http://loveisntenough.com/2010/04/05/a-five-year-old-reviews-erykah-badus-window-seat-video/

@LWoods: “The naked-black-female body has a historical record of public display. It is in this regard that I question how effective Badu’s nudity is in delivering her message. Does she really have to bare all to get us to reject societal norms, especially when the most consistent message from society is “get naked”? So, is Badu rejecting groupthink or reinforcing it? I do not have a solid answer but I am leaning toward the latter.”

Interesting, cuz this is exactly why I LOVE the video! I saw it as a Black woman RECLAIMING her agency in a place where we were historically displayed without consent– as property. But Badu is using her body on her own terms without the hyper-sexualization OR de-sexualization the mainstream uses us for. When we (Black women) do take possession of our own bodies (or lives, really) we’re dehumanized as “Jezebel” “Welfare Queen” “Angry Black Woman” and on and on. But this video reminds me that I’m a real person with the right to my own sexuality, ideas, strengths, fears, weaknesses– all the things that make me human. And when we assert our humanity and power we suffer the character assassination and ASSASSINATION assassination that I think Badu is trying to show. I know, at least for me, there’s this strong urge to counteract mainstream stereotypes by avoiding parts of myself that “make us look bad.” But I think when I do that, I’m really just doing our oppressors’ work FOR them by assassinating *myself* and my own humanity.

You can see far more offensive things by watching reality tv.

Without question the vid was thought provoking, but it’s pretty shortsighted of Ms. Badu to not account for the social irresponsibility of doing this in front of children, and i think it sucks that she’s retroactively rationalizing by arguing that children are more aware than we give them credit for. She tweeted something to the effect of “adults in society train children to fear.” This is silly. She was not a nudist before her video, and the point of her video isn’t that we should expose children nudity. If anything, this rationalizing cheapens her work.

In general, nudity is not necessarily “offensive,” but it’s certainly not fair to be confronted with some artists performance of nudity, on a sunny day out. Forcing the ppl of dallas to confront Erykah’s nudity, making them consume it, thrusting her sex and sexuality upon them when perhaps they didnt want it, is wrong.

I think that it’s a Valid Feeling. It’s not that she Wants Attention and Condemns people for Criticizing her; rather that she wants to Truly be “Seen.” I think it’s the Divide between True Analysis and Following with Criticism VERSUS GroupThink and Character Assassination. She wants to be Able to be Seen as a Real Person who wants to Express her Freedom without being Boxed. She’s saying if you Want to Criticize me, do it with Love and Understanding; don’t do it to be Narrowminded and to Maintain the Status Quo. I don’t think anyone can say that’s too Much to Ask.

So, if we’re afraid of groupthink, is it more important we fight groupthink or fight our fear?