Black Women Not Fighting

From the $300-weave-pulling fights on Real Housewives of Atlanta to the ridiculous relationship drama on Love and Hip Hop, it’s no secret that the representation of black women on TV is dangerously limited.

Recently, people and news outlets have been buzzing about the roundtable discussion “The State of Black TV.” Notable black actresses, writers, and producers Andrea Lewis, Numa Perrier, Issa Rae, Ashley Blaine Featherson, and Lena Waithe discussed the prevailing images of black women on the screen.

“This is black women not fighting,” says Andrea Lewis, at the end of the discussion.

It’s a shame there’s so little of that on popular TV shows that she had to jokingly point it out.

As Lina Waithe explained, black women on TV are usually represented in 2 extremes: bougie or ratchet.

So what about those of us who don’t fit these extremes?

The women at the roundtable suggest we look to the web to find those women on the screen. Black web series feature a “by us, for us,” more authentic representation from black writers, producers, and actors who create their own image of themselves.

So here’s a few sites with handy lists of black web series you might enjoy if you’re looking for some drama other than that featured on reality TV:

Black and Sexy TV
Hello Beautiful’s Sista Cinema: Best Black Web Series to Watch
Complex’s Best Black Web Series