A friend and colleague of mine has written the following letter, and asked for it to be circulated: Dear Friends: Tonight I attended a screening of the new film Hustle & Flow -- produced by John Singleton and starring Terrence Howard and Anthony Anderson. While I had a general feel for what the film was about, in no way was I prepared for how absolutely oppressive it was to women. I thought it was about a pimp who would change and discover himself through Hip Hop. I knew that there would probably be some sexist elements, but the film portrayed women -- especially Black women -- as nothing more than hoes who can only redeem themselves by being completely subservient to the men who exploit and abuse them (as was the case with the prostitute who the Terrence Howard character acknowledged as his "Bottom Bit&h" and the wife of the Anthony Anderson character played by Elise Neal). I am by no means a prude. I am a lover of Hip Hop, a supporter of Black film and see Black men as "my other me," but I cannot -- the Creator that lives in me will not allow me to -- sit back and allow women -- and greater humankind to be so utterly degraded. Supporting Black film means challenging it to be the best it can possibly be. Hustle & Flow without a doubt represents the most twisted exploitation of women that I can recall. In a sense the film seeks to do exactly what its protagonist did -- pimp women, engaging in a process of misogyny and exploitation, selling her body, her sexuality and raping her very soul in order to bring about financial gain. In the case of the film, there are several benefactors -- of couse the filmmakers and actors bear some responsibility, but the media outlets and corporate interests that build their wealth from this sort of message are the biggest pimps of them all. Paramount purchased the film from John Singleton for $15 million, MTV also partnered on the venture. The projections are that the film will bring in at least $50 million. We -- as consumers, as part of the community that the film both profits from and exploits -- can send a message. We can show Paramount and MTV that they cannot pimp us. We cannot sit back and allow ourselves to be both the whore and the trick. We must take a stand. BOYCOTT HUSTLE & FLOW!!! A Better World is Possible. Peace... *Please forward this message to everyone you know.
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