Watch A Movie

HBO’s “Insecure” is the perfect depiction of modern day womanhood. This show not only gave a voice to women of color, but also opened up honest conversations about dating, colorism, navigating life in a city and so much more. The main character Issa, who has her natural hair, is one of the most desirble characters on the show. For that to be shown on TV, a woman to be desirable with natural hair is a big step up. Oftentimes on television, we are shown that women with long and flowy hair are the only ones considered desirable and especially within the black community, television often tries to conform women that they are only desirable with a specific hair type, when in reality that is not the case. With two female protagonists, we see how each of them try to navigate their lives in very relatable ways. Each character has different experiences and work lives but we still are able to see their similar experiences with sexism and racism at the workplace. Both protagonists who are extremely intelligent go through very real experiences and sometimes handle them better than other times but it feels so genuine to how real women experience life. The show takes a really interesting take on relationships and shows how a relationsip lives after the honeymoon phase and how media influences like pornography and music videos can really take a toll on a relationship. These are relatively newer issues in today’s world and the show’s way of highlighting these issues and legitimizing them is a big deal for everyone. Not only is it an accurate depiction of womanhood, it shows the genuine awkwardness that many people deal with. It’s the most real way of depicting a woman, especially in Hollywood. We are always taught through the media that women should be poised, not too loud, not awkward, not outgoing and not in control of their romantic relationships. We are taught women shouldn’t have sexual desires nonetheless verbalize them. The two protagonists, Issa and Molly do have awkward moments, they are outgoing, they are in control of their relationships. This show is just such a healthy depiction of real life. The characters have healthy relationships with themselves while also showing some dark moments, but they do not let their struggles define them. Issa’s form of self expression is through rap songs she sings to herself in the mirror, they are sometimes an uplifting pep talk, or sometimes a run down of her current emotions. It’s healthy to see when she has issues, she does not have to run to someone to fix them and she has a healthy relationship with herself in order to express her feelings.

Insecure”: Issa Rae's vibrant south Los Angeles - Highlander