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Carefree Black Girls
Carefree Black Girls is an exploration and celebration of black women’s identity and impact on pop culture, as well as the enduring stereotypes they face, from a film and culture critic for HuffPost.
In 2013, Zeba Blay was one of the first people to coin the viral term “carefreeblackgirls” on Twitter. It was, as she says, “a way to carve out a space of celebration and freedom for black women online.”
In this collection of essays, Blay expands on that initial idea by looking at the significance of influential black women throughout history, including Josephine Baker, Michelle Obama, Rihanna, and Cardi B. Incorporating her own personal experiences as well as astute analysis of these famous women, Blay presents an empowering and celebratory portrait of black women and their effect on American culture. She also examines the many stereotypes that have clung to black women throughout history, whether it is the Mammy, the Angry Black Woman, or more recently, the Thot.
In 2013, Zeba Blay was one of the first people to coin the viral term “carefreeblackgirls” on Twitter. It was, as she says, “a way to carve out a space of celebration and freedom for black women online.”
In this collection of essays, Blay expands on that initial idea by looking at the significance of influential black women throughout history, including Josephine Baker, Michelle Obama, Rihanna, and Cardi B. Incorporating her own personal experiences as well as astute analysis of these famous women, Blay presents an empowering and celebratory portrait of black women and their effect on American culture. She also examines the many stereotypes that have clung to black women throughout history, whether it is the Mammy, the Angry Black Woman, or more recently, the Thot.
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2021
104 people are currently reading
6911 people want to read
About the author
Zeba Blay
1 book89 followersZeba Blay is a culture and film critic born in Ghana and based in NYC. Formerly Senior Culture Writer at HuffPost, her words have also appeared in Allure, Film Comment, ESSENCE, The New York Times, Shadow and Act, The Village Voice, Indiewire, and the Webby Award-winning MTV digital series “Decoded.” In 2013, she was the first person to coin the hashtag #carefreeblackgirl on Twitter. Her forthcoming book of pop culture essays, Carefree Black Girls, is set for release on October 19 2021 by St. Martin’s Press in the US, and October 21 2021 by Vintage/Square Peg in the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
June 12, 2021
Giveaway Win!
"To be truly free, we must choose beyond simply surviving adversity, we must dare to create lives of sustained optimal well being and joy."
- bell hooks
I got this book in the mail yesterday and I immediately started reading it. I didn't remember that this book was coming, so when I saw it I was so happy.
Care-Free Black Girls is both a celebration of Black women and a critique of how Black women and our achievements are downplayed and ignored. Not all Black girls get to be "Care Free", the Black girls who most often get to be "Care Free" are thin, light skinnt, with long curly hair. Dark Black girls do not get to be considered "Care Free". Fat Black girls do not get to be considered "Care Free". Black girls with 4c hair do not get to be considered "Care Free". Gay, Trans and Nonbinary Femmes do not get to be considered "Care Free".
Zeba Blay is such a breath of fresh air. Zeba holds nothing back. She describes her major depressive episodes including her thoughts of suicide and her 2 attempts at ending her life. Zeba balances her PTSD with her continuing journey to find happiness. Her writing is both easy to read and layered with impactful insights.
If you couldn't already tell I loved this book!
I love this beautiful Black woman!
It's so hard to be a Black woman in a society that loves to steal your culture and never acknowledge your humanity.
It's so hard to be a Black woman in a society that makes it clear on a daily basis that it doesn't care if you live or die.
But somehow we as Black women, straight, lesbian, bisexual, trans and nonbinary still manage to find joy.
Black Joy is revolutionary and its dangerous and that's why we must continue to live it.
I recommend this to my fellow Black women.
We need this.
A Must Read!
"To be truly free, we must choose beyond simply surviving adversity, we must dare to create lives of sustained optimal well being and joy."
- bell hooks
I got this book in the mail yesterday and I immediately started reading it. I didn't remember that this book was coming, so when I saw it I was so happy.
Care-Free Black Girls is both a celebration of Black women and a critique of how Black women and our achievements are downplayed and ignored. Not all Black girls get to be "Care Free", the Black girls who most often get to be "Care Free" are thin, light skinnt, with long curly hair. Dark Black girls do not get to be considered "Care Free". Fat Black girls do not get to be considered "Care Free". Black girls with 4c hair do not get to be considered "Care Free". Gay, Trans and Nonbinary Femmes do not get to be considered "Care Free".
Zeba Blay is such a breath of fresh air. Zeba holds nothing back. She describes her major depressive episodes including her thoughts of suicide and her 2 attempts at ending her life. Zeba balances her PTSD with her continuing journey to find happiness. Her writing is both easy to read and layered with impactful insights.
If you couldn't already tell I loved this book!
I love this beautiful Black woman!
It's so hard to be a Black woman in a society that loves to steal your culture and never acknowledge your humanity.
It's so hard to be a Black woman in a society that makes it clear on a daily basis that it doesn't care if you live or die.
But somehow we as Black women, straight, lesbian, bisexual, trans and nonbinary still manage to find joy.
Black Joy is revolutionary and its dangerous and that's why we must continue to live it.
I recommend this to my fellow Black women.
We need this.
A Must Read!
April 6, 2022
4★
“There is no singular dark-skinned-girl experience, but if there is one constant to the journey, I imagine it’s the striving to maintain a sense of oneself amidst the projections of other people.”
Zeba Blay is an experienced, passionate writer, tweeter, poster, commentator on films and culture, particularly around the subject of black women and their absence on screen. She is based in the US, so this is the society she speaks of. These essays focus on different aspects of the experience of the women who are featured and on those who are overlooked. The reasons all boil down to one thing.
“Colorism is commonly defined as prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, usually operating within the same ethnic or racial group. This definition obscures what colorism really is at its core: straight up racism, a function and tool of white supremacy.”
That’s it. All of it. The essays feature the different ways black women have been portrayed: fat and funny, loud and sassy, submissive and subservient. You get the idea. The hierarchy of the colour scale is well-recognised. It’s easier for a woman like Halle Berry to get a film role than for someone darker.
“In June 2018, Rebecca Theodore-Vachon, a prominent Black female film critic, posited a simple question on Twitter. ‘We have a problem,’ she wrote.
‘Can anyone name 3 darker-skinned A-List Black actresses UNDER the age of 30 and currently getting offered lead roles? Because I can easily list at least 5–6 lighter skinned/mixed race who are.’
My first reaction to this tweet was, ‘Yikes.’ I knew, even as the conversation developed and the thread lengthened and Black women across Twitter racked their brains to come up with a robust list of dark-skinned A-list Black women under the age of thirty, they wouldn’t.”
Blay was born in Ghana but raised in New York, so, like most migrants, she has a sense of ‘otherness’ no matter where she is. She has also dealt with her own mental devils, connected to both trauma and racism.
There are so many topics touched upon in these essays, that I won’t attempt to list them, and many of them are beyond my ken. I’m aware of the issues with someone of any colour that doesn’t appear ‘quite white’ being identified as ‘black’, or African American. There are feuds between pop artists about who should be allowed to perform hip-hop or who is really black. Is it cultural appropriation when white women get their hairdressers to give them weaves?
She rages against the tropes and injustices, and rightly so. As I say, I’m not familiar enough with many of the people and situations she refers to because I am old and white and don’t hear the language. I did learn a word: thot. It is apparently in common use.
“It emerged into the zeitgeist and the internet via hip hop songs somewhere circa 2014, and it has been commonly agreed to be a shortened version of the phrase ‘that ho over there.’ Under this iteration of the word, a ‘thot’ is a (Black) woman who is sexually available to men.”
In other words, it’s an insult, but black women have claimed it as their own.
“There is a power in language, a power in the ways in which words like thot rise and fall and become integrated into the culture, and then co-opted.
At this point, thot has uniquely transcended its initially derogatory meaning, just as so many slurs used toward women have the potential to do (slut, heaux, etc.).”
Heaux may be new to you, but I immediately ‘heard’ it with a French accent as the plural of ‘ho’, which has been around for decades now (whores).
Blay speaks of her own issues growing up as the darkest among her friends, the one who knew she wouldn’t get hit on in the bar when they went out. She mentions all the ads in Ghana for skin-bleaching creams and the dissatisfaction women are taught to have about their colour.
When she was about 16 or so, walking home from school, a woman stopped her in the middle of the road to tell her she was beautiful. Blay said it felt like a test she was failing (she didn’t feel beautiful), but the woman went on.
“‘You have gorgeous skin, sweetie,’ she gushed. ‘Don’t ever let anybody make you feel any different. Don’t ever feel bad about that beautiful chocolate skin!’
This was a light-skinned woman whom Blay originally mistook for white and who obviously assumed Blay wished she weren’t so dark.
“One way or another, colorism finds a way to infiltrate our image of ourselves.
I’m your average so-called chocolate complexioned girl, but I’ve never had any issues about my dark skin. I’ve wanted to be thinner, prettier, have a fatter ass and a complexion that wasn’t acne prone, but I’ve never desperately wanted to be lighter than I am.”
Zeba Blay Photo Credit: Sylvie Rosokoff
I think I can say she’s happy in her own skin, but she is certainly not happy about the prevailing attitudes, arguments, and general prejudices based solely on skin colour.
It’s an intelligent, noisy collection of essays that read like blog posts or opinion pieces. She has plenty of examples and facts and names, many of which are unfamiliar to me. But at the end, she has references to publications and websites for each section so you can find out more.
It became repetitive, with many points repeated, but it’s a good addition to the conversation nobody seems to want to have. I realise I’m not the target audience, but I’m glad I read it.
Thanks to #NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the copy for review.
“There is no singular dark-skinned-girl experience, but if there is one constant to the journey, I imagine it’s the striving to maintain a sense of oneself amidst the projections of other people.”
Zeba Blay is an experienced, passionate writer, tweeter, poster, commentator on films and culture, particularly around the subject of black women and their absence on screen. She is based in the US, so this is the society she speaks of. These essays focus on different aspects of the experience of the women who are featured and on those who are overlooked. The reasons all boil down to one thing.
“Colorism is commonly defined as prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, usually operating within the same ethnic or racial group. This definition obscures what colorism really is at its core: straight up racism, a function and tool of white supremacy.”
That’s it. All of it. The essays feature the different ways black women have been portrayed: fat and funny, loud and sassy, submissive and subservient. You get the idea. The hierarchy of the colour scale is well-recognised. It’s easier for a woman like Halle Berry to get a film role than for someone darker.
“In June 2018, Rebecca Theodore-Vachon, a prominent Black female film critic, posited a simple question on Twitter. ‘We have a problem,’ she wrote.
‘Can anyone name 3 darker-skinned A-List Black actresses UNDER the age of 30 and currently getting offered lead roles? Because I can easily list at least 5–6 lighter skinned/mixed race who are.’
My first reaction to this tweet was, ‘Yikes.’ I knew, even as the conversation developed and the thread lengthened and Black women across Twitter racked their brains to come up with a robust list of dark-skinned A-list Black women under the age of thirty, they wouldn’t.”
Blay was born in Ghana but raised in New York, so, like most migrants, she has a sense of ‘otherness’ no matter where she is. She has also dealt with her own mental devils, connected to both trauma and racism.
There are so many topics touched upon in these essays, that I won’t attempt to list them, and many of them are beyond my ken. I’m aware of the issues with someone of any colour that doesn’t appear ‘quite white’ being identified as ‘black’, or African American. There are feuds between pop artists about who should be allowed to perform hip-hop or who is really black. Is it cultural appropriation when white women get their hairdressers to give them weaves?
She rages against the tropes and injustices, and rightly so. As I say, I’m not familiar enough with many of the people and situations she refers to because I am old and white and don’t hear the language. I did learn a word: thot. It is apparently in common use.
“It emerged into the zeitgeist and the internet via hip hop songs somewhere circa 2014, and it has been commonly agreed to be a shortened version of the phrase ‘that ho over there.’ Under this iteration of the word, a ‘thot’ is a (Black) woman who is sexually available to men.”
In other words, it’s an insult, but black women have claimed it as their own.
“There is a power in language, a power in the ways in which words like thot rise and fall and become integrated into the culture, and then co-opted.
At this point, thot has uniquely transcended its initially derogatory meaning, just as so many slurs used toward women have the potential to do (slut, heaux, etc.).”
Heaux may be new to you, but I immediately ‘heard’ it with a French accent as the plural of ‘ho’, which has been around for decades now (whores).
Blay speaks of her own issues growing up as the darkest among her friends, the one who knew she wouldn’t get hit on in the bar when they went out. She mentions all the ads in Ghana for skin-bleaching creams and the dissatisfaction women are taught to have about their colour.
When she was about 16 or so, walking home from school, a woman stopped her in the middle of the road to tell her she was beautiful. Blay said it felt like a test she was failing (she didn’t feel beautiful), but the woman went on.
“‘You have gorgeous skin, sweetie,’ she gushed. ‘Don’t ever let anybody make you feel any different. Don’t ever feel bad about that beautiful chocolate skin!’
This was a light-skinned woman whom Blay originally mistook for white and who obviously assumed Blay wished she weren’t so dark.
“One way or another, colorism finds a way to infiltrate our image of ourselves.
I’m your average so-called chocolate complexioned girl, but I’ve never had any issues about my dark skin. I’ve wanted to be thinner, prettier, have a fatter ass and a complexion that wasn’t acne prone, but I’ve never desperately wanted to be lighter than I am.”
Zeba Blay Photo Credit: Sylvie Rosokoff
I think I can say she’s happy in her own skin, but she is certainly not happy about the prevailing attitudes, arguments, and general prejudices based solely on skin colour.
It’s an intelligent, noisy collection of essays that read like blog posts or opinion pieces. She has plenty of examples and facts and names, many of which are unfamiliar to me. But at the end, she has references to publications and websites for each section so you can find out more.
It became repetitive, with many points repeated, but it’s a good addition to the conversation nobody seems to want to have. I realise I’m not the target audience, but I’m glad I read it.
Thanks to #NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the copy for review.
August 7, 2021
"How do Black girls find freedom? Where do they go to find it, to feel it, uncomplicated and uncompromised?"
Carefree Black Girls is a collection of writer Zeba Blay's musings on the #carefreeblackgirls we identify with in society and pop culture. If artists like Lizzo, Cardi B., and Nicki Minaj come to mind, you are in luck, as they all make appearances in these essays. Blay writes with so much insight and introspection that I could not help but to lean in and nod repeatedly as she spoke about feelings I've had about my own body and life. The essay "Girlhood" could have easily been written for me, with my obsession with the Spice Girls (particularly Scary Spice) in middle school and my unrequited crushes on guys that would never really "go" for my type. It was cathartic reading Blay's experiences in this book, as they mirrored quite a few of mine-- giving me the language to articulate thoughts I couldn't quite form before. This was a great collection of essays that brought up so many points I can't wait to discuss with my good girlfriends. I'll be sharing more thoughts once we get closer to the publication date.
Thank you, Zeba Blay, for keeping these necessary conversations going. Special thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!
Carefree Black Girls is a collection of writer Zeba Blay's musings on the #carefreeblackgirls we identify with in society and pop culture. If artists like Lizzo, Cardi B., and Nicki Minaj come to mind, you are in luck, as they all make appearances in these essays. Blay writes with so much insight and introspection that I could not help but to lean in and nod repeatedly as she spoke about feelings I've had about my own body and life. The essay "Girlhood" could have easily been written for me, with my obsession with the Spice Girls (particularly Scary Spice) in middle school and my unrequited crushes on guys that would never really "go" for my type. It was cathartic reading Blay's experiences in this book, as they mirrored quite a few of mine-- giving me the language to articulate thoughts I couldn't quite form before. This was a great collection of essays that brought up so many points I can't wait to discuss with my good girlfriends. I'll be sharing more thoughts once we get closer to the publication date.
Thank you, Zeba Blay, for keeping these necessary conversations going. Special thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!
January 31, 2022
I switched to consuming this book as an audiobook as opposed to the ARC I received, because I like listening to Zeba's voice. I was a fan of her and Fariha's podcast - Two Brown Girl back in the day, so why not!
But WHEW. This was a hard listen - in all the good ways. Carefree Black Girls is very melancholic, very well-researched, very intelligent/PhD dissertation-ish, very culturally relevant and at times very painful. Writing this book must have been harder than writing fiction, because it has so many factual details that can't be botched, which can have the writer feeling mad pressure. Zeba's ability to incorporate her personal life, as well as analyzing cultural, social happenings surrounding black women is very commendable.
My least favorite chapter was Extra Black; my favorite chapters were Bodies and Free of Cares. Somewhere within the Extra Black chapter (which deals heavily with colorism), I WISH Zeba expressed how she actually loved being a dark-skinned woman and didn't have a complex about it - as she did in a 2014 article I read by her on colorism (i'll have to look for that article to reference).
For readers who aren't in-tune with pop culture and Black Twitter culture, this book won’t be enjoyable to you. You'd need to be conversant with these things to really see how this book is a celebration of Black women, and not Zeba simply lamenting, complaining and whining about our plight (as so many of the white readers who have reviewed this book are reporting. Girl, bye).
But WHEW. This was a hard listen - in all the good ways. Carefree Black Girls is very melancholic, very well-researched, very intelligent/PhD dissertation-ish, very culturally relevant and at times very painful. Writing this book must have been harder than writing fiction, because it has so many factual details that can't be botched, which can have the writer feeling mad pressure. Zeba's ability to incorporate her personal life, as well as analyzing cultural, social happenings surrounding black women is very commendable.
My least favorite chapter was Extra Black; my favorite chapters were Bodies and Free of Cares. Somewhere within the Extra Black chapter (which deals heavily with colorism), I WISH Zeba expressed how she actually loved being a dark-skinned woman and didn't have a complex about it - as she did in a 2014 article I read by her on colorism (i'll have to look for that article to reference).
For readers who aren't in-tune with pop culture and Black Twitter culture, this book won’t be enjoyable to you. You'd need to be conversant with these things to really see how this book is a celebration of Black women, and not Zeba simply lamenting, complaining and whining about our plight (as so many of the white readers who have reviewed this book are reporting. Girl, bye).
January 10, 2022
This is such a well-written and insightful essay collection that is frankly not getting enough love here on #bookstagram for me! How Zeba Blay wrote about the influence of black women in our modern culture from body positivity and fat phobia to the impact of mainstream artist like Cardi B and Nicki Minaj was very perceptive. It was a challenging read in that it was very descriptive of issues we face as black women but also fun to recall the pop culture references she included in the book to elaborate on some of her points. And points were indeed made. One of my favorite conclusions she draws in the chapter strong black lead is that “just because the angry black woman stereotype has taint education depictions of black women doesn’t mean that in order to combat it we have to pretend black women never get angry.” She talk about Angela bassett in waiting to exhale and then goes on to say that even we try to subvert it the caricatures still live on. She provides real life examples of black women getting angry like Serena at the final US open tennis match and how she was depicted in a newspaper cartoon vs how men or depicted when they are upset. All very good insights and points made!
Even more, what I liked most about this book is the end when she critiques the term she coined as #carefreeblackgirl. She doesn’t shy away from the criticism that the phrase is most often associated with light skinned black girls with 3C hair when you search the hashtag. And also the disillusionment with the concept because it could be dismissive to the very real struggles black women have. She mentions she felt a little dishonest about the term since she in fact does not feel carefree. I really appreciate that she took this head on. She ultimately decides that Carefree Black Girl is a way of being and a way to analyze the culture. Which is essentially what this book does!
My only critique is that the title is misleading. I don’t really see this as a “celebration” of black women in popular culture. That makes it seem like the book is going to profile now black women have set the stage and paved the way in many areas of our culture and it’s really not that. Still really good book.
Even more, what I liked most about this book is the end when she critiques the term she coined as #carefreeblackgirl. She doesn’t shy away from the criticism that the phrase is most often associated with light skinned black girls with 3C hair when you search the hashtag. And also the disillusionment with the concept because it could be dismissive to the very real struggles black women have. She mentions she felt a little dishonest about the term since she in fact does not feel carefree. I really appreciate that she took this head on. She ultimately decides that Carefree Black Girl is a way of being and a way to analyze the culture. Which is essentially what this book does!
My only critique is that the title is misleading. I don’t really see this as a “celebration” of black women in popular culture. That makes it seem like the book is going to profile now black women have set the stage and paved the way in many areas of our culture and it’s really not that. Still really good book.
December 18, 2022
NetGalley ARC.
I learned a lot. Damn. This was so good because it taught me so much. There were some tough essays to read but necessary to be written. Especially for a white person to read and experience through the lens of a Black woman and just sit with. Just let her stories, comments, opinions roll over me. I didn't realize the weight that was put on Black women and I'm definitely glad I read this.
I learned a lot. Damn. This was so good because it taught me so much. There were some tough essays to read but necessary to be written. Especially for a white person to read and experience through the lens of a Black woman and just sit with. Just let her stories, comments, opinions roll over me. I didn't realize the weight that was put on Black women and I'm definitely glad I read this.
July 21, 2021
This is a beautiful collection of essays that explore the images and depictions of black women and girls throughout our culture. This book tackles subjects like racism, colorism, fat phobia, mental health, sexuality, and what it truly means to be a carefree black girl or if this is even possible. The author also includes her own personal thoughts and experiences and how they relate to these subjects. This book is not groundbreaking; these subjects have been explored before. But it is extremely honest. I saw a lot of my own experiences reflected in Blay’s. I’m sure that I won’t be the only one. This was moving, timely, and poignant. I loved it from the beginning to the end.
November 4, 2021
I’m a tad surprised I’m rating this four stars as it wasn’t the most amazing book I’ve ever read. It was however well written and heartfelt, so mission accomplished.
I don’t so much hate pop culture… I just don’t follow it. So entire chapters based on the antics of Lizzo, Cardi and Nicky were not the reading I was expecting. The audience of this book is clearly younger. Thankfully there’s always something I can glean.
I don’t so much hate pop culture… I just don’t follow it. So entire chapters based on the antics of Lizzo, Cardi and Nicky were not the reading I was expecting. The audience of this book is clearly younger. Thankfully there’s always something I can glean.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2024
Fantastic essays, and I particularly enjoyed the insight into how Black women, particularly fat Black women are treated in society, and how that is reflected in culture - TV shows, music, and movies. It was really fascinating and informative. Highly recommended.
November 30, 2021
Carefree Black Girls explores what it’s like to be a Black woman in this society. It analyzes a variety of topics from fatphobia to police brutality. It’s a love letter to Black Women everywhere!
I love that this book was written for Black Women by a Black Woman. It touched on topics that the average person needs to be introduced to. One of the things that I was glad the author addressed was how social media turned Breonna Taylor into a meme. I don’t hear many people speak on this issue and it was refreshing to have someone finally discuss it.
This novel wasn’t about what I thought it was going to be about. I expected a celebration of Black Women who have paved the way for us or a book about our liberation and joy. Instead, it was a critiquing of how society treats Black Women. Discussing how society treats Black Women is a very important topic to write about, it’s just not what I thought I’d be reading.
My main complaint about this novel was the inclusion and importance of Cardi B. There has been lots of debate over whether or not Cardi B is Black. I have never seen her want to be referred to as Black or identify as Black. So, I don’t agree with her being included in a book that’s meant to celebrate Black Women, let alone having an entire essay dedicated to her when there are so many other deserving Black Women who are proud of their Blackness. I was pleased to see Blay address the discourse about Cardi’s Blackness, however, I would’ve been more pleased if Cardi hadn’t been given such importance at all.
Overall, I love how unapologetically Black this book was. I was ecstatic see Tiffany “New York” Pollard mentioned because she is a staple in Black culture. I really just love books that celebrate US! I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s in the beginning stages of learning about Black Women’s issues and any Black Woman out there who wants to feel seen.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
TW: racism; racial slurs; sexual assault (mentioned); suicide attempt (mentioned); suicidal thoughts; and police brutality.
I love that this book was written for Black Women by a Black Woman. It touched on topics that the average person needs to be introduced to. One of the things that I was glad the author addressed was how social media turned Breonna Taylor into a meme. I don’t hear many people speak on this issue and it was refreshing to have someone finally discuss it.
This novel wasn’t about what I thought it was going to be about. I expected a celebration of Black Women who have paved the way for us or a book about our liberation and joy. Instead, it was a critiquing of how society treats Black Women. Discussing how society treats Black Women is a very important topic to write about, it’s just not what I thought I’d be reading.
My main complaint about this novel was the inclusion and importance of Cardi B. There has been lots of debate over whether or not Cardi B is Black. I have never seen her want to be referred to as Black or identify as Black. So, I don’t agree with her being included in a book that’s meant to celebrate Black Women, let alone having an entire essay dedicated to her when there are so many other deserving Black Women who are proud of their Blackness. I was pleased to see Blay address the discourse about Cardi’s Blackness, however, I would’ve been more pleased if Cardi hadn’t been given such importance at all.
Overall, I love how unapologetically Black this book was. I was ecstatic see Tiffany “New York” Pollard mentioned because she is a staple in Black culture. I really just love books that celebrate US! I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s in the beginning stages of learning about Black Women’s issues and any Black Woman out there who wants to feel seen.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
TW: racism; racial slurs; sexual assault (mentioned); suicide attempt (mentioned); suicidal thoughts; and police brutality.
June 20, 2023
Overall, a pretty good collection of essays, but not the best I’ve come across. The book tackled a lot of very heavy material, which was surprising to me, given the title. I guess this is maybe what the author was talking about when she said that the life and/or coming of age experience of Black girls is not universal because they are Black, and that is not universal. I was waiting for her to, during the essay that covered colorism, talk about the glaring number of biracial women in Black (specifically, offspring of two Black parents) roles, but she didn’t. She kinda talked around it by remarking on how dark skinned women are often bypassed for lighter skinned women, but she didn’t really state how the vast majority of the lighter skinned women are biracial. I would have liked to have read more of that. Also, I could have done without her line of, “It wasn’t even as if I was swirl-obsessed, in need of the validation of white dick.” That didn’t feel necessary to me, particularly as a person in an interracial marriage. But this isn’t the first time I’ve come across random slights or offhand comments about it.
September 23, 2023
This really should have been titled "What's Keeping Black Girls From Being Carefree?". It reads like a stream of consciousness Black Twitter discussion. The author's analysis is pretty shallow as a result of this. I wish more research outside of pop culture went into fully fleshing out her ideas; I do recognize that pop culture is her area of expertise, but that shouldn't be the stopping point.
May 10, 2021
Culture critic, Zeba Blay was the first person to tweet #carefreeblackgirl back in 2013. Carefree Black Girls is a book of her essays about Black women’s impact on pop culture and “what it means to be a Black woman and truly be ‘carefree.’” She describes this book as “an offering” and not “a history, an explainer, a guide, or a map to Blackness”. It is a is a celebration of Black women and our full and complex humanity.
Blay looks at how Black women, from Josephine Baker to Breonna Taylor, have been represented in pop culture; how affirming it feels to see yourself represented in media; and how representation alone will not liberate us. Like Blay, “I'm reaching out for a world where we value not just the representations of Black women but Black women themselves.”
Thinking about who gets to be a “carefree Black girl”, this looks at body types, colorism, sexuality, girlhood, and mental health (CW: Suicide attempts, transphobia, disordered eating).
This is a book I can see myself returning to, to see if and how we have progressed as a society.
I’m thankful to Zeba Blay, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an uncorrected digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
Blay looks at how Black women, from Josephine Baker to Breonna Taylor, have been represented in pop culture; how affirming it feels to see yourself represented in media; and how representation alone will not liberate us. Like Blay, “I'm reaching out for a world where we value not just the representations of Black women but Black women themselves.”
Thinking about who gets to be a “carefree Black girl”, this looks at body types, colorism, sexuality, girlhood, and mental health (CW: Suicide attempts, transphobia, disordered eating).
This is a book I can see myself returning to, to see if and how we have progressed as a society.
I’m thankful to Zeba Blay, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an uncorrected digital galley in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2023
Hmm I did not love this. I'm glad this brought Zeba healing and she said what she needed to say but I feel like there wasn't anything new said. No real nuance or new take that made me feel like it was worth reading. The emphasis on pop culture was interesting and some of her takes on social media and activism. Also did not feel carefree or like a celebration and I think maybee that was her point, but it lost the mark for me and I don't think the title/marketing is accurate at all which also disappointed me and made me like this less. Like sis was triggering.
Read
October 6, 2021I mean.....Wow! This book right here!!!! Lawd READ IT!
April 8, 2022
Really wonderful collection of essays!
March 8, 2022
Standing ovation to Zeba to what she put out into the world and not giving a care about what others may have felt how “fair” it was. An applaud to black women and their existence. A grand celebration of black women and their achievements. She painted a picture of how it is under the spotlight as a black women in America. She also critiques the being of a light-skinned black women and varying opportunities compared to the darker-skinned black women. Colorism within the black community and it’s culture, conforming with how America thinks a black women should act, mental illness, and blacks unjustly dying one after another are huge topics of discussion that are being spoken up about. Topics that were taboo to speak of, ones she addresses head on.
A constant head nod and “mmhmm” throughout the story; very much so during the GIRLHOOD chapter. She mentions how black women (males for that matter in different circumstances- sports for example) are seen as the main contributors to pop culture. How blackness is labeled as “ghetto” and “ratchet” yet those same people who are shouting ghetto and ratchet are the same people mimicking that same blackness; singing and dancing to those same songs. It’s a culture belittled, ridiculed, and shamed yet glorified, popularized, and “hip” when worn or paraded by white America. She talks about how difficult it is being a black women film critic. How a company will hire black and brown individuals to show their “representation” yet those black and brown individuals don’t have the same opportunities to the climb the clinical ladder. There are no minorities in leadership; very few and far in between. She touched on two women pioneers in the hip-hop industry beefing. How there can’t be two great, strong black women at the top (Nicki Minaj and Cardi B) there’s only room for one. These examples reminded me of a couple books I’ve read where these very situations were the meat of the stories: Seven Days in June by Tia Williams and The Other Black Girl by Zakiyia Dalila Harris.
This is one quote of many that really hit home because growing up being told that we needed to be strong was what life was about. Having to be strong all the time is mentally taxing; but mental illness isn’t supposed to be a thing in the black community:
“ ‘Strong’ suggests that it is part of the natural order of things for Black women to remain all alone in their pain even as they lift entire communities up. ‘ Strong’ is a fucking myth”.
* * *Random thoughts throughout the book:
“They act like two legends can not co-exist”- J. Cole
“I’m rooting for everyone black” - Issa Rae
Great book!! Yes she angry… and here’s a snippet of why. If you know…you know and those who get it, just do.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for gifting me with an ARC of Carefree Black Girls through the Goodreads Giveaways. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
A constant head nod and “mmhmm” throughout the story; very much so during the GIRLHOOD chapter. She mentions how black women (males for that matter in different circumstances- sports for example) are seen as the main contributors to pop culture. How blackness is labeled as “ghetto” and “ratchet” yet those same people who are shouting ghetto and ratchet are the same people mimicking that same blackness; singing and dancing to those same songs. It’s a culture belittled, ridiculed, and shamed yet glorified, popularized, and “hip” when worn or paraded by white America. She talks about how difficult it is being a black women film critic. How a company will hire black and brown individuals to show their “representation” yet those black and brown individuals don’t have the same opportunities to the climb the clinical ladder. There are no minorities in leadership; very few and far in between. She touched on two women pioneers in the hip-hop industry beefing. How there can’t be two great, strong black women at the top (Nicki Minaj and Cardi B) there’s only room for one. These examples reminded me of a couple books I’ve read where these very situations were the meat of the stories: Seven Days in June by Tia Williams and The Other Black Girl by Zakiyia Dalila Harris.
This is one quote of many that really hit home because growing up being told that we needed to be strong was what life was about. Having to be strong all the time is mentally taxing; but mental illness isn’t supposed to be a thing in the black community:
“ ‘Strong’ suggests that it is part of the natural order of things for Black women to remain all alone in their pain even as they lift entire communities up. ‘ Strong’ is a fucking myth”.
* * *Random thoughts throughout the book:
“They act like two legends can not co-exist”- J. Cole
“I’m rooting for everyone black” - Issa Rae
Great book!! Yes she angry… and here’s a snippet of why. If you know…you know and those who get it, just do.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for gifting me with an ARC of Carefree Black Girls through the Goodreads Giveaways. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
January 16, 2022
A hell of a collection that truly spoke to my soul as a Black girl who’s never felt carefree but would like to in whatever form I can grasp.
Every single essay in this collection was phenomenal! Blay managed to convey her love for pop culture while also not being shy about calling it out. She touches on cancel culture, racism, colorism, representation, and what makes something/someone problematic, but she doesn't just preach about them. She provides suggestions on how we can engage with problematic things and how we need to allow people the grace to change and grow. Blay doesn't have all the answers, and she doesn't pretend to, and we see her working through some of the setbacks of popular culture and how they've made a mark on her personal life. She's not afraid of critiquing her faves, and that's something that we all need to be comfortable doing, with nuance.
I love how Black women were the focal point of every essay. Black women's contributions to pop culture are anything but small, and Blay makes sure to highlight that while also critiquing the many ways in which Black women have been failed by popular culture.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, and Zeba Blay is definitely on my radar now!
**eARC provided by the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Every single essay in this collection was phenomenal! Blay managed to convey her love for pop culture while also not being shy about calling it out. She touches on cancel culture, racism, colorism, representation, and what makes something/someone problematic, but she doesn't just preach about them. She provides suggestions on how we can engage with problematic things and how we need to allow people the grace to change and grow. Blay doesn't have all the answers, and she doesn't pretend to, and we see her working through some of the setbacks of popular culture and how they've made a mark on her personal life. She's not afraid of critiquing her faves, and that's something that we all need to be comfortable doing, with nuance.
I love how Black women were the focal point of every essay. Black women's contributions to pop culture are anything but small, and Blay makes sure to highlight that while also critiquing the many ways in which Black women have been failed by popular culture.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, and Zeba Blay is definitely on my radar now!
**eARC provided by the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
January 14, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book, although it was not what I expected. The book mainly discussed how society treats black women, and is a collection of essays about the author’s lived experience and by extension of that of many black women in America.
Although that is a very important topic, I was a bit disappointed because I was looking forward to read about trailblazers and trendsetters given the title “a celebration of black women in popular culture”.
The book was heavy at times, dealing with topics like depression, suicide and death, so I appreciate the TW at the beginning.
That being said, I really enjoyed the book because it is about black women, for black women, and by a black woman which we need more of. I loved how unapologetic the author was about her feelings and I appreciated her sharing her experiences and vulnerabilities.
I enjoyed this book because it felt like a conversation. It was real, raw, unfiltered and authentic.
I am looking forward to reading more from Zeba.
Although that is a very important topic, I was a bit disappointed because I was looking forward to read about trailblazers and trendsetters given the title “a celebration of black women in popular culture”.
The book was heavy at times, dealing with topics like depression, suicide and death, so I appreciate the TW at the beginning.
That being said, I really enjoyed the book because it is about black women, for black women, and by a black woman which we need more of. I loved how unapologetic the author was about her feelings and I appreciated her sharing her experiences and vulnerabilities.
I enjoyed this book because it felt like a conversation. It was real, raw, unfiltered and authentic.
I am looking forward to reading more from Zeba.
June 18, 2021
It took me longer than usual to read this book, but that was intentional on my part. This is an experience that is not mine, and I wanted to fully absorb everything that Zeba Blay explained. I thought that using pop culture and her own experience to showcase the ways in which white surpremacy, misogyny, and racism have filtered into society and affected the way that Black women are viewed was fantastic. It made each topic immediately accessible by showing examples that we are all very familiar with, and her vulnerability in sharing her own experiences is heart-breaking to read. I would love to read anything else that Blay writes and am now determined to find some of her articles.
November 15, 2021
Perfection!
March 15, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley. All opinions remain 100% genuine.
Listened to the audiobook though Borrowbox.
The details
Read by: Zeba Bray and Clara Amfo
Unabridged
The narrator
I adored that this was read by the author. I felt like I was able to understand how Zeba intended this to be read, such as emphasis on certain parts. She also just has the cutest voice that was a dream to listen to.
The book
This started off super strong (and continued to) with a podcast style conversation between Zeba Blay and Clara Amfo. It got me really pumped for the conversations that were upcoming in the following essays.
The first essay, talking about Lizzo, Moesha (the 90s sit-com) and our bodies was really eye opening. I loved everything she had to say.
The discussions on colourism hit hard. Excellent talk on this topic. The pop culture references were all current and emphasised just how relevant everything still is.
I think those in an interracial relationship would benefit in sharing this with their partners that are not black. I know I will be sharing this with mine.
This was amazing collection of essays. I loved it all.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
Listened to the audiobook though Borrowbox.
The details
Read by: Zeba Bray and Clara Amfo
Unabridged
The narrator
I adored that this was read by the author. I felt like I was able to understand how Zeba intended this to be read, such as emphasis on certain parts. She also just has the cutest voice that was a dream to listen to.
The book
This started off super strong (and continued to) with a podcast style conversation between Zeba Blay and Clara Amfo. It got me really pumped for the conversations that were upcoming in the following essays.
The first essay, talking about Lizzo, Moesha (the 90s sit-com) and our bodies was really eye opening. I loved everything she had to say.
The discussions on colourism hit hard. Excellent talk on this topic. The pop culture references were all current and emphasised just how relevant everything still is.
I think those in an interracial relationship would benefit in sharing this with their partners that are not black. I know I will be sharing this with mine.
This was amazing collection of essays. I loved it all.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
January 16, 2022
*Read more book reviews like this on my blog shelit.com*
Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black Women in Popular Culture by Zeba Blay examines how a viral hashtag focused on Black females living their truths forces the author to revisit periods of pop culture history where the notion of being a carefree Black girl actually comes with some hard truths.
Culture critic Zeba Blay coined the phrase #carefreeblackgirl in 2013 as "a way to carve out a space of celebration and freedom for Black women online." She studies how the hashtag evolved in the chapter “Free of Cares,” starting with a phrase of the early twentieth century: “I’m free, white, and 21!” This phrase became a Hollywood catchphrase between the 1920s and 1940s with Black journalists at the time criticizing the phrase as perpetuating White supremacy since being White equates freedom, which is the untrue experience to groups who are not considered White. Though the term falls out of vernacular, the author sees the phrase still play out today from Sex and the City to the modern-day Karens quick to call the police on anyone who’s Black. And even the phrase "carefree Black girl" takes a life of its own where it seems to easily be bestowed upon lighter-skinned, thin Black actresses such as Zendaya and Yara Shahidi while Black critics argue Black females will never have the comfort to be carefree in a Eurocentric society. The phrase even derives from fellow Black writer Collier Meyerson’s Tumblr blog called "Carefree White Girls" that featured White female celebrities from Taylor Swift to Zooey Deschanel who epitomize the "deification of white womanhood."
The first chapter "Bodies" explores how the Black female body is berated constantly from the Middle Passage to the present. Lizzo and her body is the highlight of the chapter, particularly a moment in April 2020 when the pop star was twerking for a charity "dance-a-thon" hosted via social media by Diddy to raise money for people affected by COVID-19. Once Lizzo begins twerking, Diddy tells her to stop because the watchers need family-friendly entertainment, especially on Easter Sunday. Later in the Instagram live special, reality TV star Draya Michele, who’s thinner and lighter-skinned, begins twerking without any protest. Many think it’s fatphobic for Lizzo to be told to not twerk in public. Others berate Lizzo all the time for revealing her body on social media every chance she gets. The author also shows how Lizzo announced she would be participating in a smoothie detox and points out how White female fat-positive bloggers accused Lizzo of being fatphobic.
The conversation on Lizzo turns to the 1990s portrayal of Countess Vaughn on the hit show Moesha about a Black girl growing up in South Los Angeles. Countess played opposite pop star Brandy’s Moesha as best friend Kim Parker. Her weight becomes a constant punchline, many realize after reliving the show twenty years later when its August 2020 debut on Netflix alarms Black Twitter as tweeters share the collective disgust. The author even calls out the desexualization of fat Black women in entertainment. She points to the portrayal of Kelli, played by Natasha Rothwell, on HBO’s Insecure, where explicit sex scenes are a constant but never feature Kelli. The character talks about her sexual romps, but we never see them or meet her lovers. In the recent series finale, Kelli announces she’s having a baby with a character the audience barely knows because her romantic love growth is never shown on screen compared to the other three main female leads.
The author puts a recent moment like Lizzo’s twerking for COVID-19 relief under a microscope and another moment from a generation ago about Kim Parker’s treatment from her so-called friends on her weight. Then there’s self-reflection as the author views how hard it is to accept her own body thanks to the Eurocentric beauty standard where her body, Lizzo’s body, Countess’ body are unacceptable, and the fact that they are living in their body is too much for many people to accept.
In "Strong Black Lead" playing on Netflix’s name for Black programming, the author details her mental health struggles including suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts. (The book comes with a trigger warning in the beginning.) What she was going through materialized in her writings at the time as she pondered how she was really helping readers then with sharing her draining experiences. It makes her think of other Black women in her life who have struggled but are determined to "stay strong." The strong Black female trope is examined with calling out somewhat beloved characters such as Kerry Washington’s Olivia Pope on the Shonda Rhimes-helmed political TV drama Scandal to Viola Davis’ Aibileen Clark in the film The Help that many view as problematic with the White savior theme.
Overall, the book is like reading viral pop culture tweets coming from Black Twitter and getting the context that you may never think to reference as the reason why you would like such tweets. The content dives deeper with making comparisons between famous Black women living the height of celebrity now to those who lived at the height in yesteryears. The author shows how the battle is the same, rooted in underappreciation for the Black female’s talent whereas a non-Black female’s talent may receive better treatment over her weight, her age, her appearance. It’s amazing to see the author tie in so many current events with past events and pick them apart to study the relevance and the definition of being a carefree Black girl.
Carefree Black Girls: A Celebration of Black Women in Popular Culture by Zeba Blay examines how a viral hashtag focused on Black females living their truths forces the author to revisit periods of pop culture history where the notion of being a carefree Black girl actually comes with some hard truths.
Yet the culture that Black women pour talents and their creativity into, the culture that emulates Black women, steals from Black women, needs Black women, is the same culture that belittles Black women, excludes Black women, ignores Black women.
Culture critic Zeba Blay coined the phrase #carefreeblackgirl in 2013 as "a way to carve out a space of celebration and freedom for Black women online." She studies how the hashtag evolved in the chapter “Free of Cares,” starting with a phrase of the early twentieth century: “I’m free, white, and 21!” This phrase became a Hollywood catchphrase between the 1920s and 1940s with Black journalists at the time criticizing the phrase as perpetuating White supremacy since being White equates freedom, which is the untrue experience to groups who are not considered White. Though the term falls out of vernacular, the author sees the phrase still play out today from Sex and the City to the modern-day Karens quick to call the police on anyone who’s Black. And even the phrase "carefree Black girl" takes a life of its own where it seems to easily be bestowed upon lighter-skinned, thin Black actresses such as Zendaya and Yara Shahidi while Black critics argue Black females will never have the comfort to be carefree in a Eurocentric society. The phrase even derives from fellow Black writer Collier Meyerson’s Tumblr blog called "Carefree White Girls" that featured White female celebrities from Taylor Swift to Zooey Deschanel who epitomize the "deification of white womanhood."
The first chapter "Bodies" explores how the Black female body is berated constantly from the Middle Passage to the present. Lizzo and her body is the highlight of the chapter, particularly a moment in April 2020 when the pop star was twerking for a charity "dance-a-thon" hosted via social media by Diddy to raise money for people affected by COVID-19. Once Lizzo begins twerking, Diddy tells her to stop because the watchers need family-friendly entertainment, especially on Easter Sunday. Later in the Instagram live special, reality TV star Draya Michele, who’s thinner and lighter-skinned, begins twerking without any protest. Many think it’s fatphobic for Lizzo to be told to not twerk in public. Others berate Lizzo all the time for revealing her body on social media every chance she gets. The author also shows how Lizzo announced she would be participating in a smoothie detox and points out how White female fat-positive bloggers accused Lizzo of being fatphobic.
The conversation on Lizzo turns to the 1990s portrayal of Countess Vaughn on the hit show Moesha about a Black girl growing up in South Los Angeles. Countess played opposite pop star Brandy’s Moesha as best friend Kim Parker. Her weight becomes a constant punchline, many realize after reliving the show twenty years later when its August 2020 debut on Netflix alarms Black Twitter as tweeters share the collective disgust. The author even calls out the desexualization of fat Black women in entertainment. She points to the portrayal of Kelli, played by Natasha Rothwell, on HBO’s Insecure, where explicit sex scenes are a constant but never feature Kelli. The character talks about her sexual romps, but we never see them or meet her lovers. In the recent series finale, Kelli announces she’s having a baby with a character the audience barely knows because her romantic love growth is never shown on screen compared to the other three main female leads.
The author puts a recent moment like Lizzo’s twerking for COVID-19 relief under a microscope and another moment from a generation ago about Kim Parker’s treatment from her so-called friends on her weight. Then there’s self-reflection as the author views how hard it is to accept her own body thanks to the Eurocentric beauty standard where her body, Lizzo’s body, Countess’ body are unacceptable, and the fact that they are living in their body is too much for many people to accept.
In "Strong Black Lead" playing on Netflix’s name for Black programming, the author details her mental health struggles including suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts. (The book comes with a trigger warning in the beginning.) What she was going through materialized in her writings at the time as she pondered how she was really helping readers then with sharing her draining experiences. It makes her think of other Black women in her life who have struggled but are determined to "stay strong." The strong Black female trope is examined with calling out somewhat beloved characters such as Kerry Washington’s Olivia Pope on the Shonda Rhimes-helmed political TV drama Scandal to Viola Davis’ Aibileen Clark in the film The Help that many view as problematic with the White savior theme.
Overall, the book is like reading viral pop culture tweets coming from Black Twitter and getting the context that you may never think to reference as the reason why you would like such tweets. The content dives deeper with making comparisons between famous Black women living the height of celebrity now to those who lived at the height in yesteryears. The author shows how the battle is the same, rooted in underappreciation for the Black female’s talent whereas a non-Black female’s talent may receive better treatment over her weight, her age, her appearance. It’s amazing to see the author tie in so many current events with past events and pick them apart to study the relevance and the definition of being a carefree Black girl.
December 2, 2021
Raw and thoughtful look at what it means to be a black woman from the joy and pride to the pain and pressure and misrepresentation. Blay writes on pop culture and movies and she sees how black women are portrayed in media, the news and in real life. The essays are studies of black women that she wrote while going through extreme depression during a time in the US where racism, misogyny and white supremacy reached the highest levels and innocent black people were murdered almost daily with few consequences. Blay started #carefreeblackgirls and digs deeper into what it means and if it is any better or worse than the previous stereotypes of Jezebel, Mammy or Angry. I appreciated her sharing her perspective.
March 16, 2022
I started the book with a physical copy and then moved to audio to finish.
I think that this is a strong debut, but a part of me doesn’t feel like it connected as well as I wanted it to. The pop culture didn’t always blend very well. It sometimes felt like the author used pop culture as a jumping off point and never attempted to go back to the case that she was making. Most of the interesting aspects of the book revolves around her personal story, so I didn’t always need to hear about Nicki Minaj or Cardi B and their beef. Breonna Taylor played an interesting part at the end, and that was one of the essays that I connected with the most. I think that her ideas were there, and the book was enjoyable, but some aspects could have been handled better.
I think that this is a strong debut, but a part of me doesn’t feel like it connected as well as I wanted it to. The pop culture didn’t always blend very well. It sometimes felt like the author used pop culture as a jumping off point and never attempted to go back to the case that she was making. Most of the interesting aspects of the book revolves around her personal story, so I didn’t always need to hear about Nicki Minaj or Cardi B and their beef. Breonna Taylor played an interesting part at the end, and that was one of the essays that I connected with the most. I think that her ideas were there, and the book was enjoyable, but some aspects could have been handled better.
November 2, 2023
This book is on my list of books that I recommend every black woman own. There are multiple topics touched on through out the book — relating to black women in film , tv , history & just in general.
The author Zeba Blay is clearly an experienced, writer, she is also a viral tweeter, & poster. I love her instagram page. I’m also subscribed to her Sunday emails. Most of her content is a reposting black culture, & black women.
Zeba Blay was one of the first people to coin the viral term #carefreeblackgirls on Twitter. As she says, it was "a way to carve out a space of celebration and freedom for Black women online."
In this beautifully written collection of essays,
Our good sis name drops the work and lasting achievements of influential Black women in American culture--writers, artists, actresses, dancers, hip-hop stars--whose contributions often come in the face of bigotry, misogyny, and stereotypes.
Blay celebrates the strength and fortitude of these Black women, while also examining the many stereotypes and rigid identities that have clung to them.
I created a Book club , called Black Women Read Too (@bwrt.bookclub) on instagram. & I’ve reposted a lot of her work. & she’s even recognized me for it. I love when the authors are just as great as their book. Been obsessed with this book & her page since I found it.
The author Zeba Blay is clearly an experienced, writer, she is also a viral tweeter, & poster. I love her instagram page. I’m also subscribed to her Sunday emails. Most of her content is a reposting black culture, & black women.
Zeba Blay was one of the first people to coin the viral term #carefreeblackgirls on Twitter. As she says, it was "a way to carve out a space of celebration and freedom for Black women online."
In this beautifully written collection of essays,
Our good sis name drops the work and lasting achievements of influential Black women in American culture--writers, artists, actresses, dancers, hip-hop stars--whose contributions often come in the face of bigotry, misogyny, and stereotypes.
Blay celebrates the strength and fortitude of these Black women, while also examining the many stereotypes and rigid identities that have clung to them.
I created a Book club , called Black Women Read Too (@bwrt.bookclub) on instagram. & I’ve reposted a lot of her work. & she’s even recognized me for it. I love when the authors are just as great as their book. Been obsessed with this book & her page since I found it.
October 18, 2021
Zeba Blay is now on my list of favorite writers, and I feel like I was given a true window into the lives of Black women from the depths of her soul. This title has the potential to be a favorite of the year for me, and is definitely near the top of the list for most important works for all the ways Blay calls out the work that is still needed to address the inequities, specifically those of intersectionality experienced by Black women in her insightful essays.
Part pop culture critique, part memoir, 100% experiences and reflections of being a Black woman, and moving through both Black and majority society. It's brutal, but also not new. Blay's writing is amazing, her essays are well-considered, moving, and unreserved in the best way. I want to spend hours searching for Blay's articles now to soak up more of her voice and her message because it's powerful and long over due.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own, as will be the physical copy I pre-ordered with my own cash money because I want to put this important book in the hands of other readers!
Part pop culture critique, part memoir, 100% experiences and reflections of being a Black woman, and moving through both Black and majority society. It's brutal, but also not new. Blay's writing is amazing, her essays are well-considered, moving, and unreserved in the best way. I want to spend hours searching for Blay's articles now to soak up more of her voice and her message because it's powerful and long over due.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own, as will be the physical copy I pre-ordered with my own cash money because I want to put this important book in the hands of other readers!
September 12, 2022
Thank you, Zeba Blay, for sharing your essays with the world. I read this book slowly, one chapter only per day, choosing to really dig in and digest the thoughts, truth and information she wrote about. I found the chapter 'Strong Black Lead' to be incredibly emotional.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 25, 2022
Read this book. Especially if it's not the type of book you'd be inclined to pick up based on its title and description.
This book contains a lot of information, raw emotion, and analysis about Black womanhood to process. This is a book that I will return to, because I know there is more to gain from it than what I was able to access during my initial read.
This book contains a lot of information, raw emotion, and analysis about Black womanhood to process. This is a book that I will return to, because I know there is more to gain from it than what I was able to access during my initial read.
January 8, 2023
this collection of essays were so engaging and interesting — i really connected with the essay on Cardi B as well as the essay “Strong Black Lead”. lots of valuable insights on pop culture from Blay in this and a wonderful celebration of Black women in pop culture.
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