Stereotypes In Beyonce's Freedom

Double-consciousness, as coined by W.E.B. DuBois, refers to the struggle of oppressed groups in an oppressed society, and viewing those struggles through the eyes of the majority. Despite its incarnation over a hundred years ago, it is still just as relevant to today’s society as America still struggles with racial injustice and oppression. Beyoncé Knowles, one of the most prolific music artists of the 21st century, examines these injustices in her controversial visual album, Lemonade, which highlights the struggle of minorities through culture, oppression, and feminism, using imagery and song.

Lemonade is presented as the creation of one woman, but why is this so important? This is a ruling class ideal of being a “self-made man”. The ideals that go with a self-made person is that all of the arrangements in society are natural. You have to accept the social order and not seeing the background she came up from and presenting herself as a representative of the working class is a false image. She travels in a private jet now and is one of the most successful African American women and not acknowledging any sort of struggle with making the American dream during the video makes her image seem natural and easy. Media according to Marxists is supposed to act as an “apologist for the ruling class in an effort to avert class conflict and to prevent changes to political order”. Her anger in the video is against the men in her life which also happen to be black. Rather than the white society that put herself in a position that made her accession society so difficult. Blaming African American males is something that white culture has done for years. Spouting hateful ideas like thinking it was a choice for the African American male to go to jail and not be supportive to their families. In this video the African American males are stereotypes of racist ideals that the white racists would agree with. The African American women is safer so she is allowed a role in society. Not

When I was brought into the world, I was not aware of the hand that I was dealt with. I was completely oblivious to human constructs that inevitably left our world divided. I did not know about race, religion, sexuality or gender roles. If it had not been for the media, I would not have tried to put so much emphasis on the label that was given to me, Latina. When reading Issa Rae’s essay “The Struggle”, I felt a sense of comfort knowing that someone else had gone through similar experiences.

Afros were first worn by Circassian beauties also known as "Moss-haired girls", a group of women in sideshow attractions in the United States by P. T. Barnum. These women were claimed to be from the Circassian people in the Northern Caucasus region, and were marketed to White audiences by the "exotic East" as pure examples of the Caucasian race . Afros became popular in the 1960s in the african-american community when the Black panthers brought it out .The reason I choose the art “estefania afro” is because I have a strong relationship with big and poofy hair. I love big hair just because of the way it looks and feels and wearing things that are different is apart of who I am.I don't think “big hair” is appreciated like it

Over the past few years, racial tensions in America have heightened. During this period, Black America undergo the daily struggle of witnessing the killing of unarmed black men and women. Victims of these endless killings and police brutality, turned into one of many hashtags, which led to the formations of the Black Lives Matter movement. Solange Knowles, younger sister of Beyoncé, soul singer and songwriter was viewed as the angry black woman. Solange used her platform to speak up. She became the most outspoken black artist for black activism in recent years. She embodies the image of a carefree black girl who is willing to let the world know that she is proud of her blackness.

When a black woman lowers her life standard, she invites outsiders to pose judgement on the entire group. These unethical behaviors of black women is capitalized off of by mainstream media. Shows such as VH1’s Love and Hip Hop keeps the negative stereotypes of a black woman alive. The black woman who rises above all adversity gains value and respect amongst the

You see, there are very few things that have ever been said about black women in our culture. The only label that most of us heard of was that many black women out there are simply “strong.” However, as of late I have been listening to Whitney’s classic music and I am beginning to understand that “strength” that most black women are burdened with. Even in her music Whitney told us stories of how many women are not only vulnerable, but how they are soft and oftentimes empty inside.

You know what I can’t stand for? I cannot stand it when black women talk, now hold on. You know exactly what I mean, they’re angry, hell hath no fury like a black woman, and yes indeed I cannot stand it. I cannot stand it when black women speak in media portrayals. They take the perfectly decent image of women and warp their blackness and gender into something that’s cancerous and embarrassing. In this short essay we will explore how the image of the Sapphire has been preserved in the media (specifically film) despite the apparent strides in black rights. To understand this though we have to look to two planes of realities, blackness and gender. To understand how they are interlinked we must understand the individual properties and repercussions blackness/gender have had separately. Then we can infer the devastating effect the two have mixed together…

The political movements spotlighted and celebrated in Lemonade, particularly the Black Lives Matter movement, are subtle, but direct and blatant. Through the album opening of “Pray You Catch Me” with Beyoncé in a black hooded sweatshirt, the article of clothing that many of the victims of police murders were wearing. The mothers of three of the victims holding photographs of their deceased sons, on the ninth track “Forward”. The most powerful and blatant depiction of the movement is the last track,

Chapter 11 redemption, Beyoncé makes it clear just how much power exists between generations of women, and is testament to the resilience of black women in times of both collective and individual struggle. As cases of police brutality and the lack of justice served in their wake continues, the families left behind are the very embodiment of that resilience. While these ideas are universal and able to be felt and understood by anyone, it’s clear there’s an intended recipient of this

Throughout the world, society habitually puts every group into multiple categories. Those groups can vary from gender, to race, to religion, while those categories can fluctuate from what society believes each group is supposed to act by. This method is often referred to as stereotyping, which is a widely held label that each particular group follows in society’s eyes. Though many groups in society have stereotypes, the African American race has numerous. Though the way of living for African Americans have changed throughout time, the stereotypes from the past still haunt us today. Based off of societies stereotypes of the African American race, commonly known as “blacks”, each subgroup of this race reacts differently toward the stereotypes.

This movie is amazing and inspirational to other young black women, it shows that you many struggle but if you keep going your dreams and hard work will be recognize. This film touch on the gender norms and racial norms, which has strong connection to the four reading I choice to critical review this blog. This movie has strong connection to the Gaga Feminism theory, the concept is “a set of wholesale changes that may be most obvious in the realm of gender norms but that also stretch too many other realms of everyday experience and that call for improvisational feminism that keeps pace with the winds of political change.” Hidden-figures proved that Black women can do whatever they want if they put their mind to it. This is breaking down what society has deem as the normal way of doing this.

There are plenty of people who want to try to fit America into a box. They view us as a bunch of hicks who drive pickup trucks and sling shotguns, or as opulent celebrities who indulge themselves in grandiose mansions and designer clothing. Some view us as orange spray- tanned TV personalities that are attempting to be politicians. Others view us as fat, lazy blobs that are the stain of the world. Call us what you will, but we are the country that is full of people that are larger than life.

From birth through death, people are given a label that they do not want but are forced to accept it. Stereotypes happen everywhere, whether they are in the past or the present, some of them change, some do not. Stereotypes are passed on from one generation to another and from one’s own judgment also. There are people who are trying to change the stereotypes by telling their stories and past experiences. The contents inform the audience about the stereotypes and how it is different for each person.

This panel explores how popular visual culture and the practice of visual art changes how we view, engage and transform the world through a black feminist lens (Collins). By examining black feminist imagery (Whaley), black queer femme iconicity (Musser), and postcolonial feminist theory (Rwafa) the four panelists are engaging in feminist research that challenges the Eurocentric images that exhibit violence toward black women.