Women of colour aren’t properly represented in the media. Very often, outspoken women are painted as angry and bitter spirits. They have a voice that they didn’t have before. They’re lawyers, fixers, lieutenants, doctors, professors, business owners, and they have the potential to be so much more.
On April 5, the Black Girls Rock! Award show was televised on Black Entertainment Television (BET). Women across the world, myself included, watched as First Lady Michelle Obama, Erykah Badu, Jada Pinkett Smith and many others honoured the accomplishments of exceptional women of colour. Black Girls Rock! highlights those who are positive and inspirational role models.
As a woman of colour, I have never really related to characters on TV or women in the media. It’s only fair to celebrate the few women of colour who have broken barriers in pop culture.
Until quite recently, the representation of women of colour in mainstream media was limited. Women of colour were emblematic of the stereotypical black woman. They were portrayed as loud, unruly, boisterous, and obnoxious. Very often, outspoken women are painted as angry and bitter spirits.
This creates a distorted outlook of the multi-cultured county that we live in. Women of colour were constantly degraded in the world of entertainment. Demeaning black women affects young black girls. This tells them that they shouldn’t be celebrated; that they aren’t good enough.
It is important that as black women, we learn to celebrate ourselves and this is why BET’s Black Girls Rock! is so worthy of attention.
Black Girls Rock! is more than just an award show. It’s easy to imagine that the auditorium was full of great energy from women of all ages and levels of success. The organization works towards empowering and encouraging young women of colour to strive for their goals and what they’re passionate about. What I find phenomenal is that all the women in attendance to the show were there for one reason – to support each other.
As time goes by, the portrayal of women of colour has changed.
The representation of Black women is changing. How we see women of colour on television is evolving. The new drama How to Get Away with Murder shows Viola Davis stripping down for viewers. It shows her take off her wig, remove her makeup, and look straight at the camera. This is crucial. Essentially, she reveals the raw and vulnerable side of black women that nobody ever sees. A strong woman of colour appearing defenceless on television was profound.
Those, like me, who don’t often see themselves on TV or in movies, feel underappreciated and overlooked. This affects our self-esteem and causes young black women to overlook themselves. Since the people who run the media don’t appreciate our roots, why should we? In most circumstances, we’re mocked and characterized as resentful people. This is an issue that needs to change. Women of colour should be uplifted.
In her speech at the Black Girls Rock! Awards, Michelle Obama shared a powerful message to black girls everywhere. She highlighted the proposed message of the night: anything is possible for black girls.
The First Lady said, “When I was a girl, I had parents that loved and believed in me, but those doubts still worked their way into my head. I was always worried about something. Does my hair look right? Am I too tall? So when folks said a girl like me shouldn’t aspire to go to the very best colleges in the country I thought ‘Maybe they’re right.’”
Young black girls should not have these types of musings. No one is ever going to accept anything. Our goals should be to not want anyone’s acceptance.
Michelle proceeded with, “Eventually I learned that each of those doubts were like a little test…that I could either shrink away from or rise up to meet and I decided to rise.” She is paving the road for all of us young women of colour. “Yes, I decided to rewrite those tired old scripts that define too many of us. I decided that I wasn’t bossy. I was confident and strong. I wasn’t loud, I was a young woman with something important to say and when I looked in the mirror I saw a tall, beautiful and smart black girl.”
As women of colour, we need to live life on our own terms. Anyone who has acquired anything in life knows that failure and challenges are essential parts of success. When things get tough, it’s not always a sign of you doing the wrong thing. I believe that it is often a sign that you’re doing the right thing. “Those hard times are what shape you into the person you’re meant to be,” says the First Lady.
Television shows and movies should start changing to reflect the multi-cultured society we live in. The change will be more than welcome. The newly released series Empire has a cast of predominantly black people and targets that demographic. It seems they do this so people of colour can feel represented on television. It is great to finally feel associated with someone you see in the media.
Specifically, women of colour are unseemly represented in modern pop culture. When it comes to displaying what people really look like, the media falls far behind reality – especially with black women.
It’s natural for people to stick to what they’re most comfortable with – and that usually means people who look like you and share your insights. This creates a distorted outlook of the multi-cultured county that we live in.
In reality, powerful black women can dominate the conversation. It’s no longer just Michelle Obama and Beyoncé. Plainspoken women are being painted as irate and resentful people.
Women of colour have a voice that they didn’t have before and they have the potential to be so much more.
Young black girls need to have the confidence to look in the mirror and see the beautiful and smart girl before them. We will never wholly be accepted. Not wanting anybody’s reception should be our holy grail.
