Scandal, nudity and fried chicken have been at the forefront of my mind lately. I’m north of the border, so unfortunately I’m not able to partake of Oprah’s generosity, but I’m not stupid, FREE + KFC = CHAOS. I’ve also had the menacing pleasure of viewing the Rihanna and Cassie nude photo leaks via SHC (Ainz got on that one quick didn’t he?) Amidst the bedlam and bashing, I’ve come to one conclusion. We shouldn’t be worried about the current economic conditions so much as the current plight of the black female.
The “diva is a female version of a hustler” mentality has back lashed and flipped 360 degrees into a mild form of prostitution and hypocrisy. It’s 2009, and black women are still viewed as objects of desire that are coincidentally loathed and disrespected. Too broad a generalization, allow me to break it down further.
We got Oprah, multi-media mogul, and talk show queen coming through as one big ass hypocrite as of late. First we have her personal PR rescue mission, passionate quest to help young women in south Africa obtain higher learning while inner city youth in her own backyard slowly slip under the academic floorboards. And now the free grilled chicken dinner offer from one of the most stereotypically black fast food joints around, not to mention PETA’s adversary, Kentucky fried chicken? Some may argue that we look to Oprah as if she were the messiah, when she is really just a human with varied opinions and a lot of dough. No, forget all that, she’s a damn hypocrite! If she were ever looking for a way to redeem her loyalty to the community, handing out coupons for staples or Barnes and Nobles, instead of KFC would make more sense, no?
Rihanna and Cassie both had nude photos “leaked” to the press last week. The barley legal, barely talented pop star puppets, although attractive and eye pleasing to most gentleman, have set black women back to slavery and beyond. How can you hold the antics of Rihanna and Cassie responsible for the continuous demise of the black woman? Well let’s look at the other surfaced sex tapes and compare the results. Paris “my clothes hang off me” Hilton blew up after her sex tape “leaked” to the world, similar to Kim “her backside ain’t that big” Kardashian and her sex tape. Both Rihanna and Cassie, well maybe just Rihanna, made it to household name status prior to the “leak” and both faced the Hollywood guillotine, due to the domestic abuse case and Cassie’s um, haircut?
So instead of being elevated and adored our celebrities have resorted to using their bodies as a last resort to push sales and keep afloat along with their melanin deficient sisters. Sex sells, yes, I know! But when we shake our asses, overlook the people in our backyards and spread eagle for the world to see, we are only playing ourselves! The Hiltons and Kardashians of this world come from a place of power and no matter what direction their careers take, their bodies will never be associated with the words vulgar (nipple gate?), ghetto, and shameful. Let’s not forget, the ancestors of Hilton and Kardashian were not put on display and violated, but our bodies were! (Sara Baartman?)
It’s not a new concept that black women are constantly being degraded and portrayed negatively in the media, but I expect these black women to represent and move from a place of power. What do y’all think? Am I overtly scrutinizing these current events? Do you think the leaks and coupons are poor public relation gimmicks to get people talking? Is Oprah an angel? Were Rihanna and Cassie’s pictures really leaked? Let me know what’s on your mind!
I love it
umm… Rihanna + Cassie may have been a ‘bad look’ on behalf of black women, but to say that the leak of their nude photos took black women back to slavery and beyond… a little drastic, no?
at the end of the day it’s just a little nudity, I don’t see how it reflects badly on the positive progress most black women are making in society? I think Michelle Obama power alone trumps the negative attention any black female gets, for this entire year. Cassie was never highly regarded and it’s questionable whether her background is even made up largely of african heritage. She’s mixed with Filipino, Mexican, and Black so do her nude pics also set back those respect cultures?
it would be like saying that Nicole Scherzinger (philipino and russian mixed) has some negative effect on black females because she sings R&B. Her actions at the end of the day are the actions of an individual, and should not reflect entirely on one’s perception of her entire gender, and race, especially not those of our ancestors.
We could hold a racial draft right now (the story of my life), but I’m going to have to go ahead and say for the purpose of the post, that Cassie could be classified as black. Melanin genes dominate- sorry? I agree that the actions of an individual should not have an effect on a race as a whole, but we know damn well that this is hardly the case. Now we have “girl next door turn miss new booty” Hoopz, jumping on the bandwagon, with her sex tape- stunner!? You can’t tell me that this is not having a negative impact on race as it is for her individual career.
But I give you two thumbs up for turning the spotlight on Michelle Obama, she embodies the strength of the black female. And with every bit of news coverage she gets, she is helping to stomp on those stereotypical roles black females are put in. But let’s be honest, the average young black woman is not trying to emulate Michelle as they are Rihanna or Cassie. And sure they are just some nude pics, but c’mon be boss about it, go do a playboy spread!
Miss intellect you have some good points but with no disrespect or malice; I think you wildin’.
With the exception of Oprah please don’t not use these celebrities as a representation of the black female. Celebrities in general are never a good representation! If we want positive black women we have to look in Essence.
However I do agree it seems like as we move to the future, black women take one step forward and two back but there is no better time for the black women than now.
Melanin or not, I just don’t agree that an entire race should feel ashamed of the actions of one person. for every positive black image, there is a negative one.
nobody out there, whether they are mixed west indian, black, or african heritage for that matter… should feel as though they have the power to affect their entire race or gender.
If Cassie makes a mistake and is careless with some nude photos, that has nothing to do with the success with black women on a whole. She is not representing all black women, that’s all I’m tryin’ to say. When nude images of white women are displayed, 9 times out of 10 it is seen as attractive, sexy, and usually desirable. I don’t see why it’s a bad thing when it’s a black or mixed females body?
Probably not a good thing as far as being a role model for young teen girls (who take pictures of their own breasts too by the way)… but like I said I don’t think it takes back the race any amount of years. at least not moreso than the images of rappers of their shirts off with their guns tucked in their sagging underwear. the lesser of two evils I suppose…
What ever happened to the good role models in the Black community sans the President? Are there any that young kids can really look up to in the entertainment industry? Nope.
Fantastic post, I favorited your blog so I can visit again in the future, Cheers
great post as usual!
anways im a student in school trying to become a doc… not much to say about that except that I love biology… and naked bodies too lol! If you want to help me study for biology let me know. Great blog!