Browngirl Speaks

i know, i know—this seems to be a moot point these days. the two seem to be unified in a way that one requires the other to function at full capacity. and many are tired of the ongoing dialog on the issue. but that’s just it, the dialog must continue as long as this is an issue. voices must be heard that speak against the degradation of women. normally, i really don’t care much about the series of panel discussions on BET “Hip Hop v. America” but i thought i’d check this one out. this set of discussions was specifically on misogyny. so here are a few points i found interesting (these are paraphrased):

Nelson George: the issue of sexuality and sensuality needs to be raised in these discussions.

this i took in reference to music videos. now, i wasn’t quite clear on brother nelson’s point for bringing this up. i don’t know if he was justifying why those who choose to appear in and those who choose to watch are celebrating their sexuality. but, i immediately thought of bilal’s “soul sista”. i have always seen that video as more artistic in glorifying Black women’s beauty than gratuitous nudity. however, we all know that most artists–hip hop or otherwise–are not typically glorifying the Black woman’s temple but perpetuating the Jezebel image. i think the young women who patronize the artists who CHOOSE to promote this image with their music and videos are being slightly misled into believing that having their “goodies” on display is a sign of a secure woman. a woman in touch with her sensuality. a sensuality that was to be suppressed in the past because we were only to be seen as matriarchs, the stronghold of our own families and often that of white families that were employers. the women in these videos do not look like most of us in the real world which perpetuates a whole other set of problems, namely that of the white aesthetic. but that’s for another day. having said that, i can appreciate videos like Anthony Hamilton’s “sista big bone”. here’s a more realistic looking Black woman with a real job, truly “holding it down”. this woman is also very much in tuned to her sensuality and the man is also AND she is not scantily clad. side note: i just realized both more positive reflections of Black women i mentioned are songs that use the endearing term “sista”. any coincidence? i think not.

Jill Nelson: we are conditioned to think Black men have suffered more, so we take low so that they can take high.

so true, so true. but obviously neither owns the rights to suffering. another panelist stated, all Black people have suffered almost equally just in different areas. i disagree. Black women have been and remain the most oppressed and marginalized group. i was so glad that the brilliant Melissa Harris-Lacewell, professor of politics and African American studies @ Princeton, mentioned the Combahee River Collective’s statement that says the liberation of Black women will inevitably mean freedom for everyone from every “ism”.

rapper David Banner gave me a headache with his mindless rhetoric. he never had the courage to come out and say he does what he does with only financial gain in mind. neither does he see the need to be socially responsible with his “music” and videos. instead, he sees rappers and Black men as scapegoats for the issue at hand AND he does not see them as part of the solution. he says “we (rappers) are not responsible for raising your kids” and Black women should “pick better mates” and “close their legs”. this is his answer to eliminating misogyny in hip-hop??? as Willona Woods would say: “Negro, PLEASE!”….