Welcome back, friends! I have started another new series called black women tropes in media and this marks the first post. Personally I find generalizations great heuristics to making life simple and fast. However, there are certain generalizations that are quite harmful. I want to delve deeper into how these generalizations strip black people of a multitude of depth and character in the media. Today we are going to talk about the Angry Black Women stereotype.
Harsh reality
Ok, this is not an unfamiliar stereotype that we see in the media. This is probably one of the most popular tropes labeled against black women. You guys know what I am talking about. The one hand on the hip while the other hand ready to smack a bih. let’s break down the definition of “The Angry Black Women”. She is a woman that is loud, inherently enraged, overbearing, and disruptive. Basically the opposite of white feminity. White women in the media are portrayed as soft and gentle. Voices so earthy that you have to cup your ears to hear the darling southern belle accent travel to you. A journalist once described Serena Williams as a volcano on the court while her white competitors as “ice queens”. That type of diction is what perpetuates the harmful perceptions of black women.
This caricature has been around for decades; rooted behind racist intentions from predominately white producers and directors. A weapon used to separate black women from societal norms. This stereotype indirectly forces black women to hold back in workplace discussions or classroom debates because of the fear that they might just be another stereotype.
Examples of angry black women in media
Amos N Andy is a 1950s sitcom that was one of the earliest traces of the Sapphire stereotype. .
Gone with the wind also displays the inherently sassy mammy with an attitude.
How this trope has affected me personally
Although shows like bad girls club and some of the housewives shows are entertaining they don’t really help with the stereotype much either. I have been aware of this image of black women from a very young age. Because of this, growing up I had always tried to censor myself in certain situations. I am a black woman with complex and valid emotions and sure maybe sometimes I can have an attitude. If that is me stating my opinions with confidence then yeah I have a big one. And I’m extremely proud of it. As most women should be.
