Tyler Perry’s Gender Problem?
ALTHOUGH SUCCESSFUL, PERRY’S FILMS SPEW NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES by Courtney Young
ATLANTA, GA – Tyler Perry has rapidly become the most bankable African-American moviemaking brand in Hollywood and an entrepreneurial heavyweight. The seven feature films he has conceived and produced have earned more than $300 million at the box office, with an average opening-weekend gross of $25 million–no small feat for films with predominately black casts. He credits his creative inspiration for these films, in part, to African-American women.
So far, so good–that is, until you see the films. Perry’s films typically follow the same timeworn narrative: a woman experiences abandonment and/or abuse at the hands of a “bad” man; she takes umbrage, lashing out at those closest to her, most notably a “good” man in her life; she experiences a revelatory moment of change; and she ends the film settled down with the good man who promises her a better life.
Though Perry repeatedly references his admiration for and allegiance to African-American women as a foundation of his work, his portrayal of women of color undermines the complexity of their experience through his reductionist approach to his characters and his dependence on disquieting gender politics. Perry may see himself as creating modern-day fairy tales for black women, but what he may not realize is that fairy tales, in general, have never been kind to women.
Tyler Perry has drawn a lot of criticism
The crux of Perry’s gender problem lies in his reliance on conservative gender politics that eschew a more progressive, inclusive agenda. Each of his films advances nearly the same message to his audience (which is overwhelmingly African-American, female, devoutly Christian and over 30). Be demure. Be strong but not too strong. Too much ambition is a detriment to your ability to find a partner and spiritual health. Female beauty can be dangerous. Let a man be a “man.” True female fulfillment is found in the role of wife and/or mother.
To this effect, the black church plays a central role in Perry’s vision. While the church championed equality during the civil rights movement and was instrumental in fighting for the advancement of African-Americans along the lines of race, it has routinely adopted a more conservative agenda along the lines of gender. In using a traditional religious paradigm as the linchpin for his work and by investing in prevailing gender politics, Perry is proposing an agenda that reinforces rather than revolutionizes the marginalized way that black womanhood has been portrayed in popular culture.
Most of Perry’s films are based on plays that he wrote, produced, directed and starred in early in his career. More or less morality tales, these plays introduced strong female protagonists and a fervent religious message, and oftentimes featured the gun-toting, sassy, buxom mother figure, called Madea, a character played by Perry himself in drag. Perry has joined the growing cohort of contemporary black male comedians who have played big, sassy black women who dole out sage advice–with an undercurrent of violence–at the flip of a coin.
Is Tyler Perry’s Madea character completely out of control?
And while Madea is arguably Perry’s most popular creation, she too has her critics. “Tyler keeps saying that Madea is based on black women he’s known, and maybe so…. But Madea does have connections to the old mammy type. She’s mammy-like. If a white director put out this product, the black audience would be appalled,” says pre-eminent film scholar Donald Bogle. Black female relationships within Perry’s films are often interrupted by the Madea character, who shows up in order to “teach” these women the proper way to femininity that will ultimately lead to Prince Charming and a happy ending.
To be sure, Perry’s rise is impressive. He rose from homelessness to owning his own studio on the former headquarters of Delta Air Lines. His House of Payne and Meet the Browns enjoy regular programming on TBS. His book Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings sold 400,000 copies in its first year of release. His DVDs have sold over 25 million copies. And he does cast a host of black actresses in leading roles, such as Lynn Whitfield, Cicely Tyson, Angela Bassett, Sanaa Lathan, Gabrielle Union, Taraji P. Henson and Alfre Woodard–women who have been largely overlooked by Hollywood.
Yet the roles he provides these celebrated actresses with are hardly ideal. Perry has been incredibly prolific, producing films at an average of two per year. His next film, I Can Do Bad All By Myself, will be released in early September. As in many of his previous films, women will deal with abuse, abandonment and collapsing family structures, in addition to both physical and sexual violence. But the process by which these women move from tragedy into hope is problematic.
Perry is uniquely poised to become the second most influential African-American in media (following Oprah Winfrey, of course) and is quickly on his way to reaching the exclusive billionaires’ club. But shouldn’t he consider creating characters that speak to complexity and not caricature? How can black women achieve equity in media ownership, images and leadership if they’re always portrayed as stereotypes? Mr. Perry, you owe your audience something better.
Courtney Young is a graduate of Spelman College and New York University. Her upcoming book by the Feminist Press is a critique of images of Black women in popular culture. Her articles can be viewed at TheNation.com
For a preview of Perry’s “I can do bad by myself,” click the arrow.
January 26th, 2010 at 8:55 am
Why as black people do we continue to over-scrutinize each other?? Tyler owns his company and hires African-Americans. He gives to the community and his shows appeal to a variety of audiences. Ms. Young why do you put him down? Instead of criticizing each other we need to start encouraging each other to do wonderful things.
January 26th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
I really don’t have to watch any of Tyler Perry’s films.
Unfortunately, I grew up watching the originals.
Amos and Andy!
January 26th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Tyler Perry has alot of haters but Ms. Young is the worst of the bunch. I do not have a problem with him dressing in drag as Madea because it is just comedy. some of us have a Madea in our family we can relate to. He is not trying to offend anybody. Madea is just for laughs. Some people need to loosen up and get a sense of humor.
January 26th, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Celeste, I dont agree. A man dressed like a fat old lady is not my idea of comedy. but i gotta give the dude props for trickin everybody to watch his corny movies. $300 million to dress in drag is worth the embarassment. i would do it, then laugh all the way to the bank. Perry is a genius. You guys are the suckers for watchin his movies.
January 27th, 2010 at 12:00 am
i like Madea…why all the tension? she’s only a character?
January 29th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Courtney, Tyler’s “audience” is accepting what they get from him and appreciating it. Why, because it’s his audience. He doesn’t owe us anymore than what he has given us. We have a choice; to watch or not to watch. The character, “Madea”, a great big 6′5″, crazy woman may be a little disturbing for you, but for the most part, his films are entertainment. Some are better than others, but I know when I sit down to watch one of Tyler’s movies pretty much what I’m going to get, entertainment that takes me away from the pressures of the day, and I can watch them over and over. Him dressing up like a woman and spewing practical wisdom at us, well that’s what he does. I wonder if women would be more offended if he took to the screen or stage in regular men’s clothing and spewed wisdom to the ladies. I’m not sure, but I think that would be a little disconcerting too. All I can say is that his comedy has taken the edge off many an evening after sitting down and watching the news and events happening around the world. Oh well, love or hate what he does; it is what it is.
January 29th, 2010 at 12:41 pm
ms. young i got two words for you: STOP HATIN
May 16th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
In the days of slavery, the house nigger always spoke down on the field nigger to the master. This made the master very proud of having the house nigger around and as a result he tossed the house nigger the scraps from his table. This inspired the house nigger to continue downplaying any and everything a field nigger did It didnt matter what good deeds the field nigger was doing for his/her people, the house nigger always publicly spoke out so that the master could see just how good of a house nigger he/she was. Until African Americans break this mental bondage they will always be in slavery, not by the racist of America but by their own people. There’s a saying…..if you don’t have anything nice to say about a person, then don’t say anything at all. It’s interesting how you attack Tyler Perry yet you speak nothing of the degrading acts black women are forced to portray in hollywood or risk not working at all. Why arent you attacking the industry that had Holly Berry get tossed all around a room butt naked having sex with a red neck?? Then to make it a incentive for other younger black females to follow in those foot steps they gave her a grammy. Angela Basset was supposed to play that role and turned it down. You see the message that was sent to Angela Basset?? To the younger actors??? Yet all you can do is spit negativity on Tyler Perry.
In closing let me say this……….You can only be great at writing something when you actually have experienced what it is your writing about. You being a writer should know this, that is why your writing about feminist America. So what is wrong with him writing about the things he grew up with. It is the reason why he is great at what he does….would you prefer he make movies about being rich and living in the suburbs??? Who would go see that?? People would know its not the truth. It would be like you writing a book on “How to be a man in America.” No man would relate to your book because they know your not a man and didnt live what you wrote. So worry about what you need to do to succeed in life without having to downplay a African American man or woman in the process…..Can we do that?? Can we? Or do you have a secret agenda….could be…you singled out just one man and one man only.
August 20th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
[...] Courtney Young “Perry’s films typically follow the same timeworn narrative: a woman experiences abandonment and/or abuse at the hands of a “bad” man; she takes umbrage, lashing out at those closest to her, most notably a “good” man in her life; she experiences a revelatory moment of change; and she ends the film settled down with the good man who promises her a better life.” [...]
September 3rd, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Y’all are some sad negroes, f’real.
Silly me to to think I’d read some enlightened acknowledgments — hell, even some intelligent, educated arguments — regarding these depictions. This is by far the most well-thought-out piece I’ve read on Perry and his “films”‘ retreading of his damsel-in-distress, oh-Lawd-all-I-needs-is-a-good-man motif and I applaud Young for articulating in great detaiil the consequence of these negative stereotypes. What a shame to have to read the same ol’ hater accusations, you-mad-doggy quips, why-you-tryna-tear-down-a-black-man-doing-his-thang comments amd utter ignorant dismissal of these valid points. There is no disputing that Perry makes good on giving back to the community, but at what cost?
Carry on, negroes.