OH NO ! WHY? NOT AGAIN!

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   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   
   Why? Why? The overwhelmingly negative portrayal of Black women by the media.  Is THIS the BEST presentation of Black womanhood? 
   
   Why are Black women portrayed so negatively in the media? Even Black male commentators have gotten on the negative Black female imagery bandwagon.  A lot of Black women presented in these reality programs and in videos can be classified as the most negative type of Black woman imaginable. This is WHAT the world is seeing, thus the Black woman is routinely categorized by many to be the lowest common denominator of womanhood. 
   
   However, there are beautiful, classy, highly educated, affluent, and highly successful Black women!  Yes WE do exist although to some people, SUCH is NOT the case according to the negative presentation in the media. Why glorify the worst among Black women and SELDOM or NEVER the positives and the best!
   
   
   Yes, there are highly educated, highly successful, affluent, and classy Black women.  Seldom are such positive Black femininity represented in the media. What DOES that tell our beautiful young Black girls and women?  What DOES that tell our magnificent young Black boys and men? 
   
   Much of the world are not SEEING these uplifting Black female images. This is egregiously sad indeed.  I, as an educated, middle class, retired Black woman, am utterly dismayed by such negative imagery.  Such imagery causes Black women to be viewed quite disparagingly. This negative imagery of the Black woman is causing many people, including some of our Black men, to see Black women in the coarsest and most brutish aspects possible.  As a result of much of the negative imagery of Black women as presented in the media, Black women are viewed as quite undesirable and the most unnoteworthy among womankind.  Let's discuss this.  Here is a link......................
   http://youtu.be/qfQ3xL8RMk8

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      Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      There are ppl of all kinds portrayed negatively in the media... it doesn't make it true. I have dozens and dozens of AA female friends and they are upstanding, amazing women who would be embarrassed for the women in that image. However it no more represents them than it does any of our first ladies. Why would we on HP's want to continue the negative images/stereotypes?

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      1. 85

         gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Dear Beth, I understand.  But as a Black woman, it dismays me to see the overwhelmingly negative portrayal of Black women in this way.   This causes many people to view Black women as such and THIS IS WRONG!

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            Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

            It is wrong. It's Jerry Springer. It's the world we live in and it's yucky. All we can do is not watch it. We should stand up and say, "I know black women/I am a black woman and this is not a true representation of the majority. In addition, we need more beautiful black women, old and young, rich and poor, humble and exalted representing minorities. Tyler Perry features many of the women like the ones in the pic., but he also does a fabulous job representing all kinds of interesting, female black leads. I'm glad he does what he does.

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   2. 72

      pagesvoiceposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      We live in an era of knee jerk journalism and sensationalism. It's easier to air video footage or snapshots of bizarre behavior rather than do in depth reporting of individuals, accomplishments and causes. Outlandish actions by some cross all racial and ethnic lines.
      
      Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Asha-Rose Migiro is the 3rd Deputy Secretary General of the U.N., Condoleezza Rice, numerous congresswomen and trail blazers like Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks are prime examples of strong and  positive role models of African American women.
      
      However, one little secret that goes on in living rooms of white people all across America and certainly one not shared with the African American community is the surprised comment that goes something like this: "Wow, she's certainly articulate, isn't she?" It's comments like that which continues a stereotype that women of color are somehow not as educated as white people. It is a slow process for sure, to change the mindset of some people and negative images of bad behavior certainly does not help.

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   janesixposted 10 years ago

   Because people like drama and to see people acting like fools and being mean to each other. It is not "just" the media's fault. The people WANT circuses,and the media is more than willing to provide. I'm sure you realize that they do this with everyone, not just people of one color.

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   peeplesposted 10 years ago

   gmwilliams I sincerely hope that this in no way offends you as I thoroughly enjoy your posts usually. I am going to speak from experience. In my 30 years on this earth and 20 something black foster homes while living throughout my state I have met about 5 of what your bottom pictures looks like and I have met A LOT of people.  Granted my life for the most part is limited in the fact that most of my experiences are within one state. I see there being one problem. Ghetto mentality! It's not just a black thing. It's like people want to be proud to live in poor neighborhoods, have drama, Baby "mamas" and baby "daddys". I think there is a very sad issue among many young blacks. My closest friend is a 53 year old professional black woman. She is awesome! However even she sees that things have changed. It use to be that black neighborhoods were actually safe, blacks wanted to get out of those neighborhoods, and wanted to better themselves. It seems the trend is now living in the "hood", wearing pants around the knees (again not just a black thing), and being poor.
   The media works with what the majority is here. I really find it sad that so many blacks fought to get better lives and now so many are deciding they would rather not have better.

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      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I am not offended at all, totally agree with you!

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   Mighty Momposted 10 years ago

   You said the magic words: "Reality TV."
   Reality TV is conceived to glorify the lowest common denominator in any group it is portraying.
   It sickens me how much of TV these days is this less than mindless crap.
   The more they show, the more people watch. And the more people watch, the less they want to watch anything else that expands their minds.
   It's like the TV equivalent of junk food. Not even. Just candy. No nutritional value.
   
   Besides, reinforcing the negative stereotypes keeps us divided and lets people who have zero experience with the subjects (or desire to have any) feel superior and smug.

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      Beth37posted 10 years agoin reply to this

      lol. Jim Gaffigan calls it McDonalds of the soul.
      
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YDTfEhChgw
      
      (at 5:50)

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   2. 85

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Totally on target as usual, MM.   Reality TV is analogous to gladiator bloodsports, people are at their utlimate worst on such "shows".  I DON'T watch such; I happened to come across the video and news footage of this thread while cruising the youtube channel.
      
      I would like to add that Black women have made enormous strides in the last 5 decades in all fields and to be respected as women.  Many successful Black women have come from impoverished backgrounds and have made something of their lives and making sure that their descendants have it better than they did. Seeing such horrendous videos and news footage in addition to some reality shows regarding the negative aspects of Black womanhood have a negative impact upon the image of Black womanhood. 
      
      We Black women have an onerous time proving to the outer society that we are intelligent, educated, successful, and noteworthy.  We are held to a much higher and stricter standard therein.  If a Black woman makes a mistake or misses the mark so to speak, there is a barrage of castigation for "failing and not being a credit to the race", "failing the community", "being a disgrace to Black womanhood"  in addition to less than positive aspersions from the outer society. All this negative imagery make others see us as "uncivilized and ghetto"  which I utterly despise!

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         Mighty Momposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Very well said, unfortunately.
         If Ginger Rogers did everything a man could do backwards in high heels,
         African American women's heels are 6" stillettos -- in other words, really hard to dance in.
         It's hard enough to be judged by either your sex OR your race. Double whammy...
         
         I guess for some (too many) it's easier to live the stereotype than try to buck the system.
         Maybe I'm just fortunate to be involved with organizations that are working with the women who do see a better life for them and their kids.
         And are reaching out and taking steps to grasp it.

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   Sooner28posted 10 years ago

   Good question.
   
   The media is about sensationalizing and selling first, informing second.  If portraying black women as emotionally unstable gets views, they are going to continue to do it.  Perhaps white America should stop giving those types of portrayals ratings!

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