Discuss: Does the “Precious” movie stereotype big Black women?

While on Twitter earlier, someone tweeted the link to this article. It raises some good points. Ones I can understand and ones that I have to refute. I can understand how some would feel that the film would package up Black people in this nice little box where all of us are illiterate, poor and disease-ridden.

Even Sapphire, the author of the book ‘Push’ which the film was adapted from, says she shared the same fears. In a recent interview with CBS she stated that she feared the film would depict the main character Claireece “Precious” Jones in the same vein as the “obese maids” routinely featured in old movies she watched while growing up. “I didn’t want them to be exploited,” she said about black women who will see the film. “I want them to feel the pain of our collective experience.”

While some see the film as a visual representation of Sapphire’s fears and therefore choose not to support it, others believe it shows the complete spectrum of diversity that exists in the Black community. Black people come in various shapes, sizes, colors but share a commonality. Heritage. No matter how it looks on the outside, that fact still remains. How the reality of a situation can be turned into a stereotype, I will never quite understand. But it happens.

I’ve already seen folks making references to the main character’s size saying that with each ticket sold you get a coupon for Popeye’s chicken. True, comments like this are probably said meaning to be humorous but the undertone to every joke holds some truth. Is this how Black people see this story — as just another story of an overweight Black girl who got pregnant young and grew up in the hood? Or do Black people see this as a story of triumph, overcoming obstacles and coming out on the other side as a victor?

I don’t think this movie will stereotype Black women at all. I think it will tell a story that’s often heard from the first person. People outside of the Black race assume a lot of things about Black people. This will give a glimpse into the parts of life no one wants to discuss and shed light on the fact that everything isn’t always as it seems. In addition, even when I saw the trailer for this I’ve always said that this is a story that can be identified with by everyone. Black people aren’t the only ones who endure stories similar to the one portrayed in the film.

This story is touching, heart-felt and real. I believe those reactions will be universal.