It’s about to get complex. Racially and gender wise. Last week one of my favorite TV shows did something I had never seen before.
On Thursday night's episode of How to Get Away with Murder, Annalise Keating AKA Viola Davis portrayed as a strong black woman who doesn’t back down from anything (when I say anything, I mean anything) gets a weave—in front of all America and all the foreigners who watch the show. This strong, black lawyer sitting in a typical African American salon where Mary J Blige, singer guest star, weaves Annalise Keating’s hair. I mean really weave, like she sets a track and everything.
The problem isn’t even the fact that there is a salon scene, because many movies or shows have salon scenes but they are just not relatable. Yet here the mood is set. There were more colors that depicted the life of an African American woman who went to salons and those that worked there. Right behind Mary J Blige, you could actually see a bulletin board covered in African fabric. As Annalise sat zoning out the other clients, but still kind of involved in the conversation, all the hairdressers asked about her ex—Nate. Before you knew it, everyone had joined in-- gossiping.
This is not the first time Viola Davis’ character changes this taboo of weaves and wigs. In fact, in the previous seasons, she takes off her weave completely. I love her ability to love herself with or without the wig or the weave. This act of removing her wig is almost like a burden of humiliation that has been taken off black women’s shoulders because black women are often looked down on the importance they give to Brazilian or Indian hair as weaves. Is that a Remy or a Brazilian? It is seen as something one should hide and almost be ashamed of. Yet so many women wear weaves and wigs of different colors and qualities across the globe. It is such a prosperous business.
Shonda Rhimes, the writer of the show, re-appropriates the story of a black woman and gives it several dimensions through this show. She makes it available to the public for the eyes of everyone. I could focus on so much more in this show that is just as relevant as when you look beyond the main plot of a lawyer involved in a bunch of murder cases. Annalise’s head to head with the new president of the University, Annalise’s mother son relationship with the five young adults and most importantly Wes, and her and Bonnie’s sexually abused pasts. Again and again, Rhimes shows us the importance of addressing these social constructs in an appropriate manner.
