Window Seat – Exploration of the Black female body

After watching ‘Window Seat’ music video which is the first single to be released of the Erykah Badu’s new album ‘New Amerykah: Return of the Ankh’ I thought, what is the point of this? So I watched it again and then again. Is Ms Badu trying to challenge societies views on nudity? Did she want to generate dialogue about the representation of the Black female body? Or simply, did she want us all to see how amazing her body is, after having three children?

Whatever the agenda may have been, Badu has been charged by for disorderly conduct, Sgt. Warren Mitchell: "After much discussion, we feel that these charges best fit her conduct. She disrobed in a public place without regard to individuals and small children who were close by." In an interview with MTV, Badu said of the reaction her video caused: "I expected it to provoke dialogue, and it's an important statement to make. It's about freeing oneself of the layers and layers of things that we have learned as Americans in this country."

CBS reported the act as “strip tease” which I beg to differ, as there was nothing sexual in how Badu was revealing her body. In fact, she provides a refreshing dichotomy in how the black female body is represented in Western Media. The Black female body represents promiscuity, sexual deviance and danger, all enough to distract White men. She shows the Black female body its natural state: free of social constructs. She unveils herself one piece of clothing at a time, freeing herself and her body of restrictions or shackles that is placed upon the Black female body.

Perhaps, if the video was about her impersonating a stripper whilst revealing her body, it would have been controversial yes, but acceptable. Why, because she would be promoting the stereotype Black women are sexually lascivious. It is ironic that the likes of Lady Gaga can flash her crotch on screen and it be considered ‘art;’ but when a Black women gracefully shows the Black female body in its glorious form, she gets blasted.

Sources:
http://www.rttnews.com/Content/EntertainmentNews.aspx?Section=2&Id=1265699&SM=1
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20001724-504083.html