Black women are more visible in the media today than at any other time in history. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Tyra Banks project positive images for young black females, showing that hard word and a positive self image can lead to successful careers. Opportunities in different areas of media now allow black women to be seen in everything from magazine advertising and television commercials, to music and Internet videos.

But stereotypes of young black females have not improved overall. For every Michelle Obama or Condoleeza Rice, there are 50 young sisters “backing that thang up” for young brothers in videos. Negative images dominate how black teenagers are seen by the general public, and even contribute to how many of them see themselves. The media promotes trends which many young women embrace today, but find difficult to shed in the future.

How the Media Portrays Black Women

The media is the most dominate means of how the rest of the world views a culture of people. Depending on how they are presented, other people develop ideas about who they are as a whole. Most cultures have been stereotyped in the media at one point or another, but none have had to fight stereotyping as long and aggressively as black women.

The increased visibility of black women in the media does not accurately portray their diversity. Black women attend college, serve in the military, contribute to the work force, and become entrepreneurs. But the media continues to portray young black females are party happy hoochie mamas more interested in hanging out with rap stars than in taking care of their babies.

Television programming helps contribute to this perception. Programs like “VH1’s Top 20 Countdown” and BET’s “106 & Park” play videos in heavy rotation, giving the world distorted views of black women. Music videos featuring booty shaking black females in thong bikinis give the impression that young black women are all sexual, with no substance, when nothing could be farther from the truth.

Unfortunately, many young blacks adopt what they see in the media as a lifestyle. Degrading acts portrayed in film and on television transfer into “keeping it real” on the streets. Even children copy the actions, dress, dance moves, and language of their favorite hip hop stars. Before long, a blur develops between what is real, and what is entertainment.

Karrine Steffans, author of “Confessions of a Video Vixen”, appeared in dozens of music videos and writes about that life in her book. She explains that girls who dance in videos are enticed by money and acceptance, but degraded by the very men they seek acceptance from.

Steffans, herself an abused single mother, says that she “just wanted to feel beautiful”. She now admits that her portrayal of that lifestyle may have been detrimental to African American boys and girls watching those videos and are unable to separate fantasy from reality.

Reality Television is no better. Programs such as VH1’s “Flavor of Love”, “I Love New York”, “New York Goes to Hollywood”, and “For the Love of Ray J” present images of young black women who seem willing to say whatever, do whatever, or sleep with whomever to get what they want. These programs portray black women as sexually manipulative and morally irresponsible, but are most popular with the young black population who they demean.

These programs have produced other negative outcomes. The media has popularized terms like “bitches”, “ho’s”, and “hoochie” to the point of glamorization. Young black women put up with this degradation from young black males, but become offended when it comes from others.

In 2007, radio personality Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University Women’s Basketball Team as “nappy headed hos”. This created a national outcry from civil rights organizations, and eventually cost Imus his job. Imus apologized publicly, but the pain was inflicted, bringing to light the broad influence of such negative remarks.

How the World Views Black Women

In their book, “The Black Image in the White Mind”, Robert M. Entmen and Andrew Rojecki explain that most White Americans learn about African Americans through the media, and not through personal relationships. Their research indicates that on television news programs, a mug shot of a black defendant is 4 times more likely to appear on screen than that of a white defendant, and black defendants are twice as likely to be shown in restraints. Black women are twice as likely to be identified in the news as a “black female”, than white women are to be identified by their race.

There were also some interesting findings about black women in film:

-89% of black female characters used profanity compared to 17% of white female characters.

-56% of black female characters were shown being physically violent compared to 11% of white female characters.

-55% of black female characters were shown being restrained compared to 6% of white female characters.

In film and on television, young black women are more frequently presented as abused and abandoned single mothers, prostitutes, drug addicts, or economically challenged than young white women. And while many positive contributions of more mature black women go largely unnoticed in the media, black children begin watching images booty shaking black women at a young age, and grow up believing it to be acceptable behavior.

Improving the Black Female Image

Improving the image of young black women has to begin with themselves. When black women begin turning from programming which depicts them in a negative manner, then media executives will begin changing their programming. Black leaders must also contest first amendment rights when it comes to preserving their culture.

Parents must become proactive in educating children about moral boundaries, and instilling a stronger sense of cultural pride. Black men must grow up with a stronger sense of respect for black women, and black women must develop an even stronger sense of respect for themselves.

Viewing programs which present black women in a positive manner reinforces higher expectations. What is taught in the home transfers outside of the home. When black women begin demanding the respect they deserve, the rest of the world will follow.