Feminine Melanin Theatre
Given an assignment in my Theatre class, I started thinking about how I have written a couple treatments and a good 50% of them deal with a feminine melanin base. It is nice to have roles and themes where black women get to be old-fashioned but I noticed if they are old-fashioned women they are often “strong” and “aggressive”.
Where are the old, or new, fashioned women who are femininely strong outside of just their physical labors, and firm stands against injustice, etc? Why are we not represented in theatre? How come when there are love stories for 6-figure women, it comes after she has to be mean-natured and “humbled” by a man that’s barely getting by in life?
Why can’t she be kind and get a 6-figure man; and he’s not cheating and/or abusive? How come we can be mothers but only if stressed out and sometimes overly fussy with our children? Why can’t we want money in life and a man who has it without being often referenced as a gold digger by some men, women, friends, and family? Why can’t our friends be successful and/or happy inlove like us rather than always depicted with friends that are loud, envious, ditzy, users, backstabbers, etc.
I don’t get it. It’s like…we can have a piece of goodness but EVERYTHING around us has to be messed up somehow. Like we are unicorns amongst puppy poop. It pushes a stereotype and a burden note. Here are some images of my community! Feminine Melanin women that are kind moreso than not, educated, steadfast, desiring a future in their own paths, supportive with each other, etc.
— AlonaLeoine
