Hulu’s new series “The Other Black Girl,” based on the best-selling novel by Zakiyah Dalila Harris, is a show that focuses on the hostile environments black women can face in the workplace, according to the broadcaster. An important addition to your arsenal. It’s an almost universal experience for many black women, and it’s finally being represented on screen.
But when the show takes a turn and reveals that the main villain is another black woman who perpetuates violence against her own community, the show falls short and creates a world where black women are pitted against each other. Masu. As a black woman who was often “the only one” in her work environment, Nella (played by Sinclair Daniel)’s experiences at Wagner Publishing resonated. But unlike Nella, I had black colleagues who always lifted me up instead of bringing me down.
I always found that the Black women I worked with supported me.
In TOBG, Nella experiences a workplace that is familiar to many black women. It’s the constant microaggressions, along with the classic refrains of “I hear you, I hear you” and “diversity matters” from her well-meaning white colleagues. Plus, in addition to having to work with a racist writer (who says in episode 2, “I don’t see color, I see character”), Nella continues to work for Wagner. That fact is a testament to her resilience and supportive best friends. Malaika (Brittany Adebumola).
Nella is the only black person in the office, but when “another” black girl, Hazel (Ashley Murray), shows up, Nella has a friend. Hazel quickly becomes a close friend. In episode 1, she gets to roll her eyes with Nella when her boss has to stop using her favorite lotion because she “doesn’t like the smell.” But something doesn’t add up when Hazel begins to undermine Nella and Nella becomes surrounded by her shady friends of Hazel’s who have straight hair and act strangely. When Nella peeled back her layers, what she discovered was a conspiracy years in the making.
On the other hand, “TOBG”‘s depiction of black women’s experiences in the workplace is very realistic. As a young black man working in a nonprofit organization, overworked, underpaid, and exposed to the whims of racism and capitalism, there were times when I nearly lost my mind. I overthought every mean comment, missed opportunity, and sidelong glance. When I realized that approaching whiteness and assimilating might be the only way to success, I felt pressure to climb that ladder at all costs. I continued to push everyone around me away until I stood up as the last survivor of a racist workplace culture. However, as I began my journey to understand racism and systemic and systemic oppression, I realized that I could not succeed on my own. I needed a community of other Black women who were trying just as hard to succeed and fighting just as hard to oppose racism in the workplace.
“This show had an opportunity to show how Black women are actually working together against this racism.”
This show had an opportunity to show how Black women often actually work together against this racism. But instead, it seems almost preoccupied with depicting what it means to cater to white people. In Episode 9, Diana, a cult leader who uses Hair Grease to turn black women into ignorant but successful puppets, says, “It took the right people to get me to where I am today.”And when she says her “right guys,” we know she actually means that White People, not people in her own community. And this is where “TOBG” is wrong. While it is true that black women are often pitted against each other by others, the story here becomes too much a story about whiteness and closeness to whiteness. Consider, for example, when Hazel belittles Nella when she complains about the stereotypical and racist portrayal of black secondary characters in Colin Franklin’s books. At the end of the day, Hazel is catering to white male sentiments rather than belonging to a collective community with her black colleagues who bravely speak her mind.
As a Black woman, it was very disturbing to watch this all unfold. Capitalism and racism are the ultimate culprits, but other black women are at the forefront of silencing and subduing black women. And that can lead to harmful, negative stereotypes about Black women and their interactions in the workplace. In my experience, especially in nonprofits, I find that whether it’s a subtle nod in the hallway, eye contact in a meeting when something hurtful is said, or a quick “you there” I realized that the Black women I worked with always supported me, even if it was just a word. ? ” in a Teams message when things were tough. The working relationships I have developed with other Black women have been more like Nela and Malaika’s friendship. Support Each Other, Ride or Die, shows what happens when Black women trust each other and unite against the horrors of racism.
This show annoyed me for many reasons, but I think the overall message is important. It’s a story about the real horrors that Black women face in the workplace, and an acknowledgment that we sometimes oppress our own communities. However, the real villain may not be black after all. The real villain should be the realization that you need to be closer to white people to succeed. We all miss out when the stories being created about us focus on the fears within our communities rather than the ways in which the Black community unites against the fears perpetuated against us. I am.
