Reality television celebrates the Angry Black Woman.
'Love and Hip Hop,' 'Basketball Wives' and 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta' all feature well-heeled African-American women. They yell. They throw drinks at each other. They punch each other in the face.
Bad behavior.
While their drama is compelling, it is only a facade. The programs' producers create the backbiting gossip that leads to conflict and subsequent fisticuffs. It often is revealed that the gorgeous clothes and jewels are rented. They parade around in homes and cars they can't afford.
The women on these shows are paid to play their parts. They have exchanged their authentic selves for a chance at stardom and audiences seem more than willing to help them make that trade. For me, the un-realness has become tedious and undesirable. I instead turn to my beauty salon for a picture of real life for the women in my community.
Entrepreneurs frequently own these salons. They are African-American women who trained for a year in the chemistry, biology and aesthetics of hair to build a career making other women feel beautiful. They stand on their feet all day, using their nimble fingers to support their families. They open salons in strip malls, converted garages or booths in a shop owned by another woman.
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