August 2011
59 posts
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'The Help' is fiction disguised as reality →
By Jim Downs and (black woman historian and author of _Out of the House of Bondage_) Thavolia Glymph
From Rachel’s perspective, Skeeter is essentially irrelevant. Yet, according to the logic of the film, Skeeter is a hero because she exposes the rotten reasons why Constantine got fired and, most of all, she reveals the evilness of Hilly Holbrook, the film’s leading antagonist. But...
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Not a Review of The Help →
confessionsofasablefangyrl:
Given the rabid success of ‘The Help,’ Warner Brothers has announced it will begin filming a Gone with the Wind reboot, opening summer of 2014. Alfre Woodard will play Mammy. Tickets Are…
Read the rest by clicking above
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The Real & Fictionalized Lives/Struggle/Triumphs...
afrolez:
Following are Melissa Harris-Perry’s reading suggestions for those interested in the lives, struggles, triumphs, of Black women domestic workers:
Tera Hunter “To Joy My Freedom: Southern Black Women’s Lives and Labors after the Civil War” http://amzn.to/nWSL6M
Micki McElya “Clinging to Mammy: The Faithful Slave in the 20th Century” http://amzn.to/oXLj02
Deborah Gray White “Arn’t I a...
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If you haven’t been tuning in to ‘the Help’ discussion happening on the H-AfroAm (African American Studies) Discussion Network, you are missing out on brilliance. Critics (and supporters) of the book/movie are engaged in quite the debate there. Visit the site, subscribe and join in here. (You do not need to subscribe to read the posts)
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“There is nothing that annoys me more…and you can find this often on feminist...”
– What Tami Said: From the vault: When allies fail (Pt. 1)
Indeed.
(via sisteroutsider)
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"Really Latina Magazine, Really???" via Latinegro
This movie is getting rave reviews from just about every critic. I am willing to bet that this movie will win an award or two, which will have me vexed. It is no secret that people of color in hollywood (in this case African American women) are more or less forced to play roles in movies that live up to the slave image. The Help is a prime example of that because it is basically like Aunt...
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WHO I ARE- 2011 Revival Featured Poets
cereusarts:
WASHINGTON DC FEATURE, Bettina Judd is a poet, artist, and scholar whose work never seems to be confined to poetry, song, or academic discourse. She is a Cave Canem fellow, alumna of Spelman College, and is currently in pursuit of the PhD in Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her poetry can be found in literary journals such as Torch and Mythium. She can...
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AfroLez®femcentric: Awkward Black Girl Creator... →
afrolez:
“Since “The Help” came out, I’ve been reading lots of commentary about race, gender and Hollywood. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve read the phrase, “But we don’t support our own” in response to a critique of mainstream representation of black life, I could start my own studio. The…
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Struggle Hasn’t Changed for ‘The Help’ of Today →
“…In spite of abuse and exploitation, brave domestic workers like Lora have stood up to organize for their rights and those of domestic workers around the country. And with the help of organizations like the National Domestic Workers Alliance, they’re making progress (see video below). After six years of organizing by domestic workers—together with unions, employers, clergy and...
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"Mamie Till’s Memorial" via Crunk Feminist... →
…she wanted the world to see what they had done to her baby, Emmett. so as we quickly approach the day Emmett was violently violated and killed (August 28), i want to consider again the religious ethics that prompted his mother’s — Mamie Till-Bradley — desire for the world to experience the death of her son. of course, we already know that death is anything but uncommon. it is but a...
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Tenured Radical: For Colored Only? Understanding... →
As Skeeter comes to consciousness that the system in which she was raised is unjust, she sees an opportunity to “help the help,” as it were, and at the same time promote her career by writing a book about what life as a servant in the Jane Crow south is “really like.” Here I would like to note that in addition to having misleading racial politics, this movie has no feminism either (I have not seen...
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“Mr. Taylor talks about the book being about finding common ground, and about the...”
– The field negro talks “Strange Days and the Help isn’t Helping.”
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I'm 'Help(ed)' Out And Yet, I Still Have Some...
afrolez:
There have been numerous primarily Black feminist critiques of both the book and the film ‘The Help’. Most of the critiques deeply resonate with my feelings about both entities. Since it’s official release on August 10, 2011, I’ve dedicated probably too much time to reading and reposting many of the critiques by both Black and White women. While I’ve shared some of my concerns with some,...
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“some brown person in a ski mask? This is really idiotic… (Trigger warning: rape,...”
–
Michele Bachmann speech at a battered women’s shelter in Winterport, ME (2009)
“This can’t be a real thing…
(via basseyworld)
WHATTTTTTT?
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“Help! I am so tired of The Help. So much of our best energy and reflection used...”
– Ruby Sales, Co-Director/Founder, The Spirithouse Project (via afrolez)
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“…My goal is to step into necessary solidarity with black feminists, who have...”
– Susannah Bartlow from her essay “Reading ‘The Help’”
READ IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE
» http://afrolez.tumblr.com/post/9079023771/reading-the-help-by-susannah-bartlow
(via afrolez)
'Comfort Women' Still Waiting for Apology from...
Most of Korea’s so-called “comfort women” describe their lives during World War II, when they were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military, as being treated like animals at the hands of monsters.
An estimated 200,000 women between the ages of 11 and 28 were forced to provide sexual services to Japanese soldiers during the war, often several times a day. Some girls...
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I Just Want Your Half: Confession and Annoyance →
newmodelminority:
Oh Shit. You Sho’ll is Ugly > #You is Kind….. O.o
fourzoas:
I forced myself to read The Help this weekend. I tried reading it when it first came out, but I couldn’t get past the first chapter due to a lot of readerly discomfort (Stockett’s use of dialect grates). Last weekend I read Entertainment Weekly’s story on the film adaptation, and I have to say…
“So, in...
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Black Women Keyword Bibliography →
Because we want to act like we don’t know…but sometimes we really don’t know.
This is LONG. And editable. Add to it. Hyperlink it with copies that you have access to. Copy it and pass it along to friends. Don’t delete anything on it—if you object to something, put a line through it and then add a comment.
Enjoy.
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My Problem With “The Help” - Jill - Persephone... →
cocothinkshefancy:
This piece was published back in early July, one of the seemingly rare criticisms from the WW feminist blogosphere.
Still, the book is quick and easy to read. The conclusion of the book provides a nice, neat ending sure to make any white person who finds themselves identifying with Skeeter feel good. I can understand why so many people were quick to jump to this books...
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The Help & "love" via come on up to the house →
zuky:
readnfight:
White people need to find ways to form relationships with people of color, based on what white people perceive as love, that are not also relationships where their own domination over the person of color is unacknowledged or taken for granted. That ain’t love! Is The…
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If You Need Help with 'The Help' (via Nunez...
[
Like it or not, ‘The Help’ is the talk of the interwebs. Some folks love it, many folks hate it, others just don’t know what the big deal is.
In case you have yet to read the Association of Black Women Historian’s beautiful, eloquent and concise statement on why ‘The Help’ is problematic, faux-Civil Rights history, you should check it out here (Zora Walker...
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Sniffing Dirty Laundry: A True Story from “the... →
I had to call Mama at work every day as soon as I got home from school so she would know I had made it home safely and could be sure I hadn’t been hijacked by a dude in a ‘do rag holding his crotch while standing on the corner, tonguing a toothpick.
I dialed the number.
“May I speak with Mrs. Singley, please?”
“ Whooooo?!” Startled indignation dragged that one word out of Grandmommy’s...
“If we—the audiences who want to see black actresses on screen but are troubled...”
– Andrea Hairston snarks all over ‘The Help’ (because I didn’t already love her, her work and her ginormous brain)….
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ABWH: An Open Statement to the Fans of The Help
An Open Statement to the Fans of The Help:
On behalf of the Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH), this statement provides historical context to address widespread stereotyping presented in both the film and novel version of The Help. The book has sold over three million copies, and heavy promotion of the movie will ensure its success at the box office. Despite efforts to market...
The City is Like Chitlins: Notes on Gentrification... →
“What’s interesting to me about DC is the juxtaposition of Black owner occupied houses and condo’s especially near Georgia Petworth and the lack of political will to ensure that Black home owners can remain in the city.
Wouldn’t it logically follow that Black politicians in the district have a vested interest in insuring that these residents, their base, remain here, if they want to be...
“And there have been individual Black women online who have tried to counter the...”
– Honoree Jeffers Chocolate Breast Milk: A Review of the Help
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“I feel like I’m stating the obvious here (although this idea appears to be...”
– Shakesville: On the UK Riots, Part Two
THIS THIS THIS
(via robot-heart-politics)
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Who You Callin' a Nigger? →
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More 4 celebrates Darcus Howe's 25 year... →
Just discovering him and his work but just on skim—this man is not to be fucked with. Big mistake. Huge.
London riots: BBC apologises for accusing Darcus... →
“A lot of the critiques of the rioting in London is really…disturbing. And all of...”
– Just the grrl you want:
(via penichimp)
“The reference to ‘court of appeals’ is a metaphor for how (‘american’) Blacks...”
–
James-bliss. relevant. (via so-treu)
This.
We have lowered our long-term sovereign credit rating on the United
States of America to ‘AA+’ from ‘AAA’ and affirmed the ‘A-1+’ short-term
rating.
We have also removed both the short- and long-term ratings from
CreditWatch negative.
The downgrade reflects our opinion that the fiscal consolidation plan
that Congress and the Administration recently...
fcuk this...
love-resist:
“(TW for violence/homophobic slurs) The report says the two suspects began to “flirt” with two of the women. It says one of the women responded by telling the men she wasn’t interested and she was with her girlfriend. “Suspect 1 became enraged and stated, “You fucking dyke bitches, I will kick that bitch’s ass,” the report says. “I will take that dyke bitch into the alley and kick...
