#Wayan family

[xtrablak674]

I am soooooooooooo tickled by this because Mr. Wayans was VERY homo-antagonistic towards me in high school. I love this and the fact that all my former siblings have queer kids. #RevengeBestServedCold

It just feels like just desserts, not that it's a punishment having a queer child. But when you are the perpetrator of violence or animosity towards queer folks the best way to open your eyes is having a queer child, in my opinion. Now, this isn't saying that this will change someone's xenophobia but if they truly love their child it may be a proverbial push towards reevaluating their beliefs in relation to their child and possibly the world at large.

I am NOT clapping for him, you're correct he's no Dwayne Wade. I would love to see him reconcile his and his families past treatment towards queer folks, and where they are now, I think that is the kind of thing the wider public can learn from.

I speak of Mr. Wayans family because even in high school he was working on In Living Color, and the 'family' clearly had a stance on the LGBT community and we would be fooling ourselves if this was unbridled acceptance like the Wade family.

As someone who has faced xenophobic responses to who I am and the intersectionality of my identities I give a side-eye to these kind of stories, because no one should be clapping for Marlon Wayans.

I am going to be gracious and comment albeit I don't know him personally, I only attended high school with him decades ago, but from what I have observed of current interviews and appearances he has seemed to grown from the person he was in high school. This is something I would hope for everyone, but I can't just give you a free-pass for your behavior with out some culpability on your part, that you have intentionally or unintentionally harmed people who are just like your child.

[Photo by Brown Estate]

[mrsoulstice]

Keenan Wayans 61yrs - ($65million worth)

Damon Wayans 58yrs - ($35million worth)

Marlon Wayans 47yrs - ($40million worth)

Shawn Wayans 48yrs - ($30million worth)

[classycookiexo]

For me personally it’s between Marlon and Damon

[luvmesumus]

[emeto-film-critic]

The Curse Of Bridge Hallow - 2022

SAFE/Caution - A,V•

Approx. 15:50 •V• Dad is sitting at the counter trying a baked good and spits it out into a napkin.

Approx. 38:00 - 38:20 •A,V• Tammy tries a beetroot cupcake and you can see she is having a hard time swallowing. She g* briefly and then tries to talk more but then spits out a bit.

[ruleof3bobby]

PARIAH (2011) Grade: B-

Fantastic coming of age with a tight script that doesn't waste a second. Also, the budget looked bigger than it was probably. Lighting was good. Loved the ending.

[anoonzee]

Forget the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Get me the Wayans Family Cinematic Universe.

Like the cops from White Chicks look for Major Payne to help solve crimes.

[getmybuzzup]

Tommy Davidson on Will Smith Fight, Jamie Foxx Fallout, Jennifer Lopez Shade & Wayans Family - Legendary Emmy Award-winning comedian and actor Tommy Davidson joins Shannon Sharpe, bringing nearly four decades of entertainment industry experience to Club Shay Shay. Davidson shares candid stories about the profound impact of the Wayans family on his career, offering a glimpse into the roots of his success. He opens up about a shady move by Jennifer Lopez after their time on In Living Color, shedding light on the real side of the entertainment industry. The discussion delves into the rise of Jim Carrey, offering a peek behind the curtain into the world of comedy. Davidson also speaks on his fallout with Jamie Foxx, expressing genuine well-wishes for Foxx's health, showcasing both the camaraderie and challenges within the entertainment world. This episode provides a rare and honest look into the journey of a seasoned entertainer, making it a must-listen for comedy enthusiasts and fans of the entertainment industry alike. https://wp.me/p1PuJR-5El9 Please Reblog!

[hiphopraisedmetheblog]

HOWELL WAYANSWayans Family Patriarch... DEAD AT 86

The Wayans family patriarch, Howell Wayans, has died … and his children are paying tribute.Marlon Wayans confirmed the sad news Saturday with a touching post. He threw up a pic of him and Howell together, with the latter kissing his son on the head. MW writes, “Legend. When i was a child I asked my Dad what did you want to be when grew up? He simply said ‘I wanted to be a man’ I said ‘not a…

[viralnews-1]

Marlon Wayans Can’t Save Family Comedy

Marlon Wayans Can’t Save Family Comedy

A film that provides some light horror comedy fun though is cursed by its own conventions, The Curse of Bridge Hollow gets far too lost in meandering narrative mechanics and never takes flight. The Curse of Bridge Hollow approaches being an outright parody at moments, calling out many of the tropes of the horror genre, only to then replicate each of them under the guise of poking fun. Despite its…

[amaramizuki666]

Dp x DC crossover

so you know the danny is a son of one of the batfam au will how about one of the batfam being a kid of danny's. my personal fav for this au is jason because of the whole ‘welp my kid died too, mabey that says something about me’. but imagine the kid is damian. just danny goes to wayne manner going ‘congrats your not the father’ to bruce.

ok so turns out bruce was infertile witch kinda fucked talia over. so she went to a bar one night and met this guy who looked like bruce wayne almost to a te he just hat s slimer build. so she had a one night stand with the man, got pregnant and lied to ra and everyone saying daimean was bruce’s.

-------------------------------------------------------

danny only finds out he has a kid when he sees an interview of the wayne kids and sees damian and just has his ghost sinces going off going ‘BABY MINE, MY BABY, MUST PROTECT MY BABY’ because ghosts are very protective of their children. 

so danny goes to gotham immediately and is practically storming wayne manner. *aggressive knocking* alfred opens the door “can i help you sir?” “i want my child” danny says his eyes flaring green. “sir i assure you we don't have your child-” -”alfred whos at the door?” bruce asked. danny glared at the slightly shorter man “you have my son”. “look sir we don't know what your talking about, if your sone wandered onto the property we can help find him-” -”damian” danny interrupted bruce. both the butler and wayans gaze hardened as they looked at danny. “i’m sorry to inform you but damian is my masters blood son” alfred said “as alfred said, damian is my child” bruce added. 

“then lets do a paternity test” danny says glaring at the two, how dare they try to get in between him and his child. “if that will appease you, we have a machine inside for just that, please come in” bruce offered and danny stepped in. needless to say the test came back in danny's favor. bruce looked at the results over multiple times before going to hand it to danny “i already know, congrats your not the father” and with that a family meeting was called all bruce's children, minus jason hes legally dead where called home.

--------------------------------------------------

the wayne family where all sat in a meeting room. they all had their eyes on the mysterious man who held himself with an air of pride. “whats this about b?” tim asked looking at his father figure. “well it has come to light that daiman is not my son” bruce says thirdly. the wayne children all went quiet “what the hell, you could have broke the news more gently” the man snapped and hit bruce upside the head.

“father what are you talking about?” damian asked quietly, he feels like ground is about to eat him whole, what is happening? “im sorry damian you had to find out like that. im danny nightingale, im your father” danny says walking over to damians side. “but i was told im the son of bruce wayne, i was raised to be the son of bruce wayne, your lying!” daiman snapped at danny. “i understand this is a lot to process, but i want you to know i want to get to know you, i want to be your father” danny says gently. “if your my father then where have you been, why weren't you with me!?” damian growls his eyes flashing green “i didn't about you, but once i did i came straight here, if i new about you before you would have been with me” danny's eyes mirrored damian’s but glowing far brighter.

 “for now ill leave you to talk to your family and give you time to think. i gave bruce my number so call if you want to talk to me sooner, ill be back next week on friday” danny said and just like that he vanished, starling everyone. damian was just sitting there unresponsive for the rest of the night.

[dairy-farmer]

Gen or Batfam/Tim.

Tim had been suicidal for as long as he can remember: the aggressive neglect from his parents -and probable emotional abuse- made him feel unlovable and unwanted. The only reason he kept putting it off was going out to take pictures of Batman and Robin.

Maybe he would have done something after Jason died, but Gotham needed Batman so Tim took up the job. He started making plans again after Jason showed back up, but Jason's relationship with the rest of the family was strained, so Tim stuck around to try and fix it. Then Damian showed up and Bruce disappeared, so Tim had to go and rescue Bruce.

Finally, finally, the Wayans are back together: Bruce is home and healed up, Jason has reconnected with the family and come to an understanding with Bruce, and Damian is starting to become a real boy recover from his League related trauma and start to feel secure in his position in the family. So Tim decides it's time and he can extract himself from the Bats - preferably in a way that won't be too harmful or traumatic- and finally get the peace he's always wanted.

It's important to note that Tim doesn't feel like he has to/ should die because he's no longer useful or anything like that. Tim is completely aware that he is incredibly intelligent and skilled, and that he is an excellent vigilante and CEO. But he doesn't feel loved or wanted, and he's just so tired of that, so he's decided that he wants to die.

So Tim goes about getting his affairs in order: updating his will, selling off any properties and such his parents had left him when they died, updating or closing cases and passing on patrol routes, ect. Since Kon and Bart are still dead, and Red Robin isn't well known outside of Gotham, Tim doesn't have to worry about other vigilante groups.

Tim had rather expected that none of his family the Wayans would notice or care what he was doing. He was wrong. They all love and care about Tim, even if they're not always the best at showing it, so of course they notice when his behavior changes. They don't put everything together at first, but after a few weeks and discussing with each other (and possibly spying on Tim and/or going through his files) they finally figure out that Tim is planning to 'leave Gotham, find himself y'know? So don't worry if you don't hear from me for a while' ... So they start planning too.

Finally the day comes where Tim plans to nonchalantly leave, with excuses that hopefully will put off suspicion until they all forget he even existed. He sits down for a last meal with the whole family, and is so focused on enjoying this last night with his family that he doesn't notice the covert looks the Wayne men are all giving each other. He doesn't really notice anything is off until the meal is over and he goes to stand up and finds that he's so so dizzy and tired. He quickly slips into unconsciousness.

Tim wakes up in a room he's never seen before, with his family the Waynes gathered around him. They explain that Tim is part of the family, that they all love him, that they found out about his play on and refuse to let Tim go through with it. The room is completely suicide proof, with dozens upon dozens of cameras with at least one bat watching to make sure he's safe. Tim is not allowed to hurt himself, leave them, or die. They won't let him.

I haven't decided either way whether or not the bat boys already had sexual feelings for Tim they were hiding, don't have any sexual feelings for him, or start to develop them after locking him up for his own good. But I like the idea that along the way of trying to convince Tim that he is loved and wanted, and keeping him safe, one or two or all of them may decide to use physical love to try and convince him (or maybe they hope that a child might force Tim to stay alive...)

👀👀👀👀 there's just something so dark about tim wanting to kill himself and waiting until he can only to be essentially be held prisoner by all of the bats who realized what he was planning. they're putting him under constant surveillance and keeping him chained up at the slightest indication of behavior that might be deemed 'self harmful' as if that's supposed to somehow make him NOT want to follow through with his plans even more. because originally tim was just tired. every small thing felt like having to climb a mountain, he was tired, he wanted to sleep, wanted to just lie in bed like he was a piece of furniture. tim wanted to die because he was tired and didn't see life ever becoming something he would be excited for or looking forward to but now he's a prisoner, not allowed to do anything, and forced to perform menial tasks to prove to them that he's getting 'better'.

and the bats, i can fully see them convincing tim that they love him romantically as a way to keep him alive even if its not true. one of them deciding they will make the 'sacrifice' of fucking tim and hopefully knocking him up so that tim will stay alive at least a few more months for the sake of the 'baby' because tim always has yielded to their wants. just the deep lying sinister undertones of it all no matter how they all try to frame it is so good!!!

[zillasvilla]

Mayhem.Preview

Summary: A planned feud goes a bit too far when two sister pitch a story line that shifts the trajectory of the women’s division. Co-written with: @keyaho

The sun was starting to set as Schoolin’ Life blasted through the speakers. The party was in full affect. A couple of friends and some family was all she needed to have a good time. She stood in front of the window in the master suite, watching her friends dance and joke around with each other. It was going to be a long night.

Nareya finds herself on the floor, looking under her side of the bed for her stash. She fumbles around. Unbeknownst to her, Joseph was walking into their room and around the bed with a brow arched up as he looked at his fiancé.

“What are you looking for?” 

Her head hits the bed with a groan. “Joseph.” She curses, rubbing her head while standing up.

“My bad princess.” He kisses where she hit her head. “You disappeared on us. Had to see if you were good?” 

“I’m fine.” She walks around him, rummaging through her dresser. He follows closely behind her.

“What are you looking for. Maybe I can help.” He tells her. She ignores him, but then turns to look at him while squinting her eyes. The realization kicked in on his face as he walked over to his nightstand, pulling out the red and white container.

“Joseph!” She rushes to him to grab it; he raises it out of her reach, using the fact that he towers over her to his advantage.

“I hid them for a reason Nareya.” He looks down at her, bottom lip poked out at him. “But you’ve been a good girl, so just one.” He takes the sour gummy out of the container and put the rest back in his pocket. 

His family was known for partying well into the night, and if she was going to last, she needed a little boost. 

“Take it and go.” 

She should’ve known he was going to do that; he was going to hide them somewhere else. 

She soon rejoins the party and finds herself in the middle of a heated debate between Jimmy and Jey.

“Nah uce. The Wayan’s brothers is better than Martin.” Jey argues.

Aggressively shaking his head, Jimmy turns to her. “Sis, tell this fool, that Martin is better.”

The twins look at her expectedly, waiting for an answer. she looks between them and their surrounding, hoping someone would save her.

“Uhhm” She starts. “I mean—.” 

A familiar face joins the conversation, cutting her off. “The Wayans Brothers is better.”

[sebastianstansqueen]

Lost In The Shadows: Part Eleven

A/N: I’m gonna try and be more frequent, start giving me Ideas for what type of series you want to see next, i’m curious and finished writing this one so lets see if I can start getting parts out more frequently, If you want to be Tagged, either send an ask or comment on this or click on Taglist open.

Wordcount: 1,749

Warnings: angst, and hospital stuff, some sadness i guess, I don't want to spoil unless yall figured it out, if I forgot anything let me know please!

Masterlist // Series Masterlist // Taglist open// 

Tags: @cherryblossomsky- - @babylooneytoonz - @wonderlandfandomkingdom - @miraclesoflove - @amelia-song-pond-pond - @leyannrae- @avengerlex - @pineprincess - @nik2write - @dorothea-hwldr - @rosie-posie08 - @scxrletrecsmarvel - @sebsgirl71479- @missvelvetsstuff - @hadesownhell - @casa-boiardi- @winterslove1917- @hallecarey1 - @ash-craze - @barnesxstan - @unaxv - @bethexo07 - @itsmytimetoodream - @sebastians-love - @stoneyggirl2  - @ordelixx - @arunabrak

As Bucky’s eyes began to open he realized that there were too many bright lights that made it so he didn’t want to open them, he heard a woman and a man talking seriously. Slowly he began squinting them open. He looked at both people, one sounded like Y/n, and the other was someone he didn’t know, his brows pinch together and as he takes in the room he slowly realizes that it was the bedroom, this is when his eyes fully open he realized that this was a hospital room. “We’ll talk more about this another time.” Y/n’s voice sounded irritated as she told the man that, before he left. When she turned around her eyes widened, at seeing Bucky awake. 

“Bucky, are you okay?” She rushed up to him, worrying, filling her eyes as she looked at him. 

He nodded. “I’m fine, I think, who was that guy?” His head tilts as he looks at Y/n with confusion.

Y/n’s brows furrow. “Andy, you know Andy, remember he brought me home when I got really drunk and then we had to kick Wayane out.” She remembered, but Bucky was pulling a blank still so he shook his head. “He was literally at our wedding.” Y/n’s brows furrowed. “Okay, I’m going to grab a doctor to make sure you're alright.” Y/n was confused, Bucky knew Andy so why didn’t he remember him? Her brows were furrowed until she got back to the room. The doctor did a physical, explaining to Bucky what had happened to his left arm. “You seem fine, but if something odd does come up one of you let me know.” Y/n didn’t want to say anything about the Andy thing, yes it was odd but nothing she thought needed immense worry. 

When the doctor left Y/n turned to Bucky, she could see the shock written on his face when the doctor showed him his arm, and when he explained the accident, and it still was there. “Are you okay?” Her voice didn’t show as much worry as much more sympathy. 

He nodded. “Uh, yeah I think?” He said in thought. 

“I know it’s a lot to take in especially when you've just woken up, do you want time alone?” She would have understood if he did. 

He shook his head. “No, I want you here.” He squeezed her hand softly. 

She sighed nodding. “I need to tell you something that I think we should do, and so do our family and friends.”

Bucky’s brows furrowed. “Okay, What is it?” 

“It’s why Andy was here, they think we should leave the states for a bit because of what happened, there hasn’t been an attack on a family head in years.” She explained to him, but the more she went on, the more he seemed confused. “What is that look for?” 

“What are you talking about, family head, attack, and why the hell would we need to leave for a car accident?” He asked with pure confusion. 

“Bucky, what the hell are you talking about? You know this, your family even is a part of this, you were supposed to take over before you handed it over to Thomas, you told me that.”  Y/n spoke with worry once again.

“I don’t know what you're talking about either?” He was continuing to be confused. 

Y/n moved closer, looking around to see if anyone else could hear. “The mafia.” She whispered with gritted teeth. 

“The what!?” Bucky yelled. 

Y/n stood up and walked out of the room, shock and worry fully consuming her. “Don’t say a word till I get back.” Y/n was going to find a doctor, this was definitely odd. She explained what she could to him. “There are certain blankes in his memory.” She paused thinking for a second. “I think I need to contact my personal doctor for the rest of his care.” She wouldn't be able to talk to this doctor about what was actually wrong. 

“Mrs.Barnes, I don’t think that is the best Idea, now if you explained to me what it is, I can possibly help, what is this specific memory?” The man asked.

Y/n made sure her demeanor turned Ice cold to this man, her posture fully changed and so did the look on her face. “I want my personal doctor for this situation, otherwise, we’re going to have a problem, I think you don’t want that.” Her voice completely sounded different when it changed to her stern tone. 

“I-I’ll see what I can do.” He stuttered. 

 She nodded. “Good.” She turns, pulling out her phone, calling Bruce, when he answers she explains everything that is going on, he agrees to come and see Bucky and to help diagnose him. Then she texts Bucky’s family, and Steve to let them know he was awake, then she waits for them so she can explain. 

Steve and Sharon were the first to arrive. “Steve, I need to talk to you alone about this, without my sister.” 

Steve nodded, about to follow Y/n, Steve was stopped by Sharon. “Y/n, whatever you're going to tell him you know you can tell me.”  

Y/n became quickly irritated by that. “It’s to do with my husband so I can tell whoever I want, come on, Steve this is very important.” She began leading him away once again but was stopped by him, planting his feet. “What now?” She looked at both blonds.

“You can do it infront of her too.” The blond says with slight defensiveness.

Y/n huffs. “Fine, you can be left in the dark about your best friend.” Her jaw clenched as she when into the room, wanting to get away from Steve and Sharon. 

When Bucky’s family came, they went into the room first finding Y/n, and Bucky. “James.” Winnifred spoke softly Y/n saw tears welling in her eyes, as she hugged her son happy he was okay. 

Y/n and George looked at eachother,she stood up and he along with Thomas followed her. “What’s going on?” Thomas asked. 

Y/n looked at both men. “James doesn't remember anything about ‘the business’, not even the fact that I’m the head of a family, he doesn't remember that he doesn't remember Andy, I don’t know what’s going on, I’m waiting on Banner to say anything to a doctor, because I don’t want to say anything to anyone here.” She explained, beginning to ramble out of stress. 

“Okay, you're doing exactly what you should so far.” Thomas told her, wanting to calm her down. “Did Andy tell you what we were thinking?” 

Y/n nodded. “But I don’t know if it's a good idea if James is suffering from brain trauma.” 

“It’s not safe for you in the states right now, someone did this on purpose probably thinking you would be driving that car because what everyone suspects is that it was placed on the drivers side in the trunk.” Thomas argued. “I’m doing what I think is best for James and you Y/n, I wouldn’t have made this option if it weren’t what was best. “

“I’m still thinking about it.” Y/n admitted. “Maybe, I don’t know yet.”

“Well make a decision before he is discharged.” George told her before going back into the room, with Thomas following him. Y/n’s shoulders fell limp as she stood there, she shook her head as she looked at the ground, she didn’t know what to do.

______

Brock looked pissed, as he looked at the woman. “Thank you for your help Power Broker, though it went wrong.” He sounded bitter about it, though she knew it was a fifty-fifty chance of Bucky or Y/n Driving the car. “It seems you’ve made my plan easier to complete.”

“What do you mean?” Sharon’s brows furrowed looking at the man. 

Brock smirked. “Y/n, has no protection now, and as soon as I find out where she is I’ll send someone to kill her, and then she won't be an issue anymore.” 

Sharon smirked. “Whatever you say, I’ll uh see you another time.” She turned to leave as she opened the door. “Oh and Brock, I’m the only person who knows where Y/n is that can get in a twenty mile radius of any of her business.” Just like that she was running to leave and out to her car before Brock could have done anything. 

Brock knew Sharon was right about not being able to get near anything Y/n owned, but Sharon didn’t have the upper hand like she hoped. Wayne came in after hearing what happened, along with seeing the woman rush out. “You're not going to do anything!” Wayne yelled in anger. 

Brock looked at Wayne like he was stupid. “Don’t forget who gives you, your fix, Wayne I’d shut the fuck up before you questioning my leader ship.” Then he pulled a device out. “I placed a tracker on Sharon as soon as I decided to ‘trust’ her, if I have to come to where every one of you two are going to kill Y/n myself, I’m going to kill you first. Got it?” Wayne noded, making Brock smirk. “Good.”

_____

When Bruce did get there, and everything had been explained, and he did the test he needed he determined Bucky had 

Dissociative amnesia. Y/n came to a conclusion that day, and it was to leave with Bucky, if he didn’t remember anything about the mob, and being associated through marriage to her could be life threatening and that wasn’t fair to him, so she agreed. When they got to the paine Bucky asked. “Where are we going?” It reminded her of their honeymoon. 

“Venise.” She answered quickly. 

Bucky’s brows furrowed. “Why are we leaving?” This didn’t make sense why they were going to Venice right after he got out of the hospital. 

“Don’t worry about it, at the moment I’ll tell you if you need to know.” She said it softly as she looked at him. “I just need you to trust me at the moment, Bucky, please.” 

He sighed, going to give in, knowing that he currently had amnesia, he didn’t fully trust what he thought or knew. “Okay, I’ll trust you, but if anything major comes up you need to tell me.” Y/n nodded with his requirements before boarding the plane, with Bucky following her. 

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Bengiyo's Queer Cinema Syllabus

For those who are not aware, I have decided to run the gauntlet of @bengiyo’s Queer Cinema Syllabus and have officially started Unit 1: Coming of Age Post Moonlight.

The films in Unit 1 are: Pariah (2011), Get Real (1998), Edge of Seventeen (1998), My Own Private Idaho (1991), and Mysterious Skin (2004)

Today I will be writing about

Pariah (2011) dir. Dee Rees

[Available on: Amazon, YouTube Rental, Run Time: 1:26]

Summary: A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak and family in a desperate search for sexual expression. (from IMDB)

Cast:

Adepero Oduye as Alike (pronounced Ah-Lee-Kay) Aasha Davis as Bina, Alike's love interest Charles Parnell as Arthur, Alike's father Kim Wayans as Audrey, Alike's mother Pernell Walker as Laura, Alike's best friend Sahra Mellesse as Sharonda, Alike's younger sister

Overall Thoughts (this write up is longer than my The Birdcage one because this time I actually took notes)

I LOVED THIS FILM. I am so intrigued by the layers this film builds for itself. If there was one phrase that came to mind while I watched this film it would be “code-switching.” Not in the traditional way it would relate to language and linguistics, but in the way that there is code and there is switching. Because there are so many levels of change and obfuscation in this film from the clothing to the queer flagging to the thinly veiled threats. Before I get too far in to this, let’s do a quick analysis of the main character’s name

Alike Freeman. 

Alike- Origin: Nigerian, Meaning: “girl who drives out beautiful women” (at least according to babycenter)

Freeman- I mean…I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory. But it is very very intentional. 

The film opens in a lesbian club, showing Alike wearing baggy, masculine clothing. On the bus ride home, she changes into a more femme style. And here we have the first switch. With her friend, out on the town, in the dark (look, Ben! I haven’t even seen this show yet, but I knew you were gonna pop in here with the link so I figured I would get ahead of it) Alike is free to be herself. To be openly, purposefully queer, to code herself that way. But the same cannot be said at home, where she is still in the (glass) closet. Second switch occurs when Alike leaves the house wearing more feminine clothing, and changes to more masculine clothing when she gets to school. 

We see the first code soon after when Alike spends her lunch period in her English teacher’s classroom. (This is how you know the story was written by a lesbian). We see her full name for the first time written on the cover of her journal. Alike Freeman. What a wonderful name for someone who is not free to be herself in all parts of her life. The second code we see established around the dinner table and on the basketball court. The way this family interacts with each other, there is the push and pull between honesty and secrecy, control and lack of it, respect and disrespect, and the love you feel coming from these characters is palpable, but there is an undercurrent of understanding that this love may be conditional. 

Audrey is interesting as a character because you know that she knows, and you know that she is trying to pretend like she doesn’t see it, and you know that she is (again, coding) trying to not-so-subtly “correct” her daughter’s behavior through the clothes that she buys her, through the disdain she has for Laura, by not letting Alike close the door when Laura is in her room, through telling Alike “God doesn’t make mistakes”. And the way that Audrey is lonely and isolated within the context of her family, within the social groups at work, because she is so internally focused on trying to stop her daughter from being gay that she has neglected every other connection in her life. 

We get another semi-code with the conversation in the hallways between three girls, one of whom says: “Some of them AGs are cute, I’m not saying I would, but I’ll holla” \\ “I’m not gay, but if i was gay, I’d talk to [Alike]” \\ “I like girls, I love boys” while making occasional eye contact with Alike across the hallway or walking right past her. The girl is letting Alike know she’s interested while still trying to maintain both the illusion of straightness and disinterest. 

Audrey connects Alike with the daughter of the literal only person she talks to in her office (read: her only trusted person) in the hopes that Alike will act more like a “lady”. While at first glance, we understand Audrey’s intention, we get yet another code from Bina that this plan may backfire for Audrey…when Bina mentions the English teacher. Queer. Coding. 

I loved the way that everyone knew, everyone knows that Alike is queer, and they just. won’t. talk. about. it. I love the way this film shows the very hard lines of allyship (yet another switch). When a butch lesbian comes in to the barbershop and is being harassed by his friends, Arthur stays silent. When she leaves, Arthur gently calls out his friend. When Arthur’s friend calls Alike a “bull-dyke” he’s ready to throw hands. No one is willing to risk a fight with their friends when they are being shitty to a queer no one knows or cares about. Another code, this time from Arthur to Alike comes after his friend makes yet another homophobic, and vaguely threatening comment about his daughter while she is inside the store, when he says “you know you’re daddy’s girl, right?”. She is safe to be herself with him. His love for Alike is unconditional…unlike her mother’s. 

I loved the way Alike’s caterpillar poem related to queerness, to closeted queerness in particular. The way the caterpillar felt trapped and suffocated in the dark cocoon, the way that Alike feels trapped and suffocated in the closet as she develops in to herself, as she develops in to her adulthood, as she develops in to her queerness. 

I am obsessed with the way that Arthur codes his conversation with Alike as he attempts to coax her in to coming out to him when they are alone, at night, in the dark. I mean, just!! He starts to try to bring it up, bails, skirting the conversation to ask about school instead, Alike knows what’s up, and having complicated feelings around her first kiss, she starts asking her father for advice, keeping pronouns out of the conversation, slowly building to the moment where she is going to come out to him, and he knows it, and she knows it, and Arthur just…interrupts her to start asking questions about “him.” He adds he/him pronouns in to the conversation, and he walks away continues the conversation where Alike cannot see his face, and where he cannot see hers. Because he can’t handle that conversation, because he knows how deeply rooted Audrey’s homophobia is, because the second he hears her say that, he knows that he has lost his daughter. And so instead, he sends her vague and coded messages with his questions around the women’s club, and it being bad news, and to not be associated with it. Because again, if Alike comes out, he knows that he will lose her. So he steers the conversation the way it needs to go where he can equivocate to his wife, telling her that Alike told him she has a boyfriend (because she didn’t correct him when he started adding he/him pronouns to his questions about a crush). 

I loved that Bina, a femme character was constantly the one initiating intimacy, while Alike, a masc character was constantly second guessing and then eventually bailing on initiating intimacy, and I loved that Bina is the one who decided she couldn’t handle admitting that she was queer while having sex for the first time helped Alike get over her hand ups. It felt subversive to me this way. 

I LOVED LAURA. I think she 300% deserves better, but I loved that despite the fact she struggles, despite the fact that she was disowned, despite the fact that she acts tough (and is tough) she is so compassionate, so caring. She lets other homeless queers sleep in her sister’s apartment for the evening so they have a safe and secure roof over their head, she got her fucking GED, she reached out to her mother despite being the one abandoned by her, and she took Alike in after her mother beat her for being gay despite the fact that Alike kept blowing her off in order to follow her feelings for Bina. Laura is a community pillar and we love and support and cherish community pillars in the house. 

I loved that while we get this initial eruption, and an acute burst of pain when Alike comes out, and her mother attacks her, the very next day Alike is in the light, watching the birds, being treated with softness and kindness, smiling and eating ice cream. I like that the loss of Alike’s presence in the family was palpable, that Audrey is clearing out the kitchen in the dark, that the Freeman’s are eating in the dark, and that Arthur reaches out to Alike in the light. 

I loved that Alike makes it clear that she isn’t running. I like that I don’t feel like Alike is suffering here, the people who lose are her family, the person who loses the most is her mother. Alike still maintains a relationship with her father and her sister, and following in Laura’s footsteps, she tries to extend the olive branch to her mother. But her mother cannot do it. I love queer kids reaching out to their parents, and it is important to me to see that pain that comes from loving your parents unconditionally and finding they cannot do the same for you in return. 

I don’t have anything I really want to say about the ending, because it was perfect and the script speaks for itself

“Your mother would always pick you up, your mother would always pick you up…you remember how we always used to race when it rang-” \\ “I got accepted in to an early college program…” \\ ‘I’m sorry I let her hurt you, you can always come back home. Things are gonna be different, I promise.” \\  “I’m not running, I’m choosing. I’m not going back home.” \\ “I know.” \\ “And you should tell Mom she was right, God doesn’t make mistakes.” \\ “You should tell her yourself.” 

The way this moment punched me in the gut? Knowing that I was watching a father trying to bring his baby home and realizing that he is facing an adult who has been freed instead. 

And on the subject of freedom, I am incredibly moved by the finally lines of the film: 

“For even breaking is opening. Broken to the new light without pushing in. Open to the possibility within pushing out. See the love shine in through my cracks. See the light shine out through me. I am broken. I am open. I am broken open. See the love light shining through me, shining through my cracks. Through the gaps. My spirit takes journey, my spirit takes flight. Could not have risen otherwise, and I am not running. I am choosing. Running is not a choice from a breaking. Breaking is freeing. Broken is freedom. I am not broken. I am free.”

Where Does This Film Fall in My By, For, About Queers Categorization?

THE GAY TRIFECTA

The writer/driector, Diandria “Dee” Rees, is a lesbian and describes Pariah as “semi-autobiographical"

Favorite Moment

I wouldn’t say there was a particular moment that stood out above the others as my favorite, because it was all incredible, but I will say that my favorite visual element that was employed was the use of lighting. When Alike is in queer spaces, her world is awash in vibrant and varied colors. In the privacy of her room she is bathed in red light, when she is being comforted by Laura after the fight with her mother, she is bathed in blue. 

10/10 Film

[madamlaydebug]

Happy 54th Birthday to Paula Jai Parker.

Born August 19, 1969, She is an actress, best known for her supporting roles in the films Friday (1995), Sprung (1997), Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998), Phone Booth (2002), Hustle & Flow (2005), and Idlewild (2006), and for her roles on television sitcoms The Wayans Bros. (1995-1996), Family Time (2012-2019), Hollywood Divas (2014-2016), Ray Donovan (2016), Black Jesus (2019), A House Divided (2019-2022), and Queen Sugar (2021).

Parker is also known for her voice of Trudy Proud in the Disney Channel animated comedy series, The Proud Family (2001-2005), and also in the 2005 TV Movie The Proud Family Movie, and even its 2022 reboot, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.