Black Women Playing Maids and Other Stereotypes: Is This OK?

“The Help” opens in theaters August 10.

In the midst of new millennium accusations of racism in Hollywood, and with the “underhiring” of blacks in the movie world for major A-list roles, it appears that black actresses can still find roles forged out of perpetually stereotypical characters. The Help, a best-selling novel-gone-silver-screen, is centered on the lives of Aibileen and Minny, two black maids living in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s. The maids are portrayed by African American actresses Viola Davis andOctavia Spencer.

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Jacqueline

First of all it’s nothing wrong with making films about our struggle but make some postive films about us. We have done plenty of good things and inventions that should be told. I have seen some black movies I have gotten from the retail store that were very good but where put on shelf and never put in the theatres.Like the movie Sankofa. the producer had to take the movie to select theatre so it could be shown. I saw in Hyde Park in Chicago.
Keebo

Posts like these are distractions to black people…minorities…anyone-it is one story told by one person. It does not define us nor should being a maid be seen as a degrading profession(some of these women are very intelligent, hard working and have raised doctors, lawyers, teachers etc. It is not a stereotype, it’s a job.). Don’t like the story? Tell a different one. Don’t bitch and wait for someone else to else to tell it-they never will..it’s not their story to tell. It pretty much asking you to tell the true story of an asian american woman’s story…you can but it would be filled with falsehood. Also don’t give that bull about hollywood this and that. Screw that! They’re a well oiled business who makes money out of pop culture. Raise your own funds(many independent film makers/investors are taking their projects online…some of them are very good)Be the change you want to see.

Keebo

I apologize for the bad grammar and double text. Thanks

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_L7ONMGPITX2AX7HEXKFV56TZOU JellyBean

Yeah this is ok. Just as long as it is done in a positive manner, which these ladies have done, I am sure. And Keeboo sums it up best; this story does not define us (African-Americans). Nor should being a maid be viewed as degrading. This is what is constantly holding African Americans back. We get stuck on silly things like this. My grandmother was a maid. She was able to, along with my grandfather, who worked as a lawn care guy until he got into GM, provide for my mom and pay for her to go off to college. All of these little things that our ancestors have done, should be viewed in postive light and we should not be ashamed one bit.

I think that it is ok to play roles like this, considering the time frame and what was open for black folks, as jobs, back then. Now if they were playing hookers with no depth of character, I would say that this steretype is wrong and should not be viewable by the community. But here you have black women, shown in a positive light, during some rough times for our black women and men. This is ok.
PTMICH

BLACK PEOPLE SO STUPID! ON ONE HAND, THEY ARE CRYING THEY ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND NOT BEING TREATED FAIRLY BASED ON STEREOTYPES BUT THEY CONTINUE TO DEGRADE THEMSELVES BY PLAYING INTO THESE STEREOTYPES,SUCH AS IN THIS MOVIE? DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/JDZSGPN3V2VFYR6WZG7BDDNGVA Ladyarmysgt

I would rather watch this type of show than shows that glorify gang bangers, drug dealing, rappers, pimps, etc…….One will complain about the way Black people are protrayed and listen to rap songs degrading women…hypercritical….Is watching this movie worse than listening to a song by a black man calling black women whores and bitches????