In a day and time when the faces of black women are popping up on television everywhere, we should
be feeling excited about more minority representation, right? Unfortunately, many of these “roles”
for African American ladies are created through drama-filled reality TV shows. And instead of seeing
positive black female role models cast on screen, many of us sit at home cringing over the fighting,
cussing, ignorant portrayals of leading ladies of color who clearly have potential to be and do much
more.
Black housewives, basketball wives (or wannabe wives) and siblings are getting the green light for
reality TV shows left and right. But more often than not, negative stereotypical images of black
women and embarrassing patterns of behavior play out in millions of homes across America.
So now that gospel duo Mary Mary is gearing up for the debut of their own reality show on WE tv on
Thursday, March 29, there’s a lot riding on how they are portrayed. Black women everywhere are
crying out, “Please, Mary Mary, give us more and better than what we’ve been seeing.”
Like the lovely Christian sisters, Tia and Tamera have managed to do on their reality show, EEW
Magazine readers and many others are hoping that Mary Mary will rise above the foolishness and
give us something we can be proud to watch.
Although it would not be fair to rest the “redemption of the image of an entire culture of black
women” on the shoulders of these two popular gospel singers, they do certainly have big shoes to fill.
Not only do black women want and expect positivity out of the Mary Mary camp, but Christian
women of color also believe the two should be held to a higher standard because of the one they
represent—Jesus Christ.
Does that mean we expect them to be perfect and never make any mistakes? Absolutely not! That
wouldn’t be realistic.
But we are hoping that Mary Mary’s life will scream Jesus out loud.
Will you be watching Mary Mary’s new reality show in March? What are your thoughts? Share them
at feedback@eewmagazine.com.
