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Angry Black Woman ? … Shonda Rhimes


There is nothing “angry” about strong, intelligent, successful Black women. NShinda Demand the New York Times retract Alessandra Stanley’s “angry Black women” rant.

Take Action

 

An outrageous New York Times op-ed published today by Alessandra Stanley, steeped in racially inflammatory language, dismisses TV writer and producer Shonda Rhimes and her many complex Black women heroines — labeling them “angry Black women.”1

Join us in demanding an apology and the retraction of Alessandra Stanley’s harmful op-ed immediately.

From the op-ed’s opening line — “When Shonda Rhimes writes her autobiography, it should be called ‘How to Get Away With Being an Angry Black Woman’” — Stanley wildly misreads the heroines at the center of much of Rhimes’ work on shows like “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder,” and arbitrarily judges their adherence to white beauty standards.

Characterizing their supreme confidence and competence as “anger” — and describing actress Viola Davis as sexy “in a slightly menacing way,” and “darker-skinned and less classically beautiful” — only plays into destructive stereotypes that impact the lives of Black women every day.

Research shows there are dire consequences for Black people when such harmful archetypes rule the day; less attention from doctor’s, harsher sentences from judges, and discriminatory hiring practices, just to name a few.2

Alessandra Stanley and the New York Times need to know that the dissemination and perpetuation of the “angry Black women” archetype is no laughing matter. With so few Black women both onscreen or behind the scenes in Hollywood, high profile, dehumanizing misinterpretations of their work cannot be tolerated.

Stand with us and demand an apology from the New York Times and Alessandra Stanley, and a retraction of her harmful op-ed.

Thanks and Peace,

–Arisha, Rashad, Matt, Dallas and the rest of the ColorOfChange team.
September 20, 2014

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way.

References

1. “Viola Davis Plays Shonda Rhimes’s Latest Tough Heroine’,” New York Times, 9-19-14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3922?t=7&akid=3666.1174326.YJfcLj

2. “Media Representations and Impact on the Lives of Black Men and Boys,” The Opportunity Agenda
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3685?t=9&akid=3666.1174326.YJfcLj

~ Culture & History, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Dorthy Height – In Memory


Dorothy Height: born 3/24/1012, was a civil rights heroine, educator, and social activist; She was a woman who had her fingerprint on all things American, and as President Obama said,”  Dorothy deserves a place in our history”    3/24/1912 – 4/20/2010

first posted 4/22/2011

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

1664 – A charter to colonize Rhode Island was granted to Roger Williams in London.


In 1664, a charter was granted to Roger Williams in London to colonize Rhode Island1. This charter bestowed legal rights upon the colony, allowing it to exist independently. Let’s delve into the historical context of colonial charters:

  1. Colonial Charters:
    • Definition: A charter is a document that grants exclusive powers for the governance of land to proprietors or settlement companies. It bestows certain rights on towns, cities, universities, or other institutions.
    • Purpose: These charters defined the relationship of the colony to the mother country, ensuring freedom from direct involvement by the Crown.
    • Guaranteed Rights: All colonial charters guaranteed vague rights and privileges to colonists, similar to those of Englishmen, which would later play a role in the American Revolution.

Source: BingAI

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