Popular Culture Review Vol. 10, No. 2, August 1999 | Page 55
African American Female Identity
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larly, the lesbian character Cleo is also perceived as an atypical form of the hetero
sexual Jezebel. Instead of being “preoccupied” with sex involving a male partner,
Cleo’s lesbian relationship is depicted as very sexual in one of the two scenes
where her lover is present. It is in this scene where the sexual nature of their rela
tionship supercedes all other aspects, thus perpetuating this construct of the Jezebel.
This image is further compounded by the fact that Cleo has little inclination to rise
above her circumstances; instead, she is happily resigned to a lazy life in the ‘hood
where she lives a commodified version of the American Dream.
As an extension, the controlling image of the welfare mother is inherent
in Set It Offs character Tee-Tee. In the beginning of the film, we observe Tee-Tee
as a single mother dependent on social services to aid her in transition to mother
hood. While she has no other familial unit to assist her with childcare, Tee-Tee is
overly dependent on her “sistahs” to help her find employment. This perpetual
cycle of economic oppression becomes more pervasive as Tee-Tee is fired from
her job and her son is taken into foster-care until she can prove herself worthy of
her parental responsibilities. Although this experience may be a reality for many
young mothers, African American and otherwise. Set It Off unknowingly sustains
the image of welfare mother which has been wrongly associated solely with Afri
can American women. As we observe Tee-Tee’s evolution into motherhood and
adulthood, it is quite obvious that her immaturity and naivete contribute to her
inexperience with and apprehension of her newfound adult obligations. Thus, it is
plausible to conclude that the financial trappings of single motherhood and limited
education are obstacles also experienced by women of all racial and ethnic groups.
Similarities and Differences in Portrayals of African American Women
The current textual analysis indicates that the movies Waiting to Exhale
and Set It Off, targeted to the African American community, contain controlling
images historically and traditionally ascribed to African American women. The
controlling image of the matriarch, as portrayed in both movies, presents the Afri
can American woman as provider of emotional and spiritual strength for others.
Waiting to Exhale's character Gloria maintains this image by preserving the fa
cade of the asexual (i.e., indiscriminant), overbearing, and overweight female.
Conversely, Set It Offs Stoney is a pinnacle of strength and courage for her “sistahs,”
yet challenges this matriarch image through her petite stature and overall aware
ness of her feminine and sexual identities. Though many of the characters possess
characteristics and qualities that are double-edged in their connotative meanings,
it is the matriarchal characters’ moral fiber in Waiting to Exhale and Set It O ff that
demonstrate positivity and “completeness” as experienced by some African Ameri
can women. In Gloria’s case, she is the only woman of integrity who deservedly
wins the unconditional love of a divorcee committed to making her happy. As for