On Salim Akil and Why, Without Consent, Kink Can Be Criminal

Photos: Robin Marchant/Getty Images for BuzzFeed/The CW; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Salim Akil, showrunner for Black Lightning and co-creator of the OWN network show, Love Is___, has been charged with intimate partner violence and breach of contract by Amber Brenner, actress and his alleged lover. In this piece, I discuss the difference between kink and abuse and how, when discussing these matters, we have to be mindful of our approach.