Grown-ish Season 1 Episode10
What’s wrong with Black men?
A topic that continues to rear its ugly head, especially within the Black and Brown community is colorism (light skin v. dark skin), race-mixing (interracial relationships) and the way in which Black women are constantly neglected whenever Black men are looking for their counterpart.
The position that is too often accepted is one that suggests, Black women are less exotic, overly assertive, and too independent (the cause of their own demise for lack of better words). Because of these ideas, Black men seem to have no interest in them, whether it be a plutonic relationship or otherwise.
However, this idea is not only exclusive to Black men. The entertainment industry has profited off the angry Black woman, single-mother or “lose your man to a white or more exotic woman” roles, which continue to push the narrative of neglect for black women, more specifically dark-skinned Black women.
Grown-ish, a new ABC television show that’s a spinoff of Blackish, recently discussed the struggles that many black women face when seeking a partner, namely Black men. In an episode titled “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” viewers watch as twins Jazz and Sky (played by singing sister-duo Chloe and Halle) are in complete unrest and confusion as they see every Black man at Cal U cuddled up with a white girl or falling head over hills for someone else they see as “exotic”.
Finally, Sky says “enough” and calls out her irritation with the clear disregard for Black (see clip below)
Friends attempt to offer Sky and Jazz suggestions about why this may be, ranging from “well this is a PWI” to “well, sometimes you can be a bit abrasive,” leading Jazz to attack the “angry Black woman” narrative that many people subscribe to write off Black women and reaffirm the reality they live daily.
This continuous degradation and disregard for Black women is not a new phenomenon… at least not for darker toned women, who rarely get lead roles, or representation at all, while fairer toned Black women are glorified for doing the bare minimum. (see: Amandla x Black Panther)
…while simultaneously claiming that they are underrepresented or needing to takes roles regardless of skin color, in the industry as well.
Time and again this discussion arises and each time, no one can truly pinpoint this culture that has been created. Some attribute the idea to the willie lynch letter which discussed separation of the Black community by skin tone, but others counteract with the reality that the letter, in fact never existed.
Millennials have been extremely vocal about the issue of colorism and overall disregard for Black women, especially since we grew up in a time where insulting dark skin was a social norm and the opportunity to date interracially was widespread.
So, where am I going with this tangent? Black women have been and are neglected, disrespected, and left to defend themselves, but are the very thread that hold our communities together and the innovators that keep them running. Black women take the mantle no matter how charged with punishment it may be. They are bogged down with the “strong black woman” ideology, while dealing with misogynoir (as phrased by queer Black feminist scholar Moya Bailey) and not being allowed to breath or be free within themselves.
This constant uphill battle on all fronts continues to surge with every identity Black women attempt to present, leaving them more battered and bruised than before, but ever more resilient in the end.
Though Grown-ish did not really flush out the discussion (cutting to focus more on Zoey and her Teen Vogue internship), it did raise a lot of discussion on social platforms. Especially, as representation for Black women continues to grow on all fronts, folks should take the necessary self assessment to ensure that the LEAST they are doing is giving Black women (queer or otherwise) the credit they are due.
Support movements established by Black women:
- Black Lives Matter
- Me Too
Support businesses/apps founded and/or operated by Black women:
- Black Women Over Breathing
- Black Wall Street App
Support books, podcast, movies and TV-shows written, directed and staring Black women:
- Angry Black Girl
- The Grapevine TV
It’s really the little things that count.
Corey D. Smith is a senior, sociology major, attending Morehouse College. Offering critique, inciting conversation and shaking the proverbial table.
