Written by Love Isn’t Enough guest contributor Super Hussy; originally posted at SuperHussy
After viewing the web release of Erykah Badu’s video for the song “Window Seat”, I wanted to sit down and write something an write something amazingly poignant, but could not. It was something I had to sit with for a bit, as the video and song directly addresses some things I am working with/on right now…freedom, self-love, authenticity, appropriation, etc. and prompted a visceral reaction, including tears. Besides, after reading this piece, this piece, and this piece, I no longer felt the need to say much of anything, that is until I begin reading my Twitter timeline.
Folks were tweeting and re-tweeting everything from comments about Badu’s posterior, to her co-opting a Matt and Kim video (who, by the way, she says the piece is inspired by and white folks naked bodies on public display have a whole different meaning than a black woman who shows her with intent and a message.)
What inspired this post was a tweet I read that went something like “how would you feel if her cooch was in your child’s face for art sake” or something close to that. So I sat down with my “assistant” TH, clicked on the ankh, watched and asked questions as we went along.
SH: What do you think of this?
TH: I like the music. Is it jazz? I like jazz.
SH: There are parts of it that have jazz.
TH: She was driving a big car.
SH: I know. What do you think of her, the lady walking?
TH: I think she is pretty. She is beautiful, perfect.
SH: Why do you think that?
TH: She just is. It’s sunny in the movie. It’s raining outside.
SH: Yes, I know it’s raining. What is she doing now?
TH: She’s walking down the street. Is that her singing?
SH: Yes, that is her singing.
TH: I like her voice. It is like mine.
SH: OK, yeah. She does have a nice voice. What’s happening now.
TH: She’s taking off er clothes. It’s probably hot.
SH: Hmm, well what do you think about that?
TH: I like it when it’s hot.
SH: What do you think about her taking off her clothes?
TH: It’s OK. Sometimes you need to take off your clothes. I like to take my clothes off.
SH: You do? How does it make you feel?
TH: I feel free. I like being naked.
SH: How do you think she feels?
TH: She feels naked and cool and free.
SH: But she is naked outside.
TH: That’s OK. It’s just her body. I have a body. Daddy has a body. You have a body and boobies.
SH: Yes, we all have bodies and mommy has boobies.
TH: That’s why it is OK. We all have one. We are all peoples (not a typo, she said “peoples”).
SH: Yes, we are all people.
TH: Mommy, she has boobies too.
SH: Yes, Erykah Badu has boobies too. So it is OK to show your boobies outside?
TH: Yes, but only if you want to because they are yours. Oh mommy, she fell down!
SH: Yes she did. She was shot.
TH: Why?
SH: Why do you think?
TH: Because she was naked and cool and free?
SH: Maybe.
Wow.
“Maybe she was shot because she was naked and cool and free.”
The most profound statement that I have heard related to this video or the comments on this site.
I fell sorry for those that equate nudity to sex, or even sex to negativity.
@55. Kutsuwamushi
After the fact the conversation would have probably gone something like this, Dad says to girl:
“No, no baby don’t get upset … she’s only acting, you see that guy with a camera, no not that one (presuming there’s more than one at a US landmark), the other man, there, him, looking in the opposite direction, spinning.” the girl stares, he continues “yeah he’s filming it then it’ll be on tv – she’s not hurt”
as for your quote:
“it would be a good opportunity for parents to talk to their children about acting if the children had no concept of it yet.”
is that Erykah’s decision? To teach that lesson to kids?
By your reckoning she might as well have surprised kids with it at a school playground – afterall it would be a good opportunity for teachers to talk to children about acting.
Personally i think Janet Jackson promoting her new album at the superbowl challenged groupthink in a more powerful, yet appropriate, manner.
Wow. Exactly. “Because she was naked, cool and free.” And we can’t have that, now can we? Thanks for posting. If they’re reading this, hopefully should be a reality check for all of those Group Thinkers out there.
To the editor(s) of this thread, ______________
Good luck!
To Firewife, we actually can think like that, we just have to stop “thinking” so much, if you get what I mean.
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