heart hurts for all the women around the world who are suffering in silence, especially if you’re a Black woman who doesn’t appear as if she needs help."

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Megan noted that people often associated her strong and outspoken presence coupled with her continuous music releases as a signal that she was fully healed. "(People) assumed that, per preconceived stigmas, 'I didn’t fit the profile of a victim,' and that I didn’t need support or protection," she said.

"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," Megan continued. "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."

Behind closed doors, Megan said she battled depression and struggled to make music. "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," she said.

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Since the shooting, Megan said she's created more boundaries with the people around her, has practiced saying "no" more often.

"This is a rebirth of a happier and healthier me. I’m a survivor and I have — and will continue — to embrace the highs and lows of my journey. I’m excited to get back into music, because I have been so transformed. I’m playing around with new songs and new sounds that I can’t wait for everyone to hear."

Speaking to other survivors, she wrote: "As a society, we must create safer environments for women to come forward about violent behavior without fear of retaliation. We must provide stronger resources for women to recover from these tragedies physically and emotionally, without fear of judgment. We must do more than say her name. We must protect all women who have survived the unimaginable."

Lanez filed a motion for a new trial last month and following several delays, a decision is expected to be made on May 8. If he is not granted a new trial, he is likely to be sentenced to up to 22 years in prison.

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Contributing: Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Megan Thee Stallion on shooting, supporting survivors after verdict