Beatrice Adenodi, author of Mindless Behaviors, gives us her take on The Woman King.
1. Tell us about your take on The Woman King.
The Woman King to me one of the historic slavery movies we see about black. To me, it illustrates the repetitive messaging projected out to the public of blacks in the African diaspora and how we can sell our people out to make money. To go even deeper, it also displays a symbolic and, at times, literal perception of how dark skin black women are perceived in society. The low stance on the economic ladder and the one that would have fought tooth for nail. It also highlights the maltreatment of black women and their struggles throughout life. On a conscious level, people may think this is an “empowering” movie progressing blacks in the African Diaspora forward. On the unconscious level, it replays the same violence, injustice, insecurities, habitual behaviors, and perceptions that we are trying to break within the societies that we live within. I think that this is not only a racist movie, but it also showcases the evil doing of colorism that is seldom spoken about within many nations.
Furthermore, it also symbolizes that men need to be protected. The different untapped challenges that are going on within society just further the agenda of psychologically training a man to be a woman. It’s just not a good message all around. There are two layers to our mental health; the seen and unseen. This is a perfect example of the unconscious getting the best of us. And, when we perform some of the behaviors illustrated in the movie, we need clarification about where we get the behaviors from.
2. In your blog, you say that “The Woman King and Black Panther 1 &2 triggered many of the challenges I try to overcome in society today,” can you describe those challenges?
The challenge I see there is the colorism piece of a dark skin black woman protecting the nation, and the men are put to the side. It illustrates the same struggles that I talk about in Woman King. The only thing is that it is just violent in a different way. I think this movie, on a conscious level, provides more of a powerful icon for black kids to see themselves on the big screen. But it still has the same challenges on the subconscious level that we are trying to overcome.
3. What message do you have for your dark-skinned sisters who, as you say in your blog, “have to endure the challenges symbolic in that movie.”
Dont give up. If you have a dream that you want to accomplish, go after it. Know that you are loved, valued and seen. Also, to go beyond what the messages unconsciously tell you and dont settle for less than what you deserve.
4. You equate mental health issues to this — can you describe or give your take on what that means/feels like?
Yes, this is a pure example of mindless behavior. If you replay the same trauma over and over on the big screen and mask it as empowerment, you are raising the gaslighting and deepening the mental health challenges one faces. This type of programming is very subtle and has been like this for years. It’s a way of putting people in these places and not seeing the depts that one can go to make a group of people powerless. These movies and many others are examples of forms of gaslighting. This can deepen a person’s economic poverty and make them think that the only way out of trauma is violence and revenge on top of colorism, which is an apparent problem in many societies in the world.
5. Your message is powerful. Anything you would like to add: STOP DEFACING THE DARK-SKIN BLACK WOMAN. She has a place in society, and she matters. POINT BLANK, PERIOD!
No not really. That is all.
More about Beatrice Adenodi
Beatrice Adenodi is a storyteller, a sought-after a business leadership consultant and speaker, and a first generation Nigerian American. Adenodi’s unique experiential marketing perspective gives her the ability to recognize the mindless behaviors that prevent people from reaching their untapped, limitless potential.
Through her unique perspective, Adenodi helps professionals, business owners, and anyone ready to confront their own mindless behaviors by acting as an interpreter of the unseen – guiding them from being reactive to reflective in their setting. Beatrice Adenodi reveals – in a direct, no-nonsense approach – the reality of what’s holding people back and blocking them in their professional and personal lives. She is the founder of Mirror Inc. as well as the author of Mindless Behaviors: Breaking through Unseen Barriers. Visit Mindless Behaviors’ website to discover more.
