Why Issa Rae Needs To Tackle Black Toxic Masculinity On 'Insecure'

Several recent public incidents prove that toxic Black masculinity exists and what better way to address it then through the lens of art.

1. Issa Rae Will Address Toxic Masculinity On ‘Insecure’ & Folks Can’t Handle It

When Rae revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that her creative team was taking on Black toxic masculinity for the upcoming season of Insecure the innanets went shooketh. Rae has a very direct way of handling every subject matter on the show, whether it’s dating, familial relationships, sex or race–“Insecure” profiles the challenges and jubilation of adulthood seamlessly. However, many took to social media to blast Rae for what they say is a propping up of negative stereotypes concerning Black men. But look around us, there are incidents in the headlines that show something is happening in society, and that something needs to be addressed before it can be healed.

2. Scottsdale Killing Spree Suspect

In late May/early June, Dwight Lamont Jones shot and killed six people in relation to divorce proceedings with ex-wife, Connie Jones. Dwight later took his life in a standoff with the police. Though the couple’s divorce was finalized in 2011, the shootings transpired as a result of nine years of suicidal threats, stalking, abuse and violence, Connie said she and her family experienced at the hands of her ex.

3. San Bernardino School Shooting

In April 2017 Cederic Anderson, 53, fatally shot his wife Karen, a special needs teacher, in front of her students at a school in San Bernardino in California. Anderson’s bullets in turn also fatally wounded Jonathan Martinez, an eight-year-old student. In the end he turned the gun on himself. The couple was estranged after their recent marriage two months prior to the shooting. Anderson had a prior history of domestic violence incidents. His wife Karen reported his possessive, stalking behavior to the police and to friends and family, but felt that he posed no real threat, until that fateful day in April.

4. R. Kelly

The “Pied Piper” has again come into play after alleged victims have come forward for over 15 years to accuse the singer of abuse. Numerous publications have dug into Kelly’s past, uncovering dark stories of what Kelly indulges in after he leaves the stage. But recently, his ex-wife Andrea Kelly appeared on TV One’s “Sister Circle” to publicly admit that she suffered abuse during her marriage to the entertainer. As more women come forward to talk about their experiences with Kelly including being held captive, isolated from their loved ones, physical and emotional abuse, it’s time that we unplug from the music.

5. Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby’s recent case where he was found guilty of drugging Andrea Constant shed a light. While conspiracy theories swirled that Cosby was being targeted (it’s still hard to digest for some that America’s favorite dad may have drugged and sexually assaulted women) because of his gender, race and access–those same theorists should divest in asking themselves, “Why is it so hard to believe a woman if she says she was violated?” Cosby himself testified that he did indeed use quaaludes to lure women. If he admitted fault, then why can’t we?

6. Hoteps

While many Hoteps associate with beautiful traditions reared to honor and hone the preservation of the Black family, there are certain harmful archetypes that they promote–denouncing feminism as the breakup of the Black family, aggressive language and ideology towards the the LGBTQ community and their undying love for respectability (aimed mostly at Black women). If you need a visual of what this looks like, Season 2 of “Dear White People” on Netflix devoted a whole episode to the Hotep.