I do not ever recall a time where I was wowed by any of the Disney stories. I remember really liking Mulan because she was sassy, brave and bold. She talked back, she dressed like a boy and she was defiant. Tiana was fierce, but she was literally an animal for most of the movie, so I was not digging that. Meridia from Brave was also fiery and a badass, so I am a fan of hers. All of this was great, but I desired to see a chracter that looked like me, or my daughter and more importantly, I wanted a bad ass woman character who did not have a story line that was centered around a man. This is when I discovered Ororo Munroe aka Storm. OH. MY. GOD. Storm, she is no princess, she is a queen, an African queen, with the same attributes as the Orisha, Oya.
Oya is the epitiome of power and she takes no shit, just like her namesake, Storm. I relate to her because I am gentle on the outside, and on the inside but when you fuck with me, you will meet the balance on the other side of this love and light. I believe that these antiquated ways of Cinderalla, Aurora, Ariel and some of these other princesses are played the fuck out. I guess some women believe in being well behaved but I value wild women, raunchy women, and women who come to fuck shit up. Society praises and honors women who have risen up out terrible situations by finding their power and their voice. I like that narrative, shit I love it. But you know what narratives I LOVE? The ones with women who are already fighters. I am talking about the Black and Latina girls who were born taking no shit. They roll their necks, they pop their gum and they will curse you out if you look at them wrong. These girls who grow into women are raging storms from birth.
The issue though, is that these girls are seen as ghetto, lesser than, rambunctious, and illegible for sympathy, empathy and comfort because their narratives make far too many uncomfortable. These young girls are fire storms, tornadoes, and hurricanes rolled into one. They do not need saving, but they need fairness, gentleness, non judgement and your consideration. We love coming of age stories about boys who are wild, and love fighting, but get taken in by a wise mentor so they learn how to manage their rage and urges. But where are the stories about wild, full of rage girls who get mentors to help them tame their rage? Where are their stories of triumph and rising to running shit with the support of another bad ass woman? I am ready for these narratives. Ava DuVernay…we gotta talk, sis.
I want a reality that reflects those who are not well represented in the media. Storm has a story that begins with her being orphaned and her entire home falling down on her. She was never going to be meek, mild and well mannered. She was never going to be a damsel who was going to be rescued by a charming prince. Storm marries, but then divorces T’Challa, the king of Wakanda. He was never a neccesity for her, but a partner and a vibrational match. She had her own money, her own dreams, her own destiny and her own path to walk. That is a superhero that I want my child to aspire to. She can see herself in Storm, not just based on characterstics, but in stature and being of African descent. Storm is a black woman, angry, fierce, and not to be fucked with. Who needs Cinderella, when you can have Storm?
Raw Motherfunking Emotions 