Right on the heels of Black Girls Rock, I had to prepare myself to see Tyler Perry‘s adaptation of For Colored Girls. Why? Because I’m not too good watching pain inflicted on women or children; I can feel it through the screen. In this movie there is a lot of crying, inner suffering, and poignant moments.

Janet Jackson convinced and inspired me. She’s an artist/actress; please refer to her as such from here on in. She has proven that if you work hard at anything, all you can do is get better at it.

So instead of giving away the movie for those of you who haven’t seen it, here is a list of my observations:

There is so much self-hate in our community.

There is so much misunderstanding.

There is so much anger and moletsation that it embeds itself in the minds of those violated until they are violating someone else physically or verbally.

I saw myself in 4 of those women. Actually 5 or 6 (at different times in my life, of course). The abused woman, typical: we always want to save our man. But we must learn to save ourselves and the children first.

Kudos to Tyler Perry. This still felt like a play. The prose at the end is a “play prose,” the spoken word weaved in and out of the story is riveting. Most of all, for some reason I thought of Bill Cosby while watching this. How he said black men need to do better and how everyone was mad at his delivery of it.

Just as some are mad at Perry’s deliverance of the message. But truthfully, it’s not just about the “black man’s failures.” It’s really about their triumphs, struggles, choices and things that happen beyond and in their control. The hardest thing is asking for or getting help.

Social services are needed. And battered women wear it all over their face and in their walk.

Colored girls naturally blame themselves for someone else’s pain. This world is messed up. Why is there nothing we can do until AFTER the tragedies?

That HIV ishhh is so real that someone is finding out today that they have it, and that they’ve been betrayed. When she says “I openly walked into this” I interpret her as saying, she put her guard down, went against how she normally goes into a relationship and had unprotected sex.

Now she has HIV; umm…and so does he. Way to find out.

Is sex with men gay if no feelings are involved or is gaiety walking down the street holding hands? Or does it just mean you’re comfortable with who you are?

Macy Gray: LMAO. She can play high so well.

A single, older motherly woman played by Phylicia Rashaad is sometimes that for a reason. Because others will need her. Your purpose in life is only defined by your experiences and only once you accept them can you totally be FREE from guilt, pain, hurt, and, anger!

Molestation, self hate, incest, lies and abuse in the family home have gone on too long. The need for control, the need to put fear in the hearts of those in your houshold, is no good. Did Tyler Perry give men a bad rap?… Hell no, he told some true stories and out of the 8 there was one based on real love. 1 out of 8 sounds pretty accurate to me. (Minus my girls I grew up with. Most have awesome marriages and relationships, but constantly let me know that it’s work.)

I didn’t cry, but I did find myself leaning forward tfor most of the movie, intense, tensed up and empathizing, covering my ears during implied horrid parts. If this is what a play coming to life does, then Mr. Perry has done the play and the book justice.

Source: http://www.freesworld.com/