Is Nola Darling Normal??
If you have seen the movie and Netflix series remake of "She's Gotta Have It", you'll understand where I am coming from with this post a lot more.
Who is Nola Darling?
The actress who plays Nola Darling in the Netflix series is DeWanda Wise. She has light brown eyes, golden brown hair, and not that skin color and tones matter, she is not light skin or dark skin but a smooth, rich shade of brown. But this isn't a critic on DeWanda Wise playing Nola Darling but the actual character herself.
As I watched the previews of this new series, I was hesitant about watching it. I was convinced that there would be too much sex, nothing to relate to, nothing to expand my mind and no fine eye candy to even be excited over. I wasn't even excited about watching it although I am a slight fan of Spike Lee. Boy, was I wrong. In between the sex scenes, which were not THAT bad, I found myself enjoying the little moments of intellectual conversations about African American art, music, film, and even civil rights. Topics of Gentrification, Aesthetics, Representation, Politics, Mental Health and so much more.
I do not want to spoil anything but just encourage those especially black women that if you have not seen it, start watching it. It has it's pros and cons just like any other show; I find it important to not only support Black filmmakers, no matter what our reservations are but to have these conversations about self-love and purpose with oneself. In the end, Nola realizes that she must love herself. Each lover brought out something artistic and creative out of her and she enjoyed it! Regardless of the critics and people even her lovers who disagreed with her, it's hard to argue with someone who is sure of themselves and want to be better. She had to find and love herself and her art.
This message was essential for me to emphasize. In society, we are quick to call someone "fast", "loose", "desperate", etc. I am not quick to call someone that, just btw. However, I am quick to raise an eyebrow or side-eye someone that I assume is "all over the place" and brags about the sex she or he has. To me, that's nothing to be proud of... you giving pieces of yourself (mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, etc.) to many people (another blog post to come). In Nola Darling's case, she thinks that it's nothing but as the series goes on and looking back at it, she was attached to each of them which caused her stressed, depression, etc. Given all of that/At the end of the day, she found herself and hopefully to come, who to love after perfecting her own love of herself.
So who is Nola Darling? It is hard to tell this early in the series. I feel like it could have been a one and done, remade movie but a multi-seasoned series still might teach us something new. I hope that the seasons moving forward will give us solutions and how our society and communities can tell with these issues. I feel like season 1 was just a reflection of today's generation and society. It was also explaining things that the movie lacked. Overall, my question of "is Nola Darling normal" is a difficult question to ask with a more complex answer to come. She is an overexaggerated representation of {African-American} women in our society... or maybe I am still naive to how women truly are and act today.
Either way, she represents more than just one type of women. I even saw myself in here. Wanting to perfect my art, learn more about myself, and ask more of people. I am just not one thing to throw into a box. I can't always be the angry black woman, I can't always be the passive aggressive sister, or the activist and uplifter all the time. What about me? What about her? What about all the women who have to continue to be strong? Who is expected to always be strong and secure of herself? That woman, simply, does not exist... Does she exist? You tell me. But Nola Darling is a part of me.
Thank you Spike.
P.S. Just found out the term is "sex-positive". I have to do more research on this.
Comments
Post a Comment