I have decided to abandon reality television as my vice. This week I was able to catch a bit of daytime television and I was appalled. There was some trashy talk show on and all I could hear was black women arguing and disrespecting each other. As I watched it I realized that this has become the norm.
It started off as Maury with women loudly proclaiming that one of five men had to be their child's father. Then it was the always angry black roommate on The Real World. Now every show if not filled with banshee, screaming "bitches" it features at least one. I used to live for the attitudes and cat fights of Bad Girls Club, but now as I work in an all white environment I realize that most of these people only interact with black women on television. So i begin to wonder if that's what they imagine I may be like.
Having gone to an HBCU I have seen a variety of African American women and I know that Rihanna does not represent all Caribbean women and not every woman has the grace and class of Michelle Obama. White women don't face being categorized and stereotyped based on what is represented in the media. Black women do not have that option so when Real Housewives of Atlanta is better known than Scandal, you are automatically seen as a Nene instead of Olivia Pope. Its not fair, it never has been, and guess what it never will be.
It is a personal decision to abandon Love and Hip Hop (because I have to admit I love Atlanta) RHOA, Bad Girls Club because I don't want someone who has no regular interaction with African Americans outside of those lost children on the train to meet me and automatically think that I am going to come out of the gate with an attitude. If we don't watch it, the ratings will go down, and it will go off the air. I loved these shows, but there is a greater issue at hand. Think about it. Do it for yourself and your community.
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