Discussion from Obsessed

I saw the trailer for this movie on TV a couple of weeks ago, and so I blogged a bit about the race dynamics behind the production, the casting, and the movie itself.  Though the reviews for this movie were harsh, the movie ended up topping this weekend’s box office numbers.  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I want to see this movie.  Badly.

One great thing about blogging is that it enables us to hear lots of views, and I got some awesome comments and links from posting on Obsessed.  Among the bloggers who have left comments, there was Shae, an expert on “urban entertainment, new music, political opinions, celebrity gossip, fashion trends, videos, relationship issues, interviews, new technology and more,” who talked about the casting.  Today we got another blogger, Valencia, who linked her site Diary of a Content Black Woman.   We got some really good non-blogger comments as well on that post.

I noticed on Valencia’s site that there was a longer discussion on why black women found the “Obsessed” story compelling.  Check it out here.  It’s a great blog post and discussion on how Hollywood has treated Black women.  Many of her observations about the racial casting were similar to my own; however, I thought it was far more poignant coming from the perspective of a “Content Black Woman” rather than me.

I also liked the first comment about buying “stock when it’s low, or when it’s high.”  I thought it was hilarious!  Much of the gender issues that I mentioned in the first post with African American women are similar to–though not exactly the same as–issues faced by Asian American men, something which many in the activist/intellectual community have noted.  (For an interesting perspective, check out the Brown University article that the Stealth MC mentioned here.)  As much as some Asian men try to sugarcoat it with machismo or denial, these gender disparities exist, and they have a real impact on society and on minorities who have less of a voice in the public dialogue.

Anyway, I like both Shae and Valencia’s blog.  Check them out.  For those of my readers/detractors who are stuck in the “everything should be colorblind” and “don’t we live in the 21st century” modes along with the “I don’t see race; I just see people” claims, you need to realize that racism exists and that institutional discrimination is the cause of minority discontent.  There is a long history of stereotyping and oppression, even with the silent, unspoken type of prejudice.  We wouldn’t have this vast difference in experiences if certain minorities did not face social discrimination.

Props to Shae and Valencia who are going beyond the disparity to become happy and empowered.  Their positive outlook is wonderful, and I hope I and my readers can learn something from them by checking out their sites.

Two very last thoughts:

1. A great, positive movie like Obsessed is a good thing because it allows us to talk about what we’re feeling as a community.

2. I haven’t heard the term “Becky” since I moved out of New York.  It brings back some funny memories…

Related posts:

1. Obsessed: Fatal Attraction Among Black People