Caution: This post points out rape and sexual attack.
In 1998, the MTV truth series, “True Life,” aired an episode on Freaknik, the extremely popular Atlanta celebration introduced in the '80s, where Black university student might have neighborhood with live home entertainment that degenerated into turmoil and circumstances of sexual violence by the late '90s. It follows a number of southern university student as they get ready for the yearly occasion.
Some are fraternity siblings brushing off their action regimens for a competitors at Freaknik. Others are loading their winnebago for an enjoyable trip to the Black occasion of the year, consisting of cams and camcorders in case they find an appealing female on the street. A self-proclaimed “sophisticated hoochie” is making a shopping go to discover a couple of hot clothing to bring.
The episode sticks out as a confluence of activity, discussions and characters that later on gravitates to the subject of sexual politics at the occasion. This is the exact same age when Lil Kim happily rapped about leaving orgasm discolorations; Zane's sensual book, “Addicted,” steamed up bestseller lists; and “The Player's Club” brought spectators behind the doors of an erotic dance bar.
In addition, artists like rap artist Foxy Brown and director Cheryl Dunye's “The Watermelon Woman” likewise engaged with a few of the most extreme discussions around Black sexuality– female company and queer desire being amongst them– in brand-new and interesting methods.
The segue in “True Life” was natural. By this point, Freaknik had actually ended up being an area where shows and tell of Black sexuality and sexual liberty had actually likewise ended up being mainstreamed and politicized. It was where the “playa hater,” the action king or queen, and the “stylish hoochie” might chill, have a good time and intellectualize. And it was the exact same location where guests might be seen grinding on each other in the street, flashing their body parts and “doing all type of freaky things,” as a boy called Jemik puts it on “True Life.”
“This is paradise, child!” states his good friend, Gator.
It appeared that method. As triggered as numerous were around the concept of Black sexual expression in the middle of a more eroticized pop culture, the end of that episode takes shape how couple of were interested in engaging with its real messages.
“Women down here dress like hoes with the brief skirts and all that,” states one female. “They do not have any regard on their own. They desire that unfavorable attention. I'm sorry– you've got a mind, you've got a brain, you're smart. You do not require to act and dress that method.”
Gwen, the “elegant hoochie” seated close by, fasts to protect herself: “I had on less clothing. That didn't imply I was less smart. That didn't indicate I was asking you to get my ass.”
A male in an Iota Phi Theta sweatshirt brings this dispute to a near end. “If you were dressed wrongly, I do not care just how much intelligence you got,” he states.
