African-American Women Series Reflection

African American females have been portrayed in the media many of different ways. Half of the time it’s positive and other times it’s not so positive. Yes, through my series of blogs focusing on black females in the media and the message it relays to young black girls are mostly negative; they are important. The main reason I decided to focus on this common theme was because what I see and hear in my society and on television is showing young black girls that they are flawed.

            As a young girl, I grew up thinking that black females had “nappy” and “ugly” hair. Why was my hair ugly? Why was my hair ever considered “bad”? I wanted to be a white or Hispanic so bad. They had long, pretty, flow-y hair that I died for, and they were always considered the more beautiful. People were more attracted to the Hispanic and white females because of this.

            Not only were considered less pretty, but we were also considered loud and ghetto. I also wanted to be of a different race because of this. Why would anyone young black female want to be considered loud and ghetto because of a stereotype? It’s demeaning; often coming with the connotations that we’re also less educated.

            So far black females are less pretty and hate their hair, problematic and ghetto, but we’re also angry. We’re just a bunch of angry females because of men. We’re angry and closed off, and let no one in. Why? Because of man.  

            As you see, a lot of the ways black females are portrayed in the media affected me a lot as a young girl, and I know I am not the only one. I also know that young African-American girls are continuously being affected. I want them to be able to appreciate and value themselves more, and the biggest way this can be done is if African-American women in the media are portrayed in a better light. We can’t take the media away from them, so let’s use it as a resource to gradually change the idea young black girls have of themselves.