NOT PUTTING ALL BLACK MEN IN THE SAME CATEGORY
Recently, I went to see the movie "For Colored Girls" with my girlfriends, who happen to be a phenomenal group of black urban professional women. We are all single but all yearn to be married one day.
Some people have accused this movie of extreme male bashing. As a black women, I disagree and this is why....
I have not lost hope in the black man.
There are people of all races who are bad and good. Their circumstances are based on a variety of things including environment, social class, education, and psychological state. This mix of factors means that the people we will encounter in society will be a mixed bag regardless of race. To keep it simple - There is no standard for being human. So, when one movie shows the trials of black men and women, it is not speaking for all black men and women. There are good black men but that wasn't the focus of this movie. I know they are out there so when I see a movie like this, I don't automatically think that it speaks to all black men. One of the best examples of that is the filmmaker himself, Tyler Perry. Tyler Perry rose from a background of homelessness and tragedy to be the most bankable man in hollywood in addition to being a talented playwright and director. I know that is a highly opinionated statement but when you take away your personal opinion of his work, and you look at the man behind it, you have to give him credit for being a good black man.
Art is about exposing various sides of real life
The play, book, and now movie "For Colored Girls" was meant to highlight the struggles of black women in their relationships with black men. These struggles are real and have clearly been around since the play was written in 1975. I think that if this real struggle between black men and women has been going on for this long, it is something that begs for an artistic outlet and greater exposure.
I have seen the good and bad side of black men. I give credit to my father and the father's of my friends for showing me strong black men who marry the women they love, have children and take care of their families.
I have also seen black men who abandon all responsibility for their own selfish pride. This movie highlights one side but does not take away my knowledge of the existence of good black men and my belief that there is one out there for me and all of my single friends.
Tyler Perry I want to thank you for bringing these scenarios to the light. Good Black men, I want to thank you for being who you are despite the struggles that you face on a regular basis.
Yours in Truth,
Black Urban Observer