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A thread of tropes (and other things) revolving around black people I’m tired to see.
1- THE BLACK BEST FRIEND
In most movies and tv shows directors don’t want to give the lead role to black people (you know it, I know it), and they know giving black people the roles of the antagonist will make them look bad. But at the same time they want to look inclusive and-
In most movies and tv shows directors don’t want to give the lead role to black people (you know it, I know it), and they know giving black people the roles of the antagonist will make them look bad. But at the same time they want to look inclusive and-
-woke so the black character is going to be the bff of the non black character. This trope happens often. The worst part is that I a lot of case, not all but still a lot, the black bff doesn’t have an arc on their own. They just exist to give a purpose to the nb character.
1. https://www.google.com/amp/s/sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/black-girl-best-friend-trope-162146761.html
2. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2015/jun/02/why-black-best-friend-had-its-day-david-oyelowo
2. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/global/commentisfree/2015/jun/02/why-black-best-friend-had-its-day-david-oyelowo
2- THE BLACK GENERAL
The black general is a sub genre of the black bff. It’s basically the black bff but in a fantasy or futuristic context.
The black general is a sub genre of the black bff. It’s basically the black bff but in a fantasy or futuristic context.
I feel like this trope started to give black people a more positive representation like “look we aren’t these mean gangsta they always show on tv, we can be trusted allies“ but now we are just stuck with it and it sucks. :/
3- THE INTERACIAL WLM
The black community is always preaching about black love yet, often we see “black love” on screen it’s straight and colorist. Black lgbt couples barley exist in media. The few black sapphic characters we know have for love interest a white person.
The black community is always preaching about black love yet, often we see “black love” on screen it’s straight and colorist. Black lgbt couples barley exist in media. The few black sapphic characters we know have for love interest a white person.
A white person or a non black person. In both cases, I would like to see more black women loving other black women. And please, let them be both dark skinned. Colorism is already fucking up straight relationships, we don’t need it to fuck up wlw relationships.
3- THE TWO SHADES BLACK FAMILY
Since we are on the topic of colorism have you notice how most on screen représentions of black families have the women (or at least the mom) light skinned and the men brown or dark skinned?
Since we are on the topic of colorism have you notice how most on screen représentions of black families have the women (or at least the mom) light skinned and the men brown or dark skinned?
4- Idk how to name it, but that trope where all the black men are brown and dark skinned but the lead female is somehow light skinned/biracial, while the other black girls who aren’t the lead are DS? Please tell me you know what I mean. 
5- LIGHT SKINNED BIRACIAL ACTRESSES PORTRAYING DS MONORACIAL CHARACTERS
Before y’all start yelling “We are all black” yeah I get that,however LS biracial actresses are casted to play biracial characters AND mono racial characters and even sometimes white characters which sucks.
Before y’all start yelling “We are all black” yeah I get that,however LS biracial actresses are casted to play biracial characters AND mono racial characters and even sometimes white characters which sucks.
Why? Well because DS actresses aren’t casted to portray mixed race or biracial characters at all. The only characters they are can portray are monoracial, so if LS actresses who receive already way more opportunités than them start stealing the only roles DS women have-
-what do they have left exactly?
6- THE TRAUMA PORN
As someone who love the fantasy genre, sci fi, comic books and ( I hate to admit but also) chick flick, I would like to see black peoples in these genre. I feel like the only time Hollywood cares about black oriole (and know where to find DS actresses) it’s -
As someone who love the fantasy genre, sci fi, comic books and ( I hate to admit but also) chick flick, I would like to see black peoples in these genre. I feel like the only time Hollywood cares about black oriole (and know where to find DS actresses) it’s -
-for movies about slavery or segregation, or apartheid. Yes it’s history, it’s important , I know, but most of these movies are made for white viewers and almost all of them got a white saviorist moment. https://www.michigandaily.com/section/statement/its-time-abandon-white-savior-narrative
I feel like most of these movies do more wrong than good, and they are the only movies with black people in it that tend to win awards. Like Harriet was nominated but not Us movie???? Please.
7- BLACK CHARACTERS HAVING THEIR WHOLE ARC REVOLVING AROUND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE BLACK
I’m way too lazy to look for pic but have you notice how a lot of black characters have for personality trait to be...black? Like their whole identity and arc revolve around the fact that-
I’m way too lazy to look for pic but have you notice how a lot of black characters have for personality trait to be...black? Like their whole identity and arc revolve around the fact that-
-they are black. Going back to my previous tweets, this why I love SCI-FI and fantasy so much bc there race don’t exist and black characters can have their own storyline without it revolving around the fact that they are victim of racism.
Like yeah race is a big part of our identity, and it shouldn’t be erase, but our story shouldn’t revolve around it. I mean it depends of the show/movie/book but still. Not all stories abt black ppl should be about race.
7- THE STRONG BLACK WOMAN
I’m tired of black women on screen living hell just because the writers assume that because they are black, they are strong, fierce they can handle it. It’s just another type of trauma porn. Best example is Bonnie from the vampire diaries.
I’m tired of black women on screen living hell just because the writers assume that because they are black, they are strong, fierce they can handle it. It’s just another type of trauma porn. Best example is Bonnie from the vampire diaries.
Black women are human with feelings, we don’t have to be strong ALL THE TIME. And we don’t need to suffer in every episode to prove you that we are strong wtf. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/20/strong-black-woman-stereotype-mental-health-depression-self-harm
Another example of that is Abbie from Sleepy Hollow who literally lived in hell for month and then had to scarify herself a few episodes later. She was the female lead of the show. 
I mean there are other characters but these two in particular really pissed me off. https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/why-we-need-to-stop-the-strong-black-woman-trope-it-is-not-a-compliment-c0b57a052c05
8- THE BLACK COMIC RELIEF
When black characters aren’t gangsta or bff they are the comic relief. Like they only purpose is to be dumb and to make us laugh. Best example is Grover in the Percy Jackson movie. In the books I don’t remember is race being indicated. Him being black-
When black characters aren’t gangsta or bff they are the comic relief. Like they only purpose is to be dumb and to make us laugh. Best example is Grover in the Percy Jackson movie. In the books I don’t remember is race being indicated. Him being black-
-doesn’t bother me, what’s annoying is how he went from a shy soft satyr in the books to an overconfident fvck boy funny nigga in the movie??? https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UncleTomfoolery
9- THE JEALOUS BLACK GIRL
It’s when a dark skinned BG is jealous or envious of a white girl a light skinned black girl. Sometimes the black girl isn’t necessarily jealous but she will be in conflict with the other girl and be the one painted as the antagonist.
It’s when a dark skinned BG is jealous or envious of a white girl a light skinned black girl. Sometimes the black girl isn’t necessarily jealous but she will be in conflict with the other girl and be the one painted as the antagonist.
(Can’t find a pic but add to this Kenya and Starr from the movie The Hate U give)
10- THE DEMONIZATION OF AFRICAN SPIRITUALITY
Sooo. As an person passionate with African history, myths and spirituality you don’t know how much it’s piss me off to see African spirituality, religions and voodoo being associated to witchcraft and the devil.
Sooo. As an person passionate with African history, myths and spirituality you don’t know how much it’s piss me off to see African spirituality, religions and voodoo being associated to witchcraft and the devil.
Also all the stereotype than come with it. No one demonize celtic, nodic or Greek religions like that so why are you doing this to us?? https://www.google.com/amp/s/entertainment.directv.com/voodoo-on-film-fact-and-fiction/amp/
That’s the end of the tropes. I know there are way more like the absent black dad, the black drug dealer, the angry black woman, the savage Africans with a strong accent etc I just don’t want the thread to be too long.
What other tropes bother you?
What other tropes bother you?
This thread has so many grammatical mistakes but to be fair I’m literally cleaning the house and typing with one hand.
Muting this thread now. I have nothing to promote. I’m a student in journalism and I have a blog dedicated to pop culture so you can check it in my bio. I have also a paypal 
http://paypal.me/theafronerdblog
http://paypal.me/theafronerdblog
!!!! https://twitter.com/sillyskulls/status/1295018013205377024?s=21 https://twitter.com/sillyskulls/status/1295018013205377024
