In thinking about the Tunisian “revolution” and the ongoing demonstrations in Egypt, let’s not jump to conclusions. What happened in Tunisia is not a model for the region’s regimes, nor is Egypt the new Tunisia. That would be a nice, clean, easy narrative and a great story, but it overlooks the realities that distinguish each of these countries from the other.
But why is Hollywood more accepting of fat black women than of fat white women? My guess is it has more to do with social politics than with the entertainment industry: Black women are invisible in America. Despite the fact that women like Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey are among the most public of public figures, black women make up America’s most invisible group.
My relationship with my country has been painful and complex for as long as I can remember, but my national identity has always been based on the rejection of tribe/religion/language/race as a marker of Sudanese-ness.
It’s mostly because the network adds another complicated dimension to what are already complicated enough social dynamics. But while there are commonly accepted guidelines for what to do IRL social situations, no such thing exists for Facebook. Here are my suggestions for protocol in responding to common Facebook occurrences.
Like anything M.I.A. touches, ViCKi LEEKX is blatantly political. It is, after all, a big shout-out to WikiLeaks. And so there are references to the government and freedom and America, all concepts that fit her narrative as a so-called political artist.
But just like Das Racist and Odd Future, Kanye, Drake, and Nicki’s reach goes beyond music. Part of what makes them so appealing is their rejection of the historically acceptable rules-to-being-a-hip-hop-star. They are revealing in ways that most rappers deny themselves. Kanye
YouTube user Jay Herrod thinks there are some things you should know about women. For instance, “Start giving a woman flowers too often, and she’ll think a man is up to something.” And, “Women talk just as dirty as men.” And, “Not all blond-haired women are dumb and stupid.”
Above anything, the reasons we’re getting divorced are the reasons we’re getting married. In the past—and, of course, this is still the case in many parts of the world—marriage was all about practicality. People got married to protect business interests, to ally families and clans, to procreate and extend their lineage, to create viable social and economic units.
To be a feminist, I quickly learned in my first year of college, I had to be an activist. I had to be angry about the condition of women around the world. I had to despise pop culture for maintaining the status quo. I couldn’t be interested in fashion. Nor could I straighten my naturally curly hair.
Among the most common complaints about indie-rap group Das Racist is that their music is “dumb,” “silly,” “immature.” That they’re “over-privileged liberal arts college grads” who are “making a mockery of rap.” A friend recently laid out his issue with the Queens- and San Fran-born, Williamsburg-affiliated trio like this: “They have nothing to talk about. Their music doesn’t make you feel anything.”