Women of Color in the Media: Hollywood Needs a Transformation

The Issue of Systemic Hypersexualization: Shedding Light on Why We Need to Protect Black Women………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1 Women of Color in the Media: Hollywood Needs a Transformation………………………….. 3 Social Media As a Platform for Body Positivity…………………………………………………… 6 Breakthrough for Women in Media: A Timeline.................................................................... 8 Girlboss Feminism…………………………………………………………………………………………. 11 The Glass Ceiling & The Illusion of Equity…………………………………………………………. 15 Feminism Within ‘Hamilton’.................................................................................................... 17 Women and Their Accomplishments………………………………………………………………… 19 Female Directors in the Spotlight……………………………………………………………………. 20 Why Are Period Pieces So White?.......................................................................................... 22 Misogynistic Media Tropes………………………………………………………………………………. 25 Women & Rock Music: A Narrative of Activism and Misogyny………………………………. 28

T H E I S S U E O F S Y S T E M I C H Y P E R S E X U A L I Z A T I O N

S h e d d i n g L i g h t o n W h y W e N e e d t o P r o t e c t B l a c k W o m e n

B Y L A A S Y A B A B B E L L A P A T I

Last October, rapper Megan Thee Stallion published a New York Times op-ed in which she described what it meant to “ protect black women. ” Accompanying her op-ed was a quote by Malcolm X: “the most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman. ” In light of the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and thousands of African Americans, racial inequality has been a contentious topic of conversation. However, this same conversation often neglects the intersectional oppression that Black women face: constant degradation and hypersexualization.

In order to understand how discrimination against black women came to be, it is necessary to understand that its origins date back to colonization. White men, when observing African societies, viewed the Black woman as aggressive, less feminine, and sexually promiscuous in contrast with the docile, feminine, and innocent white woman. As stated by New Bedford Whaling Museum researcher Dr. Akeia Benard, “The social creation of the marriageable (White) woman is based in large part on the social creation of the animalistic, morally lax, dirty, diseased, poor woman of color. ” According to Black Feminist Theory, which explores the intersections of anti-blackness and misogyny, the colonist’ s view of Black women is a combination of the racist ideology that Black people are inherently uncivilized and the sexist ideology that a sexually liberated woman is impure and worthless.

T H E T R A N S - A T L A N T I C S L A V E T R A D E F U R T H E R D E G R A D E D S O C I E T Y ’ S V I E W O F B L A C K W O M E N . F O R E X A M P L E , B L A C K W O M E N W E R E O F T E N P O R T R A Y E D A S A “ J E Z E B E L ” : “ A N A L L U R I N G A N D S E D U C T I V E A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N W O M A N W H O I S H I G H L Y S E X U A L I Z E D A N D V A L U E D P U R E L Y F O R H E R S E X U A L I T Y , ” A S D E S C R I B E D B Y A N A U S T R A L I A N C A T H O L I C U N I V E R S I T Y R E S E A R C H A R T I C L E “ R E V I S I T I N G T H E J E Z E B E L S T E R E O T Y P E : T H E I M P A C T O F T A R G E T R A C E O N S E X U A L O B J E C T I F I C A T I O N . ” T H I S C H A R A C T E R I Z A T I O N O F B L A C K W O M E N N O T O N L Y R E D U C E D T H E M T O T H E I R S E X U A L I T Y B U T A L S O W A S U S E D A S A J U S T I F I C A T I O N F O R S E X U A L V I O L E N C E A G A I N S T T H E M .

With the increase of African American presence in modern media, the stereotypes that were formed during colonial times have persisted and now resurface in new ways. In the dating world, many Black women have faced fetishization and unwanted sexual attention from non-Black men. In a recent Cosmopolitan article, one Black woman described her experiences with virtual dating during the pandemic: “no matter how much I tried to avert the conversation away from sex, it always came back to my body and its features [...] I’ve had non-Black men, usually white men, ask me if I can do stereotypical things, like twerk, saying it’s something that motivated them to talk to me in the first place [...] it’s a collective struggle for many other Black women who are using dating apps. ” According to Dr. Benard, another aspect of hypersexualization is in the pornography industry “where Black women are often bound, gagged, and/or in chains [...]the exhibition of Black women as animals in contemporary pornography is a symbolic means of domination. ” However, the most evident form of objectifying Black women is in the rap and hip-hop industry, notable for thriving on machismo culture and the constant degradation of women’s bodies. There are thousands of rap and hip-hop lyrics that promote varying levels of misogyny, but notable examples include “B*tches Ain’t Sh*t” by Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg: "B*tches ain't sh*t but h*es and tricks / L*ck on these n*ts and s*ck the d*ck / Get the f*ck after you're done / And I hops in my ride to make a quick run. " The lyrics later on imply that Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre were referring to black women the whole time, by making a distinction of a white woman: “I didn't give a f*ck where the b*tch was at, But she was hangin' with a white b*tch doin' the sh*t she do. ” In the song, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg objectify black women as untrustworthy “b*tches” , characterizing them as mere objects whose sole purpose is not for anything other than male pleasure. This objectification is nothing but the extension of the Jezebel stereotype into modern music. Given his material, it is only ironic how Snoop Dogg was quick to criticize Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B’s recent hit song “W.A.P. ” that intricately explores female sexuality, rather than demeaning it. In an interview with Central Ave, when asked about the lyrics of W.A.P, Snoop Dogg stated “Oh my God. Slow down. Like, slow down. And let’s have some imagination [...] “Let’s have some, you know, privacy, some intimacy where he wants to find out as opposed to you telling him. ” This is a blatant example of the hip-hop industry setting unfair, hypocritical standards towards female artists. Men in the same genre consistently rap about sexual encounters and dehumanize women in the process. However, WAP, a reclamation of Black female sexuality was met with unfair criticism from uncomfortable men. Since the evidence of hypersexualizing Black women dates back to colonial times and is constantly perpetuated by men, why are the stereotypes only called out when Black women are the ones sexualizing themselves? The slave trade, the dating sphere, the porn industry, and the music industry are rife with maledominated oppression of Black women, but why is it that when Megan Thee Stallion creates a song with strong sexual lyrics, she is quick to be criticized for setting a bad example for Black women? The double standards are not hard to see. Moreover, does a Black woman sexualizing herself justify the horrifying amounts of violence inflicted against her? In July, Megan Thee Stallion was shot twice in the foot by a man whom she was not in a relationship with. When she opened up about her injury and identified the assailant, she faced skepticism, mockery, and hostility. In her op-ed, she recalled the event and claimed that this type of violence “happens because too many men treat all women as objects, which helps them to justify inflicting abuse against us when we choose to exercise our own free will. ” She goes on to say that “the issue is even more intense for Black women, who struggle against stereotypes and are seen as angry or threatening when we try to stand up for ourselves and our sisters. ” The “angry Black girl” caricature that she brought up refers to a broader notion that Black women are inherently stronger, more aggressive, and have a higher tolerance for pain. This stereotype has been the driving force behind many forms of oppression towards Black women — with their pain being discredited by doctors as exaggerated, a dismissal of mental health issues, and even when facing abuse or sexual violence. According to the Australian Catholic University article, “Black survivors of rape are not only considered more sexually promiscuous than white women, they are also less likely to have the experience defined as rape, are held more responsible, and others are less likely to believe the incident should be reported to authorities, compared to white survivors of rape. ” The perils of hypersexualization don’t end there. The objectifying gaze that is placed on women of color, when internalized by the woman herself, can lead to subtle but dangerous results. The university article goes on to say that “experiencing the objectifying gaze leads to reduced math performance, increased body shame and social physique anxiety, and increased self-silencing. ” Being constantly sexualized can affect someone’s self-perception and performance — which interferes with their daily lives. Due to her powerful platform as an influential rapper, Megan Thee Stallion is fortunate to be able to speak out about her experiences; however, she is just one of the millions of Black women who face discrimination on a daily basis. With each and every statistic, the phrase “protect Black women” becomes more and more significant. It will take the efforts of everyone, Black or not, to listen to black voices and raise awareness for this issue in order to dismantle the oppression that’s been rooted in history for centuries. As Megan Thee Stallion herself said, “[Black women] deserve to be protected as human beings. And we are entitled to our anger about a laundry list of mistreatment and neglect that we suffer. ”