Franchesca Ramsey: ‘We Really Need to Talk About How Black Women are Portrayed in Pop Culture’

In this segment of MTV’s Decoded, writer and video blogger, Franchesca Ramsey breaks down the three stereotypes that plague Black women: Jezebel, Mammy, Sassy Sidekick.

She’s tired of them; we’re tired of them, and we know you’re tired of them too.

“From the sassy Black friend to the sexy prostitute on the wrong side of the track, to the overly helpful housecleaner,” says Ramsey, “Black women are so very often stereotyped in pop culture. But these stereotypes are more than lazy writing; they have long histories.”

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These tired stereotypes have been around for centuries, are rooted in the histories of colonialism and slavery and have been perpetuated through media.

Ramsey says it best, “As much as we try to deny it, media plays a huge part in how we view the world.”

Media’s role in misrepresenting Black women bares serious consequences on how we are perceived in social settings and even the workplace. “Black women come with all sorts of personalities. So it’s time for media to wise up, and show us in all of our complexity,” Ramsey asserts.

Watch the segment above.

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