#OscarsSoWhite & Why BET Exists
Theres so much outrage over the fact that no actor of color (black, asian, latino, etc) has been nominated for an Academy Award for Acting this year.
A lot of reasons I am hearing from the ignorant is because "Blacks segregate themselves by keeping a 'Blacks-only TV Channel - BET"
*SCREECHING HALT*
Umm....if BET didnt exist, the extent of non-whites on tv would still be less than half of what is out there. Count the number of talked about and loved tv shows. Now count the ones that STAR a person who is not-white. (not counting sassy side-kicks that are there just for laughs and have no characterization)
BET was created when I was a little girl - back when the only "coloreds" on tv were Oprah Winfrey, men in major sports, and servants. I didnt have a barbie - I had a Pocahantas one, but I knew I wasnt her, my hair didnt look like that (LOL) - so I played with animals instead. Anything to feel less alone and hidden away like the girl I looked like from A Little Princess . The Spice Girls were revolutionary to me as a kid - there was a brown woman with curly hair for god sakes! OMG! MIND BLOWN!
Things are changing, yes, but the reason things like BET exist is so African-americans can have representation on TV and in films of their own. Black people werent written into classic films as major players. I still remember the joy I felt when I saw Samuel L Jackson in 'Jurassic Park'! "Wow! He doesnt play sports! Hes smart and nerdy like me!"
I never watched that BET channel, the content doesnt really suit my style (I prefer Lord of the RIngs/Game of Thrones stuff) But it still matters to me that I can see Blacks on tv beyond the typical roles of: Gangster, loud sassy woman, prositute, pimp, soul singer, hoodlum
I've never seen a young lady on tv like me. We geeks/punks are left out like we dont exist. Maybe thats why I loved the Hunger Games series - because the character Beatty was a nerdy black man (I wish it were a woman, but thats another issue)
And dont even get me started on the representation of other races - all unfairness makes me angry - but I can only speak for my experience, I dont want to pretend to know all about the issues of others.
Im glad things have progressed, but I'd like to exist in a world where Award winning films can show someone like me in them - not a slave woman, but a regular middle-class woman of color who isnt there just for sex with giant boobs and a giant butt. Where are the plain blacks? The church-going blacks? One show about a black family is cute, but why do I only get one source of representation, and then get pushed to the side or used to fill a "quota" as a side kick :(
Sorry this was all over the place, I just wanted to get out some of my feelings about everything Ive been seeing lately that has started to hit me hard.