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Read other letters about this article
Black women are whores who don't belong on the red.
This sounds like an outrageous statement. But this is the message the 78th Annual Academy Awards sent to viewers all over the world on Sunday. Those of us who watch television with a critical eye noticed that black women were curiously absent from virtually all aspects of the Oscar ceremony.
As the camera panned over the audience, I had to squint hard to make out a black female face. I was not surprised that none of the nominees were black women. However, I had expected to see a few black women presenters. Handsome black men (Morgan Freeman, Will Smith, Terrence Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Foxx) and glamorous Latina women (Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Salma Hayek) walked with dignity across the stage. However, Queen Latifah was the lone black female presenter. Yet whatever pride I felt by her presence was quickly obliterated by her outburst of joy when she announced that the rap group Three 6 Mafia won best original song for “It’s Hard Out Here For a Pimp.” Earlier, the group’s performance of this song featured scantily-clad black women gyrating across the stage, acting as prostitutes and whores. Indeed, the Academy censors even approved use of the words “bitche” and “ho,” words that in the public eye have become synonymous with black womanhood. The performance left me heartbroken. It brought me back to a time when the only roles offered to black actresses were prostitutes or mammies. Queen Latifah, herself a gifted actress, has not yet managed to escape this sad duality.
The few black actresses who have managed to rise above the limits Hollywood has placed on them have not been rewarded. This is why I was especially outraged that the biopic montage left out "What's Love Got to Do With It" and "Lady Sings the Blues," two iconic movies about black women that feature incredible performances by two great black actresses. Biopics about black men, including "Malcolm X" and "Ray" were included in the montage as were movies about Latina women, notably "Selena" and "Frida."
After Three 6 Mafia won the Oscar, host Jon Stewart joked, “I think it just got a little easier out here for a pimp.” So the Oscars have given pimps some respect. Who knows? Maybe black women will be next. I wouldn’t bet on it though.
