“In the spirit of transparency, though, my closest homegirls and I have definitely run some trains before. But that is not at all the same thing as fucking my friends. There are some who would disagree, insisting that three people constitutes a threesome, but I think the line between trains and threesomes is often demarcated by friendship. (Feel free to quote me on that.)”
Excerpt From Bad Fat Black Girl: Notes From a Trap Feminist by Sesali Bowen (Amistad 2021)
When I wrote my book, there were only a few passages that I felt readers would find truly scandalous. That was one of them. I’m honestly shocked by the lack of enquiries I’ve received asking me to elaborate or demanding that I explain myself. After writing about friendship last week, reflecting on the varying states of vulnerability I’ve seen some of my closest homegirls in, I think it’s worth a shot. To me, trains are a kind of debauchery that brings friends closer.
My homegirls and I have learned quite a bit about each other through the practice of running trains. Without going into too many specifics (you’re welcome, fellow guilty parties) I’d like to share what lessons I’ve held onto the most. My female friends and I have personally reclaimed trains from the lore of multiple men who lose respect for a woman because she had sex with them. I hope that writing this not only demystifies the practice for women, but enlightens some of you who might be ripe to try it out with one (or a few) of your girls.
So, without further ado, here’s what I think you need to know about how to run a train with your friends.
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