Black people, what the hell are we thinking

For those of you who don't know me, I refer to myself as a post-millenium Womanist. When I was in undergrad, I focused heavily on literature concerning critical race theory and gender studies. For one of my final reseearch papers, I wrote about hip hop feminism and how the onus is on women to change the way we are portrayed in the media. The superheads of the world are popular because we make them popular, we make it okay for Black women to exploit themselves sexually and to be exploited.

But when I saw this video, I realized for the millionth time that it starts in the home. about 45 seconds into this music video for Huey's Pop, Lock and Drop it, you see 8 and 9 year old girls doing exactly that--pop, lock, and dropping it.

I thought I had seen it all. Why is this considered acceptable behavior?

I remember when I had gone shopping about a month ago and I saw a 4 year old girl wiggling her little behind and getting into what the kids call a "3-point stance." Her mother was no where to be found.

Who is teaching our girls that being that sexual at that young of an age is cute? Why are we letting them grow up so fast?

Why do we allow adults to act that way in front of them? Because of course they're learning this at home.

I am a strong believer in girls' advocacy. I think female reproductive health is very important, but what's even more important is stressing maturity--8 years old is just too young for a little girl to be dancing that way. There is nothing cute or charming about a young black girl dancin like she's a stripper and actin like she's doin a tip drill.

A friend of mine suggested that I write a letter to BET. Not that he thought they'd actually pull the video but so that they know that at least one Black woman doesn't tolerate it. But herein lies the dilemma: I know in my mind that this song is degrading to women, with bow wow being heard in the remix tellin a woman to shake her ass and "if you not doin it for me, then do it for these dollahs." I know this song is terrible and that it's just another way that we disrespect each other. I know this, and yet when I was in H2O the other weekend with my girls and a few guys I was the first one cuttin a serious rug when the dj started playing this single. It isn't something I'm proud of, it isn't something I excuse or justify, but I think it's the dilemma that all women face. It is deplorable, and yet we can't get away from that beat.

But I digress. It's time that we stop talking about how f*cked up white kids are and look at our own children and what we're teaching them. We need to stop making videos like this one of our children and passing it off like it's cute.

It's not cute now, nor has it ever been.