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    Articles About Race Part 3 Reality Television and Black Women

    By Danny Cardwell on Fri, 02/06/2015 - 6:42pm |

    In part two I focused on the psychological war being waged by some inside the black community. I intentionally avoided discussing issues related specifically to black women. The level of disrespect they deal with is deserving of its own discussion. I know black men who have never dated a black woman; they love the women in their family, but look to other races to find a mate. I know black men who show outward animosity, if not contempt, towards black women. I often wonder; If black men don't value black women why should anyone else?

    This brings me to Claire Huxtable. She was one of the most beloved characters on television. Although she wasn't your typical mother, she was more realistic than many of the women who occupy television screens today. Claire has been replaced by Real Housewives, Basketball Wives and a fame chasing class of "reality" show divas. These women profit from their seemingly effortless ability to bring to life the worst images associated with black femininity. The entertainment industry has successfully commodified black female buffoonery.

    Black women (like all women) are susceptible to the physical abuse that our patriarchal society had used to mask weaknesses, but they also fight a psychological and ideological battle against stereotypes associated (almost) exclusively with them: angry, hoochie, welfare queen and hoodrat. These stereotypes and images have reclassified black women as being less desirable and substandard. The reality of black women is often drown out by a chosen few who have proven that fame and fortune are worth more than their reputation.

    These stereotypes affect black women of all socioeconomic backgrounds. We have a First Lady who has been described as being unpatriotic, angry and a freeloader. The Ivy league graduate who routinely made a six figure salary in the years before she was the First Lady has been reduced to being an angry welfare queen. Black women have always struggled to control their image in greater society. No matter how professional and competent they show themselves to be they still find themselves fighting for legitimacy. Every time a black woman does something outrageous on a reality show her educated real world doppelganger suffers.

    Many of the black men I know who exclusively date white women say they would date black women if there were more sisters on their level. The reality is: black women (as a whole) are more likely to be college educated than black men. Society has put such a premium on Eurocentric standards of beauty that for decades black women have used skin lightening creams and hair products designed specifically to make them look less African. Black men are partly responsible for this. Too many believe the hype, and have turned white women into a symbol of success much like a Rolex or Mercedes. This isn't to say love can't be found outside of one's race, but looking for love through a symbolic lens seems like faulty logic. Meanwhile, countless black women are left questioning their value.

    Comments

    Very well written. Thanks!

    by Renée (not verified) on Fri, 02/06/2015 - 8:02pm

    The degradation of Black women by media is appalling. One source that I have found helpful in combating the negative has been Melissa Harris-Perrry's weekend shows on MSNBC. Harris provides constant reminders of the struggles and triumphs of Black women. She often includes Black female panelists with expertise in a variety of areas. In addition she has profiled guests like ballerina Misty Copeland, Little League phenom Mo'ne Love, and "Selma" director Ava DuVernay.

    We have the historical examples of Phyllis Weatley, Sojoojner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Ida B Wells, Rosa Parks, Dorothy Height, Ella Baker, Elaine Brown, Angela Davis, and on and on. At every step in the struggle for human rights in the United States, Black women have been there at every point. Black women have made our community strong

    If one turns from the trash that depicts insane Black women, one can enjoy the modern Huxtable family on "Blackish". You can watch the performances of Kerry Washington and Viola Davis. One can watch the news reporting of April Ryan. It is easy to escape the trash and enjoy the beauty.

    Thanks for this post.


    by rmrd0000 on Fri, 02/06/2015 - 8:43pm

    Thanks for taking time out of your day to read this. I agree with your sentiments about changing the channel. I'm afraid that too many people aren't willing to tune out.


    by Danny Cardwell on Fri, 02/06/2015 - 11:18pm

    I am a fan of Melissa Harris-Perry.  I think that is one of the best things going on MSNBC.  I watch more clips of her then Rachel. 


    by trkingmomoe on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 4:22am

    Its important to challenge the media trends that reinforce white supremacy and the intersecting misogyny in America. Its always a good day to buck the status quo, however, to conflate the status quo stereotypes with sexual dynamics is perhaps a bit stretched. 72+ % of black women have secured sexual partners of black ethnicity.

    The problem has never been about the desirability of black women or their need to comply with the European norm. Looking at the the miscegenation rates between groups of different races would reveal that black and white relationship unions are the lowest compared to all other groups. Despite the facts to the contrary, demonstrating that the smallest minority of black males have established relationships with females/males outside of their race; the issue of low incidence black on black relationships remains consistently high and growing.

    Bleaching one's skin or wearing a weave will not change this phenomenon if the problem of black men choosing alternatively ethnic partners was never the statistical problem. The problem perhaps may have more to do with the breakdown of the nuclear family, tearing itself apart at the weakest part of the societal adhesive (the black family); the poorest, most vulnerable strata buckles first under the pressure. An ongoing litany of assaults on the black community, such as poverty, under (education/training/employment); mass incarceration, alienation, marginalization and other racial oppressions have resulted in the emasculation of generations of black men and the resultant destruction of the black family/black social cohesiveness. There are many dimensions in the realm of interpersonal relationships, lets not over simplify the issues of personal/race self esteem with the general breakdown in black on black relationships of any and every kind. 

     


    by michael on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 8:57am

    Thanks for reading this post and taking the time to comment. I agree with the points you've made. I don't think this is an either or scenario. I wrote specifically about my experiences in the south. Many of my friends who were collegiate athletes dated predominantly outside of their race. I listened closely to the things they were saying. The trauma passed down from their parents and grandparents was real for them. I was in college in the mid 90's. While that seems like a utopian time for many, there were a ton of guys from small rural towns like mine who brought their ancestral baggage with them. For some of my friends college was the first time they could date a white girl and not fear some sort of retribution. I'm not saying a person can't find love in another race, what I am saying is that there has to be some sort of correlation between the number of high profile businessmen, athletes, entertainers and media personalities who marry outside of their race. We can agree that the issues you specified relating to the black family are true, but to say 72% of black women have found black mates glosses over the fact that the percentages of Asian and white women who find mates of the same race are much higher. Again, thanks for reading. I value the discourse.

    by Danny Cardwell on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 5:42pm

    "We have a First Lady who has been described as being unpatriotic, angry and a freeloader. The Ivy league graduate who routinely made a six figure salary in the years before she was the First Lady has been reduced to being an angry welfare queen"

    get real - Michelle Obama made a tone-deaf comment about how hard it was to pay off those Ivy League student loans on two 6-figure salaries, roughly equivalent to Hillary's saying how broke the Clintons were leaving the White House or "not truly well off". Fortunately she's a quick learner and toned it down in a hurry, but yeah, must be tough to scrimp by as a Hospital VP married to a US Senator with best-selling book royalties.

    As for black men who exclusively date white women, that's their choice and their taste - there are black women who only date white men, and there are blacks who only date blacks. Some men like Asians, some like Hispanics... Free country, ain't it?

    As for celebrities, there's always a mix of bad girls and Doris Day types in the mix, and the papparrazzi of course prefers the former. Likely the average black female celebrity, actress, singer, plus wives of a sports or music star are still more conservative than a L'il Kim or Nicki Minoj, but people like being "shocked" and of course sex sells - color me surprised.


    by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 11:34am

    I want to deal with your comments in order. Michelle Obama making statements that were deemed to be insensitive is hardly grounds for the treatment she has received from the right wing for the better part of 7 years. I'm not just talking about the rhetoric you can find In the comments section on conservative blogs and news sites, but what elected officials have said. I'm only responding to what's out there. As for black men who chose to date white women, you're right: this is America and it's their choice to do so. I'm not advocating some sort of prohibition to the practice. My point is that too many of the black men I know have equated beauty and success with blonde hair and blue eyes. Blonde hair and blue eyes are beautiful, but they are a subset of beauty not the standard. If we are honest we will ask ourselves why there aren't more prominent and successful white women who date black men who aren't in their socioeconomic strata. There is an economic component at work. Look at the top black income earners in corporate America, Hollywood and athletics, these men date and marry outside of their race at a higher level than their white counterparts. As far as the big and small screen you're right. Bad girls have always existed. My larger point is that these women somehow define the larger field of black women. Talk to college educated black women seeking jobs. Most will tell you they have to code shift during an interview. Rarely are women of other ethnicities punished the way black women are.

    by Danny Cardwell on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 6:05pm

    Danny, you are new here so let me give some advice, Peracles revels I being a provocateur issues of race. He can be entertains if you are looking for a diversion, but if you are looking for a serious discussion about race, look elsewhere. You have written a series of excellent posts, don't get diverted. You will not learn anything of value by entering in to a discussion involving race with this individual.


    by rmrd0000 on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 6:47pm

    Thanks! I am enjoying this medium.

    by Danny Cardwell on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 8:52pm

    Danny, as I am sure you already know, those who have to bad mouth others, so they can elevate themselves as being superior are the ones with a problem.

    Many betrayers, befriend; before they stab you

    “Et tu, Brute?” 


    by Resistance on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 1:43am

    Ramrod, shove it. I didn't ask your opinion, you're dumb as a rock - especially on issues of race - and I'm talkiing to someone else, so go the f away.

    I also imagine Danny's old enough to know who he's allowed to play with and can decide for himself what arguments he agrees with and which he doesn't.

    Now piss off.


    by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 3:08am

    The attack on Michelle Obama's student loan comments were made after a speechi in September 2012. An example of the attack can be seen in this link to Breitbart 

    http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2012/09/05/fact-check-michelle-o...

    Early on in the initial run for the Presidency we saw the New Yorker cover depicting the Obamas as Muslim militants. We also saw Democrats like Larry Johnson make fals accusations that a tape existed of Michelle Obama talking about "getting Whitey". There was no tape of Michelle Obama using a slur. There was also the nonsense of the "terrorist fist jab"

    Now we have Mike Huckabee criticizing the musical choices and parenting skills of the Obamas. Music critic Huckabee performed "Cat Scratch Fever" with Ted Nugent. The song is about having lots of sex. When it comes to parenting skills, Huckabee should be more concerned about his son's involvement in a dog's death than Beyoncé lyrics.

    The Michelle Obama attacks have been there from the beginning.


    by rmrd0000 on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 10:33am

    TOS warning:  This is a good discussion.  Let's not take it to a personal level. 


    by Ramona on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 9:38am

    Agree that Michelle doesn't deserve the GOP bitching about everything - how she's raising her kids normally, even obvious health suggestions - just noted that your example re: student loans wasn't the best because she did deserve criticism there.  [and it's hypocritical their "hands off the Bush kids" but they can snipe at the Obamas'. Also First Ladies usually get much more slack, except when they're managing the Oval Office by Ouija Board as Nancy did]

    If you look at demographic/economic data, if black families have on average 1/10th the wealth of white families, you're right, there is likely an economic factor - as the Jewish mother adage/joke goes, if you're going to fall in love, you might as well fall in love rich. Certainly people fall in love for other reasons, but economic stability helps romance.

    Interview time is especially brutal for blacks - a lot of hidden assumptions, minefields, other factors both to prevent getting the job plus lowering the pay even if they get it. And likely there's a huge issue of familiarity - if the people interviewing primarily know black women from TV and celebrities - and I'd guess this is frequently true - their expectations are as unrealistic as assuming white women will be like Angelina Jolie or Lindsay Lohan or Roseanne.


    by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 3:21am

    I thought the Larry Wilmore show from last Wednesday (hulu) was very good and dealt with the subject of black fathers, women and families. The 100 % question was whether black women are "too bossy"---which Charles Blow thought was sufficiently over the top that he 'wouldn't go there". excellent discussion of 72% of kids of black women born "out of wedlock"---including the issue of :"participation rate" by black fathers.


    by Oxy Mora on Sat, 02/07/2015 - 1:28pm

    It's tough enough that women characters who are meant to endure all have to be the perfect combination of mother/saint and whore.  I think the reality television movement hasn't frankly been good for anybody.  Reality TV characters work best for audiences when they are at their worst in life.  We watch real housewives because they are, in fact, not "real" housewives, they are either actually or cynically portraying these kind of outlier weirdos.  Thing is, they're on TV and so viewers take them as representative.  It's all kind of a mess.  I do think we'd benefit from going back to written programming and giving this reality thing a rest.


    by Michael Maiello on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 4:51pm

    We have all been conditioned to accept the worst imagery when it comes to Black women. The Black women on reality TV shows are open to criticism, as they should be. We should remember that in the real world, Michelle Bachmann was elected. Sarah Palin had a daughter with a child born out of wedlock and a daughter involved in a fight, but it took a confused speech for people to come out of the woodwork to complain about how her awful thought process. The real problem is with the public, we accept things because we have been conditioned. 

    There have been recent spots in Time magazine and the NYT labeling Fox's Megyn Kelly as a credible journalist worthy of notice. Nothing in her body of work at Fox News makes her credible. We read the articles and move on. We don't, in general, have a WTF moment. The crazy goes overlooked.

    Our only hope for the future is that net neutrality holds. MSM is part and parcel of the production companies giving us reality TV. (Notice that none of the other NBC News people on the Brian Williams helicopter called Williams on his "attack" story). Every aspect of corporate media exists to dumb down society.


    by rmrd0000 on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 5:44pm

    rmrd0000 Thanks for reading and commenting. The media is atrocious when it comes to holding some people accountable. After the Katie Couric interview most people with any honesty realized that Sarah Palin was out of her element. Hindsight is 20/20, but it's obvious that her political advisers won the war in media after her kerfuffle. It became impossible for anyone to question her without being hit with the liberal media bias charge. I believe that there is a bias in the media, but it's rooted in ratings, advertising and dollars. The ranters who attract people are often rewarded with a larger platform than the pragmatic solutions oriented folks. America would rather hear Ann Coulter lie about something than hear the truth. Too many news outlets have caved when it comes to the public use of reason.

    by Danny Cardwell on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 7:36pm

    The Brian Williams story is garbage. There's not a person alive who doesn't do the same thing constantly. Everyone exaggerates their part in their stories, leaves out inconvenient parts that reflect poorly on them, misremember. Just as William's friends and colleagues our friends who hear our stories rarely challenge us on our reconstructed versions. Not a one of us could survive the kind of scrutiny that major public figures face and come our unscathed. Williams was often in dangerous situations. During the incident in question one of the helicopters was attacked by an RPG. His helicopter did take small arms fire. It undoubtedly was a scary and stressful situation. Memory of such stressful events is always sketchy as numerous studies of witness accounts have shown. Williams should at most be publicly shamed and then the incident should be let go. It's simply too common to make a big deal out of. Shaming is all that's needed to make him a bit more careful in the future.

    The BW story is trivial and, sorry to say Danny, so is this blog. The notion that black men are looking out side their race to the detriment of black women is an old trope. The blog is nothing more than a simplistic summery of that story. You added no new information nor any special insight or understanding. Some research might have helped. What % of black men actually seek or date white women exclusively? What % actually marry out side their race? Is this actually a significant problem in the black community or for black women? Personal experience is valuable but only reading and research can move us beyond our narrow personal experiences with our small group of friends and acquaintances. That some prominent black entertainers and sports figures marry outside their race might be detrimental to black women as they are role models it doesn't provide any meaningful information about this issue. Even if every famous black man married a white women it would still only be a tiny fraction of the black male population.

    You're dealing with a group of well read very intelligent people here and this blog reads like a beginning summery for young high school children. You need to up your game a bit.


    by ocean-kat on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 12:58pm

    The BW story opens NBC up for questioning on whether other stories were embellished. The helicopter pilot of the helicopter that came under attack notes that williams was not his his flight. There is now a question of whether a story about a dead body reported by Williams was truthful.

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/02/08/chopper-pilot-rebuts-bria...

    This gets to credibility of a news anchor.

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/02/08/chopper-pilot-rebuts-bria...


    by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 3:09pm

    It only opens the questioning because people don't face the reality of basic human nature. People misremember. People exaggerate. Their friends rarely point out those exaggerations and give their friend a pass. Brian Williams is a person who has friends in the news media. Even big deal famous people misremember and exaggerate. Even their big deal friends give them a pass on those exaggerations and don't call them out. While this episode might illustrate a basic fact about human nature it tells us nothing about the news media. We can expunge BW from the news media, I couldn't care less about that. But that won't change the news media because it won't change the reality of basic human nature, people misremember and exaggerate.

    Here's just one of the many studies that discuss the unreliability of human memory. If we wanted to make some significant change we would give BW a pass for acting like every other human being on the planet and broaden the conversation to how human nature and the unreliability of memory effects our legal system, especially black defendents.

     

    The Problem with Eyewitness Testimony

    a talk by
     
    Barbara Tversky, Professor of Psychology

    and

    George Fisher, Professor of Law


    by ocean-kat on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 3:56pm

    Brian Williams has become a part of the story thus he has a credibility issue. It should ne noted that Hillary Clinton has her own story about being under enemy fire that was found not to be true. If she runs, the story will become an issue. In both cases, the reliability of the person is called into question.

     


    by rmrd0000 on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 3:51pm

    Yeah, I'm sure it will. But it's still trivial and I expect it will be considered old hat and she will be given a pass. Just as Reagan's misremembering is.

    If there was some "omni-o-scope" that we could use to view a video of any past event in our lives I'm sure that most of the time we all would be saying, "Is that what really happened back then?" If the truth were known about the stories we tell we would all have credibility issues.


    by ocean-kat on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 4:05pm

    "Yeah, I'm sure it will. But it's still trivial and I expect it will be considered old hat and she will be given a pass. Just as Reagan's misremembering is."

    Yes, you are probably correct but that doesn't make it 'right'. The presumed beneficial affect of being held accountable for deliberate falsehoods or even casual stretching of the truth by the use of self-flattering BS, or a lie of any other nature, while serving as a major media journalist, should have some bearing on how this instance is judged, IMO. BW isn't a common person in a common situation telling an old story to old friends over a beer or ten. Isn't there an assumed  pledge by journalists to tell the truth? Shouldn't that be worth something either when believed or in the breach? Being caught in a deliberate and long-term ongoing lie should lessen his ten million dollar a year credibility which is based on his choreographed image. It is definitely a misstep which should be noted and should be remembered. This finding of him telling, for years, a BS war story which was corrected by others almost immediately and then several more times over the years, should hurt his image more so than that of others in the common situations you compare it to. Again, just my opinion. I don't think this instance of BS is earth shaking, it doesn't cause the damage some lies have, it didn't kill anyone, but it should shake him and any other BS spouting journalist a bit to see the results of getting caught. He should not get an assumption of no harm- no foul.   
     


    by A Guy Called LULU on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 4:30pm

    OceanKat's point is backed by a number of psychological studies where we basically write new events in our heads. It's quite frequent in "childhood memories" that are actually stories relatives told us that we think we remember - even to find out it was a different sibling that did what we think we did - perhaps a year before we were born.

    I flew into Sarajevo on a troop transport plane some months (a year?) after Hillary, the first one allowing civilians if I recall correctly, and seem to recall some concern that there were occasional potshots fired from the ground - just how real this was, I've no idea - I was just amazed to be sitting sideways on a plane, with a quite uncomfortable seat. But no running to the terminal. But then I was at the Jaganath (Juggernaut) festival in Puri and all I can remember is some image of being in a huge crowd, and some idea of maybe a large float, but who knows. Other less impressive events like mowing the lawn 40 years later I can remember no problem.


    by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 5:00pm

    Yeah, there's always that. Half the good stories are 3rd person lies except that you know they were true for somebody.


    by LULU (not verified) on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 11:18pm

    I'm not saying no harm no foul. But I do think the story is more than just that he's a liar. It's a much more complex story about human nature and psychology. Given human nature I think he should be publicly shamed and watched a bit more closely for years. The embarrassment and scrutiny is sufficient.

    With all I've read over the years in psychology and the unreliability of memory I'm skeptical of even my most trusted friend's stories. I may not question them like a prosecutor (/laughing... or I wouldn't have any friends} but I never take any version, even my own, at face value


    by ocean-kat on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 5:14pm

    " It's a much more complex story about human nature and psychology."

    I definitely agree with that.


    by LULU (not verified) on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 11:44pm

    I'm remembering the time Lena Horne invited me up to her suite at the Waldorf, well actually it was a group of us, and engaged me in conversation, well maybe it was more like "hello, there boys" and I thought she really was taken with me, except she was dating one of the Four Freshman---or was it one of the other Four Somethings---and man was there a buffet---or was it mostly gone by the time we got up there, and kissed me, maybe on the cheek as I was leaving. Anyway we got to hear her sing and record an album and what a terrific night it was, as I remember.  


    by Oxy Mora on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 4:31pm

    Great story Oxy. It makes me feel like i was there. Probably when I relate it to a friend I will be.


    by ocean-kat on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 5:16pm

    In that case, she called me the next day.....


    by Oxy Mora on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 5:42pm

    Thanks for commenting. I appreciate the honesty in your criticism. I agree that hard numbers combined with the empirical data I offered would have been more effective. I think anyone who writes, and is honest, can admit that every idea doesn't always end up articulated the way it's conceived. I was a bit lost on where Brian Williams fit into this, but I agree that people often and embellish their accomplishments and accolades. 

    There are real issues relating to the black community that are often repeated. I might not have provided any insight into those issues for you, but it did spark a dialogue for others.  Again thanks for your time and consideration.


    by Danny Cardwell on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 8:15pm

    Amen Michael. I couldn't agree more with your analysis. Many of the issues I've tried to cover aren't unique to black women; it just seems like they have a harder time controlling their image than women of other ethnicities. I sincerely appreciate this platform and the interaction with the other bloggers and readers. In part 4 I'll touch on some of the biblical roots of racism.

    by Danny Cardwell on Sun, 02/08/2015 - 7:21pm

    Thanks for the discussion. 


    by trkingmomoe on Mon, 02/09/2015 - 12:19am