Nubian Message, Oct. 6, 2022 - Fall Back

Fall Back

Letter from the editor

Hello readers, Happy Fall! I hope you’ve secured your on-campus boo because it’s time for pumpkin patches, ferris wheels and haunted hayrides. And if you haven’t…use that freetime to study for upcoming midterms.

This issue focuses on pop culture from the past and the present . We have our first Throwback Thursday of the year that talks about Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala debacle. Our writers review the movie “Don’t Worry Darling” and the book “NightB*tch” by Rachel Yoder. We also talk about the long-standing issue of British thievery.

So, grab your pumpkin spice latte, enjoy the breeze and fall back into the swing of things with Nubian Message.

A special shoutout to my layout designers, without whom, none of this would be possible.

Humble, grateful, blessed.

Always,

Bryant

THIS ISSUE

5 BENIN BRONZES

Britain stole African artifacts

6 PHOTO GALLERY

Whats going on in the house of commons

8 THROWBACK THURSDAY

Thoughts on Kim wearing Marylin’s dress

10 CHARACTER TROPES

Discussion of the unhinged woman trope

cover photo BY Jermaine Hudson / Staff Photographer Redshirt junior wide rceiver Devin Carter keeps his opponent away as he runs with the ball during the football game against UConn at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

The Sentinel of the African-American Community at N.C. State Since 1992. 314 Witherspoon Student Center, NCSU Campus Box 7318, Raleigh, NC 27695 office 919-515-1468 advertising 919-515-2411 online thenubianmessage.com

Editor-in-Chief

Only with the permission of our elders do we proudly produce each edition of Nubian Message:

Layout designers

Dr. Yosef ben-Yochannan, Dr. John Henrik Clark, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, The Black Panther Party, Mumia A. Jamal, Geronimo Pratt, Tony Williamson, Dr. Lawrence Clark, Dr. Augustus McIver Witherspoon, Dr. Wandra P. Hill, Mr. Kyran Anderson, Dr. Lathan Turner, Dr. M. Iyailu Moses, Dokta Toni Thorpe and all those who accompany us as we are still on the journey to true consciousness.

Pumpkin Spice Couture

“It’s Fall, the f**k,” said Dominique Bell, who uses she/they pronouns, a first-year studying Fashion & Textile Design.

When I asked Bell why the season was so special to them, that was their answer. Nothing followed, but honestly, enough was said.

When I walked around Wolf Plaza on Sept. 23, the first true day of fall, I was able to really bathe in the cool, dry, morning air of Raleigh. The season that many waited six long months to return has finally made its recurrence.

As I made my way to the bus stop with my camera, I took in the outfits I spotted. People pulled from the ends of their wardrobes to retrieve their graphic sweatshirts, long-sleeved crop tops, beanies and much more.

While at Centennial, I spotted Dominique Bell and Brooke Rigers, who uses she/her pronouns and first-year studying Fashion & Textile Management, leaving their Textile Technology class.

Bell caught my eye wearing a green long sleeve, corset, crop top, a black slim maxi dress that fit her fantastically and black platform sandals.

At this time, the sun was beaming down, heating up the red bricks.

I asked Dominique what she was looking forward to about fall. Giving short, concise answers, she said the colors, layering and no sweat. I can confidently say I will not be missing about those summer days.

I panned my eyes over to Rigers, wearing a gray, copped tank with the text “Wake up.”, khaki cargo joggers and the classic white air force ones, a.k.a., the “G Fazos”. A cute, comfortable fit perfect for the warmth of the afternoon.

I also asked Rigers what she was looking forward to. She answered quickly with excitement stating how she has a lot of boots she was looking forward to wearing. She stated she was also excited to see the “looks of Wilson’s students” and I would have to second her on that.

Wilsons College of Textiles houses fashion majors and textile-centered majors creating a hub for some of the most welldressed students, faculty and staff on campus. I am excited to see everyone pop out with their fall and even their winter attire in the upcoming weeks.

Later on in the week, I was able to see another classmate of mine, McKenzie Ho, who uses she/her pronouns, and a first year studying Fashion & Textile Management.

She was wearing a blue, white and black fur-lined flannel, a black top, black dress slacks I asked Ho, when it came to her fall pieces, what she was looking forward to wearing. She replied stating that she was excited to layer her clothes and break out a pair of pants that she’d been anticipating wearing. “Well, they’re like these dance tights from when I used to dance. They are super comfortable and they like to flare a bit at the bottom.” She continued stating how they were super comfortable and created a lot of versatility when she styles them. McKenzie was kind enough to tell me the tight's brand name. The tights are Capezio Dance Tights.

After I chatted it up with Ho, I spotted another peer of mine, Kennedi Hosey, who goes by they/thems, a first-year studying Textile Engineering. Hosey had just come from Port City Java sipping on a hot chocolate. They were wearing a black tank, a khaki short-sleeve cargo utility jacket, cargo pants with lace on the side and black Jeffrey Cambell platform loafers. Hosey said they wanted to channel a video game character you would probably spot in a retro Play Station 2 game, which they executed perfectly.

I asked Hoseywhat they were looking forward to the most about Fall. They replied, stating that their birthday that was coming up. They were also looking forward to Halloween, one of their favorite holidays, the weather and the festivities that come with fall overall.

I proceeded to ask what their essential fall pieces were to which they replied simply with baggy hoodies and baggy jeans.

Fall is the time to break out all of the clothes you have been saving all summer. Those thick pairs of denim, those fur-lined platforms and even the grandpa sweaters.

For some, summer limited the amount of self-expression and versatility they could wear with their outfits, and rightfully so. I am all for saying “beauty is pain”, but when the pain is sweating out of every pore of your body, then I’m not too sure.

I can’t wait to see what else the wolfpack has in their closet and the looks that students are going to be serving this fall. With winter just around the corner, I'm excited to see the Pack in their best dress.

Micah oliphant

Correspondent

Contributed By MIcah oliphant

(From left to right) Dominique Bell, a first-year studying Fashion & Textile Design. Brooke Rigersr, a first-year studying Fashion & Textile Management. McKenzie Ho, first year studying Fashion & Textile Management. Kennedi Hosey, a first-year studying Textile Engineering.

AACC takes on Healthy Campus Week

Jo Miller Correspondent

On Tuesday, Sept. 20th and Friday, Sept 23rd, 2022, the African American Cultural Center (AACC) held two programs for Healthy Campus Week. Both programs were interactive mini-events held on Witherspoon field, crafted to uplift Black students while shedding light on the importance of students managing their mental health and being aware of campus resources.

On Tuesday, Korie Roane, a AACC intern and Social Work Grad Student, hosted Don't Bottle Things Up, with the assistance of volunteer Richard McNeill, a third-year Psychology major. On a tarpshaded table in the middle of Witherspoon field was a QR Code. There were Coke bottles and nine cups each with a couple of Mentos inside. Each one of the cups had a different stressor written on it. The nine stressors selected were chosen based on the shared reality of many Black and Brown students' college experience. The nine being: stigmas, mental health,

relationships, family, racial tension, social life, environment, self-esteem and course load.

Roane engaged with participants and asked them to choose three Mentos from the cups they could relate to. Some students chose their Mentos with thorough consideration, while others immediately knew which ones they’d grab. She'd followed this by asking them to open a coke bottle, place the mentos in and then try to cover it as fast as they could in the open grass. Participants directed the bottle away and prepared themselves for what they knew was going to happen.

“It was an accurate representation of how I've been feeling this past couple of weeks and it was a fun way to visualize it”, said Jakobi Blackmon, a first-year student studying Art and Design, when asked about the experience.

Some of the bottles didn’t explode but still poured themselves out. However, the symbolism was still clear. After laughing and helping clean up, Roane explained how

bottling things up when juggling different stressors can make people explode. She asked them how they currently manage their stress. She also informed them about available Mental health resources on campus.

“We’re at a predominantly white institution, so It’s really important to have spaces where we look like each other and that we can relate to each other… All this to stay connected, especially with people who have the same goals as us, same identities as us and so I hope that the linktree can help with you starting things. So the moral of the story is… Don't bottle things up!” said Roane.

On the 23rd, in front of Witherspoon, Roane had a stack of sticky notes and a whiteboard decorated with encouraging stickers and the words “Come say something nice about yourself” written in the middle. She enthusiastically asked passersby if they had a moment to write something nice about themselves.

Every few minutes, a student or staff

COMIC

would take a moment from their walk, think for a few seconds, take a sticky note, write something down, then stick it onto the board. Some continued to their destination right after, some took an extra moment to read what others wrote on the sticky notes and some stayed to chat to Roane about the board.

By the afternoon, the originally blank board was fully decorated with dozens of colorful positive sticky notes. Every note affirmed a trait someone saw within themselves. A few examples of the many are: “I am a good friend,”“I love my hair,” “I never give up,” “My heart holds kindness” and “I am smart and accomplished.”

It is important for our campus to have resources, hold space and encourage its marginalized students to value, manage and reflect on their mental health. It’s evident students and staff are trying their absolute best to make that a reality to help place focus on the well-being of the Black community on campus.

three turns ago she said she didn't have any spades...

don't worry partner, I got this!

So y'all thought we forgot y'all are thieves?

and traditions with purpose only know by African themselves with these artifacts playing an integral part.

Ugonna Ezuma-Igwe Managing Editor

Imagine someone sees your expensive outfit. Rips it off your body. Puts it on and says they should wear it because it looks better on them. Then proceeds to pass that outfit on from generation to generation instead of giving it back to the original owners. To add insult to injury, as years go by, the original owners ask for it back and the thieves say it's no longer yours, technically, because it's been so long.

Well, you don't have to imagine much cause you guessed it. This happened in real life. Not once. Not twice. Not even thrice because if there was one thing the British are gonna do? They are gonna steal and make it known.

This is why I can't stand Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor. Yeah, I'm not gonna even call her the Queen because that would imply that I respect her, her title and her existence. When I, in fact, don't. Elizabeth died on September 8, 2022, without doing anything to return the cultural property of numerous African tribes stolen by the British Empire. Instead she chose to earn a profit by glorifying past British atrocities.

This theft is why the British Museum is a self-righteous gross display of power, stolen cultural property and tragedy. This museum has numerous stolen artifacts, they refuse to give back. Many of which they have openly admitted to stealing shamefully.

Don't be confused. These countries are asking for their artifacts back.Many countries are currently in a decades-long battle fighting to have their property returned.

For example, in late 2018, Nigeria and the U.K. reached an agreement for the British Museum to return certain preselected brozens to Nigeria by 2021. For decades, Nigeria has requested the U.K to return their Benin Bronzes. Before you get too excited, let me finish. The British Museum then went on to insist they were merely lending the sculptures. They expect the goods they stole from Nigeria to be returned to the British Museum. Yeah, you read that correctly. My goodness, have you

ever heard of a thief being able to request how to keep what they stole?

I'm going to provide a little back story on how the British stole these bronzes. During the Benin Expedition of 1897, British troops stole over 4,000 sculptures after invading the former Kingdom of Benin, now located in southwestern Nigeria. "The [Benin] kingdom is perhaps best known for its impressive brass sculptures and plaques which frequently depict rulers and their family; they are considered amongst the finest artworks ever produced in Africa," according to the World History Encyclopedia. For people who really love to push the narrative that Africa was nothing before they got there the British managed to know exactly where to find thousands of valuable pieces to steal and keep in their museums.

Over a century later, more than 1,000 surviving stolen bronzes are in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and the United States museums, with the British Museum having the most valuable collection. You will notice that I listed multiple countries but did you see Nigeria anywhere in that list? No, because for some illogical reason, the bronzes are not in Nigeria, their country of origin.

Whenever I want to remember how foolish the British government is, I

remember what the British Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said. He said that the Benin Bronzes should "properly reside in the British Museum" and then proceeded to say that Nigeria and Britain should share the bronzes. This suggestion is absolutely hilarious because, even in the interview, he refused to say the bronzes were stolen and kept saying they were "acquired." I wonder if it's hard for him to wake up and know that his brain has the ability to produce such nonsense. I pity him.

African governments are actively working for the return of their property but European fools, sorry, I mean authorities, continue to refute claims for return on the basis that they can not determine who the original owners were. According to Abba Isa Tijani, the Director General of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments, another excuse was that the African countries did not have the ability to manage the returned artifacts properly.

If something is my own, it shouldn’t matter whether I break it, eat it, sh*t on it, burn it because it is mine. The British have no right to tell African government's that they fear the mishandling of the artifacts cause how do they know they've been taking care of them the right way? These pieces were integral to African cultures

These weren't just meaningless pieces made by so-called primitive and savage individuals. These bronzes are highly developed pieces that are a part of African culture and history. These pieces are a part of ancestral altars that represent kings and queen mothers of the Edo people and the people of Benin. These stolen pieces even kept historical records of the kingdom.

Enotie Ogbebor, a Nigerian artist and authority on the bronzes, said, "They are part of our culture, they tell a story of our history and they were stolen. It's quite simple." The British's inability to see these pieces as more than pretty and delicate objects is disgusting.

Nigeria has been able to work with institutions in the United States, Germany, Ireland and Britain, including the University of Aberdeen, the Church of England, the Fowler Museum in Los Angeles, the National Museum of Ireland and Berlin Ethnologisches Museum, to navigate the returns. The British Museum stubbornly stands on the belief that monuments and contested objects should be kept by them but contextualized. Whatever that means.

According to Al Jazeera, the British Museum Act of 1963 and the National Heritage Act of 1983 prohibit British institutions from returning their collections despite the fact that it has been required for European state-owned institutions to make new laws allowing the return of their stolen collections. The U.K. government has no plans to change those regulations to permit repatriation despite such laws already being legalized in France and Germany.

At the height of the British Empire, they ruled over 412 million people. I wanna put that number into perspective. Their empire was over 33,700,000 km2 (13,012,000 sq mi). This is almost a quarter of the Earth's total land area.

Britain has the opportunity to help heal the nations that have suffered at the hand of their dominance. Yet, they choose to stand behind undignified policies and practices that justify and further defend their atrocities.

Image From Creative Commons

What's going on in the house of commons

left: Reilly Witte/Staff Photographer

Lisa Fischer and guitarist Clay Ross sing together on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 in Stewart Theatre. The concert featured Grammy winning band Ranky Tanky and special guest Lisa Fischer.

right: Lauren Conway/Staff Photographer NCFC forward Oalex Anderson passes the ball during the match against Union Omaha on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 in Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. Anderson made 20 passes and won 12 duels. NCFC tied the match 1-1.

left: Jermaine Hudson/Staff Photographer

Kevin Manzanarez, a second-year studying agricultural education, fixes himself a plate of food during the Latinx Heritage Month Chat n Chew in the African American Cultural Center on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. During the Chat n Chew, students discussed the experience of being an latinx student while attending a predomiantly white institution.

Right: Emily Peedin/Staff Photographer

Ariana Frazier, a fourth-year studying public health and Africana studies, speaks about the history of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. at the NHPC 101 event on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 in Talley Student Union. Frazier serves as the current vice president of the Kappa Omicron chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

2002-2006

playlist by Nubian Message Staff Countdown to our 30th anniversary featuring our second set of years, 2002-2006

Rock the boat Aaliyah African queen 2face kick, push lupe fiasco crazy in love beyoncÉ, jay-z iya basira styl-plus bizzy body p-square nwa baby flavour lavish twista, pharrell say yes floetry knuck if you buck crime mob if i aint got you alicia keys crazy gnarls barkley i like the way you move outkast kitty kat beyoncÉ jaga jaga jaga jaga

skin folk

i look with curious eyes assessing the stranger. i find comfort in their skin color i see person, i see confidant i am met with appraisal. a quick glance up and down he assesses my assets physical. not what i can be spiritual

i had forgotten my station

that to be black is to be 2nd to be women, to not be man is 2nd. to have the gull to be both is 3rd we will not be friends. i am someone to love. something to f*ck. i am not good enough for “the nod”, i am not good enough to be considered friend.

i am woman. i am black woman. and i am not good enough.

-Jaz

Kim K’s Met Gala Mishap

If unnecessary were an event, Kim Kardashian receiving redundant backlash for wearing Marylin Monroe's Happy Birthday Mr. President dress would be the first thing that comes to mind.

and contributed to the harsh reality of diet culture by taking these bizarre measures.

If we take what happened with a grain of salt, we could simply say that Kim’s entire process to wear the dress was one of the most idiotic processes to have been documented.

Micah Oliphant Correspondent

Earlier this spring, the theme of the Met Gala was Gilded Glamour. Referring to the transformative era within American history, the Gilded Age was a time in America when industrialization and the economy were growing at a rapid rate between the years 1870-1900. More on this can be read on Black Pepper Magazine.

Every first Monday in May, New York’s Metropolitan, also known as the Met, hosts an evening filled with the past year's A-list and up-in-coming celebrities. It gives designer houses an excuse to dress the itboys-and-girls in beautiful garments.

The Met, run by Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, is one of New York’s most glamorous nights. It’s to no surprise that you would see one of the most iconic families within pop culture show up to the event.

Kim Kardashian, her sisters and “momager” are no strangers to the Met. Kim Kardashian made her Met Gala debut in 2013 with her now ex-husband, Kanye West, after beating the allegations of supposedly being banned from the Met. She showed up to the event pregnant wearing a floral Givenchy dress. Since then, Kim has appeared at every Met Gala since 2013 representing the Kardashian name.

Kim is no stranger to controversy, as you all may know, but why was her look from the 2022 “Gilded Glamor” Met Gala so distasteful?

If you’re unaware of Old Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, you must live under a rock. So, here's a quick history lesson. Marilyn Monroe was THEE it-girl before there were it-girls. From being a world-renowned sex symbol, her “Flying Dress” photoshoot and her iconic blonde curly pageboy haircut, Marilyn Monroe is a staple within American culture and Hollywood History. She was a pioneer of woman’s sexual revolution within media. Marilyn Monroe is an icon and Hollywood legend.

On May 19, 1962, Marilyn entered New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

Lauren Le Vine of Vanity Fair states, “When she took the stage at Madison Square Garden, she removed her white ermine coat to reveal a backless fleshcolored Jean Louis dress dripping with rhinestones in a rosette motif she’d been sewn into it at the last minute.” Marilyn’s odd choice of fashion for this charity event disguised as John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday party was one for the books.

At the time, wearing a skin-tight sheer dress in public was not acceptable. So you can imagine the audience's surprise when she took off her coat to reveal the iconic garment. It was the original naked dress. It was a provocative mockery of the relationship between John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe, who were suspected of having had an affair throughout Kennedy’s term.

Monroe would have greatly appreciated Kim’s rise to stardom. Furthermore, it is no surprise why Kim chose to wear Monroe’s dress to this year’s Met Gala.

Nonetheless, how do these two sex symbols from two completely different decades within Hollywood history relate?

When Kim stepped foot on the Met’s red carpet, social media blew up raving about her dress. Kim Kardashian made the bold decision to wear Marilyn Monroe's iconic “Happy Birthday Mr. President” pairing it

similarly to the late old Hollywood actress by wearing a white fur shawl. She also bleached her hair platinum blonde and wore it in a slick back for the event but the physical modifications didn’t end there.

Kim Kardashian tried on a replica of the Monroe dress before putting on the actual garment. The replica fit perfectly. However, to her surprise, when she tried on the actual dress, it was way too tight.

In any other situation, she would have been able to get the dress altered. It was untouchable as it was a one-of-a-kind dress that was shaped by Marilyn Monroe herself.

This caused Kim to take on a strict diet to fit into the dress, taking eating measures that would leave other people with serious long-term health problems.

There were two different reactions people gave to this incident. On one end, what Kim did could be taken seriously. On the other end, what she did can be concluded that it was downright stupid.

If we analyze the event, Kim took these measures to wear a dress of a late celebrity, just to have to take the dress off minutes after walking the Met carpet and put on the same replica that she was able to fit into perfectly the first time. Then, to be bashed on social media and criticized for wearing such an impactful and staple piece within American history. Not to mention, one would say that she indirectly influenced

Kim wore a similarly styled dress to the same event two years earlier at the “Camp: Notes on Fashion” themed Met Gala. She wore a skin-tight body con dress with crystals hanging from it to give off a “wet” look. Truly, my favorite look out of Kim Kardashian's entire Met Gala catalog. She wore a skin tight dress designed by Mugler with crystal beads to resemble a “dripping wet” look. Mugler actually cam out of a 17 year hiatus to create this look for Kim, making the look even more iconic.

On top of her looking the same at this year's Met, the way she styled the dress was a genuine distaste for the iconic 1960s look.

I could imagine her team thought it would be better to go with something more minimalist with her makeup and hair, allowing the dress to truly be the main attraction. Kim chose to go basic to a theme that is about showing off your wealth in extravagant ways. One of those ways is through hair and makeup, but Kim chose to do the opposite of what was thematically advised, which was honestly a disservice to the theme.

I also believe that Kim Kardashian could have taken this moment to showcase her brand. Her brand, Skims, is known for selling pieces like the one she wore. Skims pride’s itself on it’s minimalistic shapewear attire. I believe that Kim could have used this chance to show the versatility of her brand. She could have partnered with another big designer house associated with the Met, allowing her to create a look that could have been more on the theme, less controversial and also ensuring her seat at the Met Gala this year.

Although there is a correlation between Marilyn Monroe and Kim Kardashian as they are both iconic figures within pop culture. This “Ode to Old Hollywood” look was nothing short of a joke and could have easily been avoided. I would advise Kim to do better next time but we all know that’s not going to happen.

Graphic by: Ugonna Ezuma-Igwa and Jaz Bryant

Don’t Worry Darling Worries Me

(Spoiler Warning)

“Don’t Worry Darling” has been present in the news for a few months now, but unfortunately not for the film itself.

The Super-Reality of Blackness

possibilities;this is freedom.

Nadia Hargett Correspondent

Rather, the drama behind it has sparked the most buzz. I’d originally told myself I’d avoid watching because of this, but the desire to see the finished project of the alleged behind-the-scenes chaos provoked my interest.

After viewing the film twice in the same week, I can say that “Don’t Worry Darling” is a film. It’s nothing too spectacular. Nothing too mind-numbingly terrible either. It attempts to critique the patriarchal control of women and toxic masculinity, but unfortunately doesn’t do anything new with this.

The story of “Don’t Worry Darling” takes place in an idyllic 1950s-style town named Victory. The town is under the control of the main antagonist Frank, who is played by Chris Pine. The story is from the perspective of Florence Pugh’s character Alice. She serves as the loving housewife to Harry Styles’ character Jack. Throughout the film, Alice has growing suspicions of Frank and the true nature of Victory.

The director Olivia Wilde made an effort to emphasize that the film was a feminist thriller, but it unfortunately falls flat. It only focuses on the experiences of uppermiddle-class white women and fails to address the experiences of the various other groups of women that should be included in feminism as well. From the way the trailer looked, it didn’t seem like it’d be this way.

The trailer highlights the presence of a Black character in the film named Margaret, played by Kiki Layne, who first sounds off the alarms that something within the town of Victory isn't quite right. It seems as though she will be a major part of the story. However, in viewing the film it is clear that her role in the story is to serve as the main character’s stepping stone towards becoming the film’s hero.

Margaret is a housewife who lives in Victory with her husband Ted, played by Ari’el Stachel. Before the film Margaret was friends with the Alice, but their friendship dissolved after Margaret started “going crazy.” During the film, she’s the one who starts arousing doubts in Alice’s mind about the circumstances of Victory. It’s revealed that she broke a rule that states women cannot go behind a certain point in town and lost her son as a result of this. Ever since, the people of Victory had labeled her as a delusional woman. At the film’s turning point, she commits suicide by slitting her throat and Alice is the sole witness.

Due to this, Margaret’s character is sadly reduced to a plot device rather than a character in her own right. She is severely underdeveloped and is rarely featured in the film unless she’s alerting Alice or the others in Victory that something’s wrong with the town. She’s pivotal to the story but isn’t treated as such.

This is a trope referred to as the “Magical Negro,”. This trope was coined by Spike Lee in 2001. It’s when a supporting Black character’s purpose is only to aid the white protagonist with their enhanced insight or seemingly mystical abilities. The rehashing of this trope throughout cinema only serves to reduce the roles of people of color to more flat or static characters that exist only for the white protagonist and nothing else. The mishandling of the only Black character in the film who actually has lines is shameful at best and really hallmarks the story as a film of white feminism more than anything else.

Looking at it from outside of this perspective, the film just isn’t that aweinspiring. The movie lacks the depth that it needs for its message to get across, and the third-act is rushed and clumsily thrown together. This leaves viewers disoriented by the end.

In short, it is a film. A film that you really don’t need to see.

Alianna KendallBrooks Correspondent

The fantastical execution of Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” and Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Bother You” has revitalized the meshing of Blackness through the dreamlike sequence and “super-reality” known elusively as Afrosurrealism. This school of art and literature has begun to dominate mainstream cinema and paved the way for mystical representations of the African diaspora.

In Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, viewers watch as protagonist Chris Washington gets body-snatched by his white girlfriend’s wealthy family. “Get Out!” is the protagonist's first warning that the world of Caucasity he's entered is more than just eerily uncomfortable, but one he needs to escape. The girlfriend’s family attempt to trick, experiment on and exploit him through hypnosis in hopes of commodifying his strong Black body. Chris gets dragged into the sunken place, a terrifying rift between the subconscious and conscious; that scene embodies the Afro-surrealist approach to cinema through horror and satire. While easy to watch, it can be difficult to understand the intersectionality of films such as Get Out. So, what truly is Afro-surrealism?

Although the term wasn’t coined until 1974 by writer Amiri Baraka, Black surrealism is far from a new way of thinking. Movements such as the Harlem Renaissance and the Negritude movement, which are both rooted in the reclamation of pre-colonial African culture, laid the groundwork for the rise of Black surrealists. Suzanne Césaire, anticolonial and feminist surrealist of the Negritude movement, asked people to embrace “the domain of the strange, the marvelous and the fantastic, a domain scorned by people of certain inclinations.”

Afro-surrealism is more than the absurdity of a post-racial society, but attempts to metaphorically explain the extraordinary of the lived Black experience through art. Deconstructing Western narratives of what Blackness represents gives artists agency over systemic oppression. Surrealist artists are able to fuel chaotic, yet beautiful, expressionism through this. Afro-surrealism blurs the line between dream and reality, creating endless

“Sorry To Bother You” was a directorial debut by Boots Riley that stormed box offices and participated in the resurgence of Afro-surrealism. Protagonist Cassius (Cash) Green depicts code-switching as he climbs the corporate ladder by using a white voice that's obviously dubbed. Eventually, Cash learns the corporation he works for is mutating workers into humanhorse monstrosities, commodifying them similar to “Get Out”. The bizarreness of the film pushed the boundaries of Afrosurrealism with scenes of mutant horse genitalia and Cash getting dumped in a tank of feces. The film is more than just Riley’s untamed thoughts, but a critique on social constructs which serves to educate audiences on the absurd stereotypes enforced by white viewership. Dually, the exaggeration of common practices like code switching creates a surreal experience for Black audiences who can relate to the film's unconventional yet compelling subject matter.

Beyond cinema, we can see Afrosurrealism's influence on literature, music and art throughout history. Personal favorites include Baquiat who utilized an energetic style to depict the exploration of his African heritage during the expressionist movement of the 80’s. The songs and music videos of record producer Flying Lotus use dreamlike loops and abrupt instrumentation, particularly on “Never Catch Me” featuring Kendrick Lamar. In the music video a funeral procession takes place for children who leave their caskets and begin dancing as Kendrick raps about life and death. Authors like Octavia E. Butler take Afro-surrealism a step farther into Afrofuturism, fantastical speculations on the future of the Black experience through science and technology. Black creators are unapologetically dictating representation in all forms of media.

Afro-surrealism manipulates reality into the super-real and provides a medium for artists to express unfiltered Black thought with little regard for Eurocentric standards. This omnipresent force is beginning to bind the gap left behind by negative stereotypes through embracing the exquisity of the subconscious mind. Take note as it becomes more prevalent in mainstream media and consider how Afro-surrealism influences the media you consume.

The New Girlboss: The Unhinged Woman

Recently, I read the book “Nightb*tch” by Rachel Yoder. “Nightb*tch” follows an unnamed mother who believes she's turning into a dog. This transformation is the result of the pressure she feels from motherhood and her completely unsupportive husband. So the obvious conclusion one would have is that she's insane. The mother has cracked under pressure but that makes her story enjoyable.

Milan Hall Staff Writer

The mother in “Nightb*tch'' falls under the trope people have begun referring to as the unhinged woman. In social media spaces, there seems to be an increasing demand for absolutely deranged and messy women. The unhinged woman is typically in her head, reckless, selfdestructive, chaotic, immoral, selfish and so on. This trope covers such a wide range of characters. Cassie from Euphoria, Devi from Never Have I Ever and Amy from Gone Girl all technically fit into the unhinged woman trope.

I think there are many reasons why women, especially younger women, are attracted to unhinged women. For starters, this trope seems to be a response to the girl boss trope. Girl bosses have it together. They're confident, logical and know what they're doing. The unhinged woman is insecure and emotionally charged, making them seem more human and relatable to their audience. People are tired of the typical success stories. They want to see someone completely fall and then slowly recover with visible scars from the fall.

The current reception of these tropes could also have a lot to do with how they are written. The girl boss trope is usually portrayed in realistic fiction and can sometimes come off as very tone-deaf because her magic way to success is to just "work hard". The trope is overdone. The unhinged woman is usually written in dramedies or dark comedies. Both of the previously mentioned genres have had somewhat of a resurgence.

By putting an unstable character in a comedic situation, it makes it easier for the audience to watch them and relate to them.

A lot of women view the unhinged woman as being similar to the voice in the back of their head. She explores the things that one

may keep hidden. Such as weird hobbies and interests. She puts a spotlight on her rage and sadness while women in the real world must hide it until they are alone. Reading or watching these characters can be cathartic for some as they make them feel less alone.

How do I feel about the unhinged woman trope? Well, I'm 50-50. On one hand, accurate representation requires different types of people to be shown with different personalities, even if they are the most immoral and foul people on earth. I also enjoy seeing women being emotional and messy in books, films and television. Seeing someone letting it all out in the most dramatized ways is refreshing.

On the other hand, I think that simply referring to a character as an unhinged woman (and this is something that can be applied to many other tropes) deletes the "why" and focuses solely on the "what". Let's go back to “Nightb*tch”. If you focus solely on what the mother is doing, that makes her unhinged i.e thinking that she is a dog and behaving like one; then you lose what made her behave that way. By going, "haha she's crazy and thinks she's a dog, " you ignore the stress she faces from motherhood and her husband's scrutiny.

I also find it annoying that negative or more shocking characters are always the ones seen as being the most real. Why can't happiness and success also be viewed as obtainable?

Characterizing every single woman that shows a negative emotion or makes a bad decision as the unhinged woman makes the name lose its weight and creates a negative stigma around women's emotions. Someone shouldn't be viewed as unhinged because they had a breakdown. Ironically, the thing that often leads to the woman becoming unhinged is the widespread downplaying of women's emotions. I also find the romanization of these characters very concerning. They are not something to aspire to. The unhinged woman is representative of you at your lowest point and is someone you want to grow from.

The unhinged woman opens up many possibilities for plots and character development. She also opens the floor for discussions around femininity and misogyny. Despite my personal feelings about the trope, I think the unhinged woman will always make for an interesting read or watch.

Nadia Hargett Correspondent

Little Mermaid, Big Debacle

Sept. 9, 2022. This date may seem ordinary and mundane, but something was released on that day that ignited a spark within the internet. That something was the teaser trailer for “The Little Mermaid”, starring Halle Bailey. Unfortunately, the spark that was ignited was not a pleasant one.

People on the internet completely slammed or dismissed the teaser trailer, saying that Disney lacks creativity and continues making soulless remakes of films from their Golden Age–which is a completely valid criticism. People on the other side of the criticism were upset that a Black woman was playing Princess Ariel. This resulted in many racist comments and videos, and the dislikes on the original trailer posted to YouTube go well past one million. What’s argued most commonly by the people resorting to racism in response to a children’s movie is that the process of making Ariel into a Black woman is blackwashing and that it’s just as bad as whitewashing. Here’s what I have to say about that.

In case you were unaware, whitewashing is the process in which a nonwhite character, whether real or fictional, is played by or depicted as a white person. Major examples of this include Mr. Yunioshi from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Goku from Dragonball Evolution, Aang, Katara, Sokka from The Last Airbender and Othello from Othello. There are so many other cases, some more horrendous than others.

The harm behind whitewashing is both practical and personal. The practical harm behind it is that it takes away work from nonwhite actors and actresses who could fill those roles. Not only that, but it silences people of color and handicaps us from being able to tell our own stories. The personal harm is the damage it does to the psyche. Lacking representation in media, or being only depicted in a certain stereotypical light can lead to feeling pressure to look or act a certain way.

Blackwashing, on the other hand, is turning any character that wasn’t originally Black into a Black character. People often use this term when artists draw certain cartoon characters as Black characters, or

when there’s a casting in popular media that has a Black person play an originally nonblack (typically white) character. Some examples of this are Human Torch from “Fantastic Four” (2015), Sir Lancelot from “Once Upon a Time” and Achilles from “Troy: Fall of a City”.

As previously mentioned, many have argued that this is just as bad as whitewashing. What they fail to realize is that when there is a character of color, their race often is an integral part of their character. This is especially true for Black people. Black characters in media are often written to be Black; meaning they’re not written as an equivocal character that just happens to be played by a Black person. Therefore, changing those characters into white characters would completely change them.

For example, a lot of people have been comparing turning Ariel Black to turning Princess Tiana from “The Princess and the Frog” white. However, this would practically change Tiana’s entire character. Not only was she based on an actual black woman, but there are implications that because of her race, she is constantly being prevented from buying the building she wants for her restaurants because the two white men who own it keep increasing the price. The people making complaints

about the “blackwashing” have also been comparing it to turning T’Challa, also known as the “Black Panther”, into a white man. What they fail to realize is that his identity as an African man living in the uncolonized kingdom of Wakanda is an essential part of his character. That makes it so that if his race was changed, it would alter his character tremendously.

Ariel being Black changes nothing about her character. Her story is still exactly the same because her race isn’t tied into her character at all. She still would have the same journey whether she was Black, white, Asian, Indigenous, or any other race. She’s also a mythical creature, a mermaid. Mermaids, as far as I know, aren’t real; so for white people to act as if they’re being erased in some way because a cartoon mermaid is being played by a white character is unbelievable. People are going so far as to suddenly emerge as DIY marine biologists, saying it’s not scientifically possible for a mermaid to be Black because the sun isn’t able to reach the part of the ocean where mermaids reside. And the redheads complaining about “ginger erasure” are unbelievable too because they’re behaving as if having naturally red hair is a trait that belongs exclusively to white people and no one else.

I don’t necessarily fully support

blackwashing per se. Changing the race of white characters isn’t necessarily the most impactful way to have more representation for Black people. I do think that it would be lovely to have our own characters that were Black and embraced African American and African culture. However, for a character such as Ariel to get casted as a Black woman and therefore ignite a slew of hatred is disgusting.\

At the end of the day, this vile racism in response to a children’s movie is harrowing and unforgivable. The main culprits of this behavior are grown adults, who I am absolutely positive don’t care about The Little Mermaid or Disney in their dayto-day-life. They were just waiting for any given moment to express their brutal hatred toward black people. Trying to thinly veil this racism with complaints of it not being scientifically accurate or that it’s erasing the presence of redheads is honestly pitiful.

On a more positive note, The Black children who’ve been reacting to the teaser trailer have been overjoyed by Ariel’s blackness. One of them even exclaimed on video, “She looks like me!” Black people have generally been supporting Halle Bailey, and defending her against the backlash she’s been receiving.

Ultimately, Black children and Black adults just want to be able to see themselves in a character. I’m aware that relating to a character goes beyond appearance, but in a world where we are made aware of our Blackness every day and sometimes suffer because of it, it’s refreshing to have that racial relation with them. In the case of The Little Mermaid, Black people get to see themselves depicted as a mythical creature on a screen and it’s a role that doesn’t consistently highlight the plights and prejudices that Black people face. It’s like a form of escapism.

This representation though obtained through “blackwashing” is still an absolutely significant win for the Black community. With only one Black princess throughout Disney’s 98-year-run, it’s nice to finally see another, even if she’s just a different version of an originally white princess. I’m hoping that a trend of having our own original characters and leaving originally written characters alone will arrive in the near future. Maybe we can manage to avoid people trying to scientifically disprove the existence of a Black fantasy character again!

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