Looking For Leroy

Looking For Leroy

Introduction

Issues pertaining to racism and racial stereotypes have always made a popular topic in the contemporary human society. Indeed, it goes without saying that racism is embedded in the United States fabric especially considering its history with slave trade. As much as slave trade may have been abolished more than a hundred years ago, the stereotypes that were created at that time as pertaining to the characteristics, physical attributes and mental aptitudes of individuals on the basis of the color of their skin are yet to be completely eliminated (Tatum 13). Needless to say, individuals of African origin or rather African Americans have been on the receiving end of these stereotypes. There have been misconceptions as to the fact that they have considerably low mental aptitudes and are significantly more emotional than their white counterparts. This, undoubtedly, has had a bearing on the treatment that they receive in the workplaces, their economic situations, earning potential and even the manner in which the criminal justice systems treat them (Tatum 15). Even more demeaning are the stereotypes pertaining to their body structures and what they would mean. Indeed, the society has come up with perceptions as to what a perfect body structure for African Americans entails. In essence, any individual whose body structure does not adhere to these stereotypes would have certain misconceptions formed about him. These misconceptions may revolve around the individual’s sexuality, his nature, temperament, intellectual aptitudes, as well as whether they are criminals or not. This is the topic around which Mark Anthony Neal’s book named “Looking for Leroy: Illegible Black Masculinities” is centered.

This book makes for an engaging, as well as a provocative analysis pertaining to the complicated manner in which black masculinity has persistently been read and misread by the American popular culture in the contemporary human society. Neal underlines the fact or notion that black boys and men are, in a profound way bound by and to their legibility. The term legible, in this case, would be used to underline undesirable bodies or bodies whose structure would trigger a negative image. In this case, “legible” black male bodies would, in many instances, be rendered as criminal, or rather bodies that are in need of containment, as well as constant policing. Neal, in an ironical twist, argues that this type of legibility comes as a desirable relief to the white America as it offers easily identifiable images pertaining to black men in an era that is characterized by shifts in gendered, sexual, as well as racial identities. Indeed, Neal underlines the far-reaching likelihood pertaining to rendering legible black male bodies, or rather bodies that appear too real to the larger majority of the contemporary human society, as illegible, while, at the same time rendering the illegible black male bodies, the type or side of black masculinity that many would find it difficult to believe are real, as legible.

While varied factors may have played a role in the proliferation and the continued existence of these stereotypes, it is evident that the largest part of the blame would go to the media. Indeed, Neal Notes that there exists a troubling connection between the manner in which the media portrays black males and their lowered opportunities in life. There exist distorted or imprecise portrayal patterns, as well as causal links between the manner in which the media portrays black males and the attitude of the public towards them. Indeed, black males are underrepresented in the corporate media, and in instances where they appear, their positive associations are relegated to the periphery while their negative connotations are amplified in a manner that shapes public imaginations that result in increased antagonism towards African American males especially with the belief that they have violent and criminal inclinations.

In the examination of the role of the media in reinforcing disintegrating these stereotypes, Neal undertakes the analysis of the movie “The Wire” and especially the Bell character in the movie as played by Idris Elba. While there exists many movies that depict black men, “The Wire” distinguishes itself in the fact that it explicitly suggests that the dominant social, economic and political constructs that the contemporary human society has held onto are no viable any more (Neal 88). In fact, this may be the reason as to why the movie performed dismally, as the brilliance that Bell (portrayed by Elba) exudes, criminally or otherwise, is rarely related with characters of black origin on cable television or even network. Indeed, the movie drew its biggest fans from individuals that identified with the characters in question, as well as its critics.

One of the characters that challenge the notions that have been created by the mainstream media is Omar. Neal notes that the movie’s production team went against the grain in coming up with a character whose hypermasculinity and homosexuality is firmly established thereby allowing him to emerge as the ground for numerous projections (Neal 93). He is marked as having a queer identity especially considering the connection across the unfixable and unfixing social and political positioning against “heteronormativity”. Neal acknowledges that the character presses the boundaries pertaining to the portrayal of black masculinity on television (Neal 93). His brilliance especially in court is bound to raffle feathers especially with regard to the mental aptitude of black men. Indeed, this may be portrayed by the fact that he offers some help in the waiting room to a white court officer who is trying to fill a crossword puzzle and gives the correct answer to the question on the Greek god of war. This is definitely bound to ruffle feathers as it may be indicative of the fact that black people have equal if not higher intelligence levels or mental aptitudes than their white counterparts (Neal 94).

In addition, the movie’s depiction of Bell is a challenge to the commonly held conventions. As much as Bell is functioning in the drug world under Barksdale, he comes with a corporate demeanor that is yet to be accepted in the minds of a large number of people in the contemporary human society. He is evidently intelligent, skilled and disciplined, something that is far from the conceptions that are held pertaining to black men. Indeed, the fact that he undertook a business course creates the notion that he has a worldview that cannot be contained by the corners controlled by Barksdale’s empire. Of particular note is the manner in which his capabilities are brought out after the incarceration of Barksdale. The manner in which he takes over the drugs trade gives him the capacity to create an aura of independence in his operations, which safeguards the capacity of the business to grow within a short time. In a dispute where he is admonishing employees who do not seem to be concerned about their jobs, Bell exudes confidence as he applies some theories that he was taught in the business school to create an impression as to how their ineptitude would hurt customers and the business at large in the long-term (Tatum 45). This underlines the fact that black people have the capacity to profitably run businesses just as their white counterparts, as well as grasp economic and academic concepts and apply them in their businesses to safeguard their profitability. His flexibility is underlined by the fact that he has different magnitudes of social and cultural capital that allows him to function and transition rather effortlessly in different spaces (Neal 101). These are all things that may not be expected of black people.

In conclusion, racism and stereotypes have been controversial topics. Blacks, unfortunately have been on the receiving end of these stereotypes, thanks to their root in slavery. These stereotypes are used to determine the mental aptitudes of individuals, with Mathew Neal stating that the bodies of black male may be used to characterize them in line with their sexuality, intelligence or even criminal nature. However, the book undertakes an analysis of varied movies that have challenged these stereotypes that are primarily propagated by the media. Of particular note are the characters in the movie “The Wire” whose mental aptitudes seems to challenge that of their white counterparts. Omar assists a white officer in filling a crossword puzzle, thereby challenging stereotypes on their intelligence. In addition, he comes off as brilliant in the manner in which he presents evidence in court. The managerial skills and business acumen of Bell challenges these stereotypes especially considering the profitability he drives in the company.

Works cited

Neal, Mark A. Looking for Leroy: Illegible Black Masculinities. , 2013. Print.

Tatum, Beverly D. “why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”: And Other Conversations About Race. New York: Basic Books, 2003. Print.