Dear VH1: Why Do You Hate Women?

Posted by hannahhasan on June 19, 2012

Dear VH1,

Why do you hate women? Why do you despise us so much that you would do this to us? Not only do we have to deal with politician’s dirty tricks and attempts to make us second-class citizens, but now you? I long for the days of old when VH1 used to be the station that I turned to for my Saturday morning videos and old school R&B. I miss those days. However, now we’re in a new place. We’re in a sick, sad, place; and I can’t take it anymore.

Last night, was my boiling point. I’m actually embarrassed that it took this over-the-top, disgusting portrayal of misogyny to get me here. This came in the form of Love and Hip Hop Atlanta. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I think of everything a woman shouldn’t stand for, everything she should be deplored by, and then I realize it’s in this show. Seriously, it’s in this show. There is a man who is juggling two women. One is his long time girlfriend and the mother of his daughter. How ironic is it that he has a daughter, but no regard for how to treat women? The other is a former stripper, now rapper, who is perfectly aware and ok with the fact that she is the “other woman.” This show and many other shows on VH1 are inundated with cheating and infidelity. However, the women stick around. After all, we’re just caricatures who will take whatever is thrown at us if the man is a celebrity or the price is high enough, right VH1?

Love & Hip Hop Atlanta- VH1 Supertrailer

Women are dynamic beings with amazing bodies and beautiful physical features. We’re also intelligent, brave, witty, charismatic, and so much more. We’ve been trying to teach our daughters for decades that we are more than our bodies. We shouldn’t be judged for our physical characteristics, but we should get what we want out of life based on what’s on the inside. With this in mind, I was puzzled last night when I saw the countless booty shots of the show’s characters. Many of the women were first introduced on camera with a close up shot of their legs, buts, and the rest of their body. There were also instances when they stood up to compare bodies with each other and show off their best assets. As if this didn’t do enough to set women back, VH1 hit us with the ultimate punch to the gut. A pimp. Yes, you’ve read right, a former female pimp. Not only was she vocal about her former ways as a pimp and drug dealer, she seemed quite proud of herself. She spoke about her desire to come out of retirement and put another woman back on the strip. If this show makes it, I’m sure she’ll be one of the breakout stars. These are only a few of the issues with this show. I can’t begin to touch on the countless times that the women referred to each other as bitches and hoes, and the lack of self-respect that was displayed. This hurt me in ways that I can’t describe. This hurt us in ways that I can’t express.

Thank you VH1 for all that you’ve done for women. Thanks for all of the love shows that have women fighting each other in the quest to gain a relationship with some C-List celebrity that never works out.

Thanks for your “wives,” and now “exes” shows that ensure that women will only ever be relevant because of the men that they have chosen to have relationships or relations with.

Thank you for the constant fights, the drinks in the face, the consistent use of the words bitch and hoe, the broken relationships, and broken women. Thank you for doing your part in dividing, humiliating, and exploiting women. Thanks, but no thanks.

When I say I’m finished, I mean it. I love reality TV as much as the next girl. However, where do we stop? At what point will enough be enough? I can’t honestly look at my nieces and encourage them to be strong, intelligent women who are not valued by their bodies or some connection to a man, and turn around and support these shows. Many people will say, “just don’t watch it, you don’t have to wage an all out war against a network.” I say, “wrong.” Enough is enough. This should not be on TV. At some point, we must stand up for ourselves and demand that this ends. I’m standing up today, and I hope other men and women will do the same thing. I hope we can all send a message to VH1 that we won’t take it anymore. Change your programming or loose your viewers. Take this step and show us that you are more than what you’re putting out there, that you don’t really hate women.

Meyru Yahya:

June 19th, 2012 at 6:14 pm

that is why I don't have cable there is nothing of value on tv anymore.

Jamaal Abdul-Awwal:

June 19th, 2012 at 6:40 pm

These women do this to themselves, they all want to be famous or give their so called careers a boost. If ya'll women would stop objectifying yourselves and support each other, these show wouldn't exist. There are no husbands shows cuz men don't support that stuff. the closest you will get to that is wrestling, but we know its fake at the end of the show. This should have been an open letter to women and not VH1. Pop up video!

Gayle Marie Jones:

June 20th, 2012 at 1:46 am

Ditto. When the choice was subscribe to cable (and accept VH1/MTV/BET's Programming) or have no reception, I have to choose the latter. Praying that enough people do likewise. If their bottom line is affected, those in power will start paying attention. Today, however, my concern is for these teens and tweens who DON'T know better than to believe that women are supposed to expect and accept this type behavior.

Hannah Abdul-Awwal:

June 20th, 2012 at 4:50 pm

Gayle, I have the same concern for these teens and tweens. These types of shows weren't around when I was growing up, but I'm afraid for my nieces and all of the girls of the world. I know that their true learning starts at home, but if all of the media that they are exposed to teaches them that they aren't better than butts, breasts, and boyfriends; how can we counteract that message?

Posted under television,Uncategorized,women and tagged with black women, feminism, industry, love and hip hop atlanta, misogyny, reality tv, vh1, women, womens empowerment

Dear VH1: Why Do You Hate Women?

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