Try tuning into VH1’s ‘Flavor of Love’ or its spin offs: ‘I Love New York’ and ‘Flavor of Love: Charm School’. These are some hilarious reality TV shows. But don’t the stereotypes of black women baffle you - booty shaking, potty mouthed, lascivious women? Is this really what people think the African American woman is all about?
The media I must agree has falsely represented the black woman and if you are ignorant of the African American culture, you would think that all, if not a huge majority of these women were like this. Imagine being in some different country and having to see this on telly on a daily basis.
Back to VH1…
There was a boycott launched against VH1 recently to protest network executives who perpetuate negative portrayals of black women. Apparently, a reality show that involved professional black women actively involved in or seeking interracial relationships was scrapped because the show would not sell and when asked, one executive said that “viewers are more interested in seeing black people in a ghetto role.” 
Black people and other colored races have downtrodden images of them portrayed in the media. And we have constantly seen many TV shows featuring black people in a stereotypical light. But who do we blame this on? VH1 for simply making a buck by downgrading black women or the women that willingly accept to play such roles on reality TV? Is it possible for people to change their own images?
If you ask me, these women that chose to sign up for these roles and present themselves in such unladylike fashion are partly responsible for the stereotyping. I believe its about time people controlled their images and presented themselves in a more positive light. Who will take a stand for us if we don’t do it for ourselves? The media? I didn’t think so.
Tags: VH1, dating websites, interracial dating
Popularity: 7% [?]
Comment by paula99 on 30 January 2008:
okay this is a good topic see i lived during the 60’s nothing has changed situations changed but people do not. now i lived in london for 9 yrs i just came back to the states. i dated interacially for years. and yes you had your white men who saw you as sexual objects. then you had others who was used to women.meaning they saw beyond the stereotypes etc. but yes media has a big part in stereotyping blacks and other cultures . but we are the ones responsible because. we allow it! boycott start a march . but see . being a graphic designer. you know sex sells. thats in all entertainment. if we do not put the power of the pen to these vh1 and BET . we still are going to have these issues .but it starts at home. yes i said it! what have the parents are teaching the male child about chauvanism and sexiest attitudes toward women. and the female child about excepting this behavoir . see maybe thats why i am not married because i do not allow my self to be mistreated. and men are afraid of this type of woman. they can only go as far as you allow them too. ladies. and some of us display this myth by our attitudes in public. yes we play a big role. and yes how you carry yourself is not old fashioned being a business woman i can tell you some stories. but i wont. anywho… it starts with the female. i will continue to be the queen that i am always.
Comment by Ledivalee on 30 January 2008:
This is a good topic because again, it’s kind of like rap music. So I may piss some women off, but here’s the deal and I live in LA and deal with entertainment business all the time! All I can say is that number one shows like VH1, MTV and BET, are no role models for black culture, the fact that someone would take these shows seriously is funny. These aren’t reality shows, everybody has a gimmic, they’re a bit staged and producers ignite the fire. If you’re a professional, knowledgeable person, you wouldn’t give these shows two seconds. To really get an incite on real African-American ppl, I would look to channels like TLC, Bravo or Oxygen to see how the stereotypes (if any) are being portrayed. However, I do agree that White American men do have a slightly warped image of Black women, just because of our history with America, that’s all I gotta say. I agree with paula99 in regards to the home being the base. It starts at home, I mean, look at Britney Spears?? She’s not black, however, I think her childhood or lack of it explains here weird behavior lately. I guess I don’t take it seriously because entertainment is not something to be idolized or a major role model for ppl to get facts from. The women are ghetto on there and my ideal mate would just laugh at and think that this definitely does not represent African- American women or the African -American men for that fact too.
Comment by ILOVEBLUE on 30 January 2008:
These women are responsible for themselves. No television network can make a grown woman behave this way. They chose to be on the shows. They chose to fall all over Flava Flav or whichever knucklehead is starring in that episode. As a Black woman,they make me feel such shame. I wonder when “NewYork” will wake up? Or will she remain a stooge?
Comment by cocobaker813 on 4 February 2008:
I, too also shook my head in embarassment with “Flava of Love” and “I Love New York”. I only took comfort that there were Caucasian women on there actin’ a fool as much as the Blacks and Browns, maybe even more so, as they were supposed to be “keepin’ it real” along with the sistas. With Mo’Nique’s spin off “Charm School”, I could see where she was actually TRYING to show these women that there are times and places when the clowning, cussing, and general lack of home training will hurt and keep them down. It made me happy that at least two of those women actually took her advice to heart, actually learned something and have gone on to make more of themselves and do something for their families. Unfortunately, women of color who are educated, well employed, intelligent, and successful do not interest America. For some reason, if we aren’t eye cuttin’, neck rollin’, weave flippin’, finger snappin’, foul mouthed women who don’t know which fork to use for which course in a fine restaurant, don’t have multiple baby daddies’, can actually have good, solid healthy relationships with other women of color and don’t see them as competition, or don’t shake it at the club professionally, we either don’t exist, are angry man hating lesbians, or asexual sellouts. There is some blame to be tossed at Viacom/Universal(that’s the MTV/VH1/BET/CBS/NBC juggernaut with a bit of FOX thrown in for good measure), for only actively pursuing these stereotypes of women of color, but I agree with iloveblue when she says these women are responsible for their own behavior. If anything they are told to be as over the top as they can, then post-production and editing carves out the rest. The people who believe these characters(that is what they are)are the true depiction of women of color are the same people who think that reality tv is real life. They’re not very intelligent and not worth my time or energy if I meet them.
Comment by paula99 on 5 February 2008:
you know what coco i agree. and it hurts me when whitemen approach you on the internet like your a piece of meat and make it bad for the other white men who truly like sisters. you know what i mean. but all men will try you. but the comment you made about etiquette and manners in public etc. there is a place and time. some people cuss so much it’s damn near their new vocabulary. it became a way of life. women have to be taught by other women and stop fighting each other. wheres the sisterhood.
Comment by Solace Swanson on 25 February 2008:
I guess its similar to the way many women are portraying themselves as sex objects in movies. Its what the majority of people want to see, and as such is taken up by the mainstream (as derogetory as it is)
Comment by Black-n-neva'-goin'-back on 22 April 2008:
Well, not all African American women act ghetto fabulous, but a lot of them do. That’s the reality. But what’s the difference between a black woman chicken necking and flipping out and beating a girl with a shoe and a white girl on ‘The Real World’ screaming uncontrollably and shattering a glass against wall? It’s all extreme, out of control behavior. And it is not pleasant or refined but is also not indicative of how a certain “race” behaves.
Comment by tj on 27 May 2008:
Mr. Black and never going back-WRONG! Many African American women don’t ACT ghetto fabulous, nor are they poor or impoverished. That is a stereotype and it is vastly misrepresents Black women. The MAJORITY(over 50%) are not like that, maybe the ones you know.
Comment by poetlove on 22 June 2008:
Well as for Vh1 goes this is a trend they’ve been nudging towards for awhile. It all started with the little ego trips, race o rama and all that. Then with the Surreal life once they highlighted pepa deep throating a bananna I know it was on. The thing is it objectifies everyone ,black men & women, whites and latino/a,. They just care about the checks. It does pose the question what do these ladies do after Flavor of Love. The novelty is starting to wear off and now sex tapes are popping up. It just poses the thought what do these people want out of life