So I haven't posted in a while but I am ready to start blogging again! Today I had the opportunity to watch TD Jakes' new movie, Not Easily Broken. Of course, I wasn't expecting cinematic genius but I was interested in seeing what 2009 would bring in terms of Black cinema.
Well, I hate to report that we are still, as a cultural group, stuck in the same stereotypical patterns that we have been in for the past decade. Of course, the main character in this movie is suffering from the fact that his wife is too career driven, too educated, too materialistic and too anti-motherhood to appreciate that she has a hard working Black man who is a Christian and would be loving father - if she would only give him his one desire, a baby "boy." Mind you I typed "boy" not "girl!"
Well, I hate to report that we are still, as a cultural group, stuck in the same stereotypical patterns that we have been in for the past decade. Of course, the main character in this movie is suffering from the fact that his wife is too career driven, too educated, too materialistic and too anti-motherhood to appreciate that she has a hard working Black man who is a Christian and would be loving father - if she would only give him his one desire, a baby "boy." Mind you I typed "boy" not "girl!"
I love the omnipresent dialogue that occurs throughout the whole film between the husband and possibly the audience or maybe God? Who knows? Either way, there is a great part in the movie where he is literally discussing the breakdown between the gender roles that Black men use to assume which have now been taken over by the ever-masculine Black super-woman figure - aka his wife. I literally wanted to break out into a horrendous laughter but there were other people in the theatre that thought this whole scene was dead on -!??!!?!
Either way, I for one am sick and tired of this same story line! AHHHHHHHHHH! Can a woman be independent, goal-oriented, career driven, desire children and RESPECT HER HUSBAND FOR THE MAN THAT HE IS? It seems that these movies only want to reinforce problematic gender roles and relationships! This is exactly why the whole idea of marriage makes me want to run and hide!
I know that there are plenty of Black women out there who have no problem balancing their working/professional lives with their home lives and that are also comfortable enough to be in a heterosexual relationship whereby they can love and respect their partner. An equal, agape love. Where there are no unspoken boundaries and both individuals feel completely and totally at peace. HMMMMM..I think my next couple of blogs will be about this "love"!
Talk to you soon!
Jamila
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