In this piece of rhetoric, Hook argues that throughout history, the black female body has been used as a means of commodity rather than define a true and equal identity within society and self. She strengthens her claim by dissecting Beyoncé’s album, Lemonade, along with other various examples which though in good effort, are all guilty of constructing a “fantasy” idea of what a strong black woman is. Time and time again, the ideal body of a black woman as represented in media has always been to entertain and establish the social norm of not only what it means to be black but also a woman.
The author presents certain pieces of evidence, specifically like, “Lemonade which offers viewers a visual extravaganza- a display of black female bodies that transgresses boundaries. Its all about the body, and the body as a commodity.”and, “This radical repositioning of black female images does not truly overshadow or change conventional sexist constructions of black female identity.” I understood Hook’s appraisal of how Lemonade challenges the fixed cultural norms of black representation in the media outlet, however she made it abundantly clear that effort alone is not enough to bring about change. The album is supportive of reformation of the way black women are represented, however it falls by the way side when it comes to dissolving constructed stereotypes, and fails to clearly define feminism. Hook isn’t arguing only about the constructed fantasy of not only black women, but all women in general, especially within a patriarchal society.
There is a part of this opinionated editorial which left me lost for words. Hook stated, “women do not will not seize power and create self love and self esteem through violent acts.” This takes me back to the part of her argument where she mentions that there is a scene from Lemonade that shows Beyoncé sporting a yellow dress, goddess like, walking around and smashing whatever comes into her purview, as a result of the rage and anger she felt from being hurt by her significant other. Reacting to pain and hurt with vengeful acts of violence should not be the appropriate response between any man or woman. Instead of women turning to violence like the way men have throughout time, they should learn from those endeavors and evolve from them instead of retrogress.The entire argument is like a well structured hurricane and in order for society to reach the eye of the storm, we all need to disband false preconceived ideas of what it means to firstly be a woman, and then a black woman.
I did find myself convinced by Hook because she is right! The exigency isn’t just about how media manipulates the images of what a woman should be, but how feminism is ill defined in these platforms.
Every single person alive needs to work on themselves, and look within themselves for their identity, purpose, and act in terms of empathy towards others. The way Hook explained that before we can even begin to establish what is the right way to represent a black women, we must first accept that the black male has little to no voice within the patriarchal society we currently are in. Although I was already convinced, this specific wording opened up a whole other argument in my mind. I appreciate when another person is able to reach into my head and plant new ideas like seeds. It helps me to broaden my own perspective and be a little less ignorant of the ongoings of the world.
The entirety of this piece was not only well constructed but each paragraph brought a new idea to support Hook’s argument. She opened up about making Lemonade during childhood summers and immediately connected that to Beyoncé’s album. From there the author takes us down the rabbit hole, each feet representing a layer of well thought out arguments and supporting evidence. Even the other examples that the author mentions like, Jay-z’s 80 year old grandmother mentioning that when life gave her lemons, she turned those hardships around and made lemonade. This personal account ties into the whole idea at hand. There is a problem in the way society idealizes the black female body and it is up to society to take that problem and make something good out of it. That was an incredibly smart and strategic use of evidence which makes me think about my own grandmother and what she has taught me on what it means to be a woman.
I feel the need to point out some of the things I noticed about myself and this particular writing assignment:
- As I saw the discussion posts as challenges to help strengthen my style of writing, I began to see my writing change, meaning that it became concise and to the point.
- In the analysis I provided above, from the first discussion post up until now, I feel as though I am reading someone’s work. I allowed myself to be weaved into the fabric of not only my words, but the authors as well.
- I can easily transition from the text to an analysis and tie it directly back to the text.
And of course there is the appreciation for the author’s stance. When I read the work of another, opinionated or non, I only want to see the authors point of view. I want to know what they think, what they believe and to observe their strategy in convincing their audience. From that alone, I felt like I could become a stronger writer. However, I now know that I was wrong. The only thing that can help me to becomes a better thinker and writer is to write! I must take the time to learn new skills, and devise my own audience strategy. I need to stand on my own two feet and raise my pen, high above my own standards.
Link To Article: http://www.bellhooksinstitute.com/blog/2016/5/9/moving-beyond-pain
Do you think I have improved? If so, how? Please leave a comment below letting me know your thoughts!
