Now I certainly support the Black Entertainment industry. Black actors and actresses are pivotal. The more space we create for ourselves the more power we should garner to create, shape and evolve what it means to be a Black actress/actor in film, stage and television as we progress toward the future, But AND only--- if we act responsibly with that platform. The problem I have is what we have done with the little space we have created in the arena today in popular culture, i.e. certain genres of music, music videos and the sports entertainment industry. We have perpetuated, recycled and expanded stagnate images of sexualized, violent and materialistic Zombies in a significant segment of these hard fought for spaces. I am certainly aware of the power of the "owners of access" Yes, indeed....the "corporate capitalist pimps" are real and they exert a tremendous amount of influence over--to a large degree what are talented, but disadvantaged and under-educated (with the exception of sports, as most of them have been to college) AND not saying that college is the only place or avenue one has to develop and express intelligence, as there are a lot of smart, bright, capable young people who may not have received or have access to post-secondary education, and likewise, there are many college educated people who make poor decisions, we seen that in the wall street debacles! However, these disadvantaged young men and women are usually making decisions between indefinite sentences in the concrete jungles to the right of them,... and the prison industrial complex to the left of them,.... lap dances and pimp daddy day-care to the rear of them,.... and for a precious many.... a violent certain death around the corner. These vitally important decisions often do not afford these individuals making the decisions to consider all the consequences of what may seem as a way out, and I am very sensitive to that reality!
HOWEVER, I am not talking about the boogie-MAN, or modern Jim Crow justice. We are not going to beat that horse in this conversation, as these are things we are willingly doing to ourselves and we all know IT. I am TALKING about the absolute over-saturation of the "AssFace",... meaning every time I watch videos, log-on to You Tube, FaceBook or MySpace, somewhere in the process there are bombardments of female bodies from the neck down, facing the wall with captions that say: "Come get this ass," Come slap my ass, or..... I don't know...."Is this my ass"? lol...
Okay! I am exaggerating these expressions to some extent, but you get the point---- because we have all seen these images. With the invisibility of an identity, and a personhood, all you are left with is your ass replacing your face. Now let me be clear, there is nothing wrong our bodies as black women, we should be proud of our unique bodies, embrace them and all of our curves AND celebrate it, honor it. But keep it classy, and do things in a tasteful manner. Not all video vixens / models portray the worst. But definitely not in the manner that our former enslaver mocked us, and made us the desire of his savage sexual fantasies! Just TAKE A LONG HARD LOOK and THINK ABOUT IT, the next time you think about posting that photo!! Each one teach one. Read this article on the real-life story of the Hottentot Venus (Sara Bartmann), where this image originated http://www.nathanielturner.com/hottentotvenus.htm
Now, Equally disturbing and visually uninteresting is The "Killa Costume America’s Most Complete Hardest…. Clown": You know, Bling-Bling, Hubcap necklaces, the can't go back throw-back, the gun trophies, the combat vests, the "I'm Gotti Bonnano" wanna be's, and the Etch-a-Sketch tattoo motif. Last but not least....the "Anybody is A Rapperrrrr.........No You Aint Looking Boy
With the emergence of YouTube and social networking sites like Myspace, Facebook and others, there seems to be a race toward the lowest common denominator: THE BOTTOM, both figuratively and literally. Now I know there are some who will have all matter of excuses to justify the 'Why" of what I have called out! And…. I am sure there are some who will try to make this the white man's fault. And to the extent there is a real power structure in place that may promote the space for such images-- I agree that certainly an argument can be made. However, "No One Can Make You Feel Inferior With Your Consent." (Eleanor Roosevelt) and likewise.. Racism, being poor or not having a job opportunity does not make you go and say well, "forget it I am going to go home put on a thong, with toys and dirty clothes in my background and take a picture of my backside and put it on Myspace for FREE"!
Now I am not sure if we just don’t give a F$$K, or we if just think no one is paying attention. Because I know we have to be aware of these images and where they originated, how they were used to shape our identities from slavery through Jim Crow to the current day. These self-imposed stereotypes are currently being exploited for profit, shaping sexual identity for our next generation of young women, and likely increases of sexual assaults, sexual abuse and other sexualized and violent crimes against women. I guess as we struggle to realize the American Dream, become drunk from the intoxicating power that comes from money and the extent to which we individualize ourselves and disconnect from group identity---- we simply do not mind "Putting Our Collective Ass On The Line"
Justice Speaks..What do you think?
RJ