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Of course they got away with it. All this feminism ain't doing shit for us", I said.
My friend looked at me in utter dismay and fury. I had spoken the truth and it was harsh.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I had been prey to the whole "You're a girl, you must be likable" cliche by the society but I'm slowly escaping the clutches.
Bad relationships, being forced to allow a man to "fiddle" with us (sexually) or even a simple "yes" where we badly wanted to say no. These are things that almost every woman reading this article will identify with.
So, the question is, Is Feminism Really Doing Anything For Us?
Um. Debatable....
It is a strong movement, don't get me wrong. However, unless we (women) start throwing out love to our sisters like it was free for life, we ain't getting nowhere. Yes! Some men have treated us badly. Yes! Some of those don't even feel guilty about it. But guess what? The society comprises of men and women alike.
Meaning, us women have been sadly playing a part in all of this abuse.
How does the show factor into what I'm saying?
In every way!!
She's Gotta Have It is an extremely powerful show I would say about an African American Artist. A woman who is struggling to put her work out there while also fighting for her right to her own body.
After a sad incident, she decides to try to put her word out into the world. Through her art.
However, society defaces it and humiliates her too.
I honestly wasn't surprised when things like that started happening.
But it is the very essence of the character Nola, the way she owns her body and allows nobody to take possession of it is what inspires me. She treats the men in her life the way a lot of commitment fearing men treat the women in their lives. Is it fair?
NO.
It is not fair for anybody to be treated that way. Used, toyed with.
However, Nola is different in one way. She spells out the rules at the very outset. She honestly tells them that she is not looking for commitment and if they are not okay with that, they are free to walk out the door. She gives me the Samantha vibes (Sex And The City, y'know?) sometimes.
She's powerful. She owns her body and she's a brilliant artist.
All with one flaw. She hasn't been able to solve her trust issues. Despite that, I think the show does a fine job at portraying a bare woman. One without society's shackles (or should I say one who ignores those shackles?)
The music is brilliant. Some of the best jazz has been used as background score for the show and I really appreciate it.
Each character in the show is realistic. Flaws of their own but still, somehow, real and relatable. It has women who are changing their bodies to gain more approval, some women who embrace their sexuality and love their bodies the way they are and there are men who are in complicated family situations or dealing with Dyslexia. The key in the show is that the creators have made sure to bring out the back stories of each character in a way that we appreciate them.
The star of the show, in my eyes was the artist behind Nola's (the lead character) artwork. Tatyana Fazlalizadeh does an absolutely stunning job at portraying the character Shemekka's beautiful body as an embodiment of an African American woman. She inspired me to go back to painting!
Her instagram profile is worth a little of your time - @tlynnfaz. Check it out for sure!
I would say, a huge thumbs up to the creators of the show and anyone who is reading this post is requested to go binge on this one already!