Yes, Straight Outta Compton Is Sexist, But...

Umm, can we talk about biopics?

The point is to tell as much of the truth as you can without boring everybody to sleep, right?

At the very core of Straight Outta Compton, it's a story about reigning triumphant no matter where you come from. It's an affirmation that says, "Don't be afraid to speak your mind." It's a story about underdogs; young black teenagers who dreamed of a better life for themselves. They weren't gangsters or criminals. They were just kids with a dream. I also can't ignore the fact that the movie takes police brutality and shoves it back in our faces and says, this is happening. This is real. This is how blacks have been treated and nothing has changed in the last 20 years.

However...

When I was sitting in the theatre looking at the half-naked women on screen, I felt weird because it reminded me of why I stayed away from rap music for so long. I love my people, but some rap music is seriously just sexist as hell. You're calling me a bitch and a ho and I'm supposed to keep nodding my head and pretend I didn't hear it? No thanks.

And I get it...they're only telling the truth about how they lived. Tour life meant groupies and hotel rooms full of girls willing to do whatever because... reasons. I get it. It has to be there at some point but it almost felt gratuitous. I mean, did they really all just have sex in front of each other like that? Nevermind. I don't want to know.

Even if we rationalize it and say it had to be there because that's how they rolled, it doesn't excuse the casting sheet!

And this is exactly why being an actress is hard because you get reduced to the size of your waist and the tone of your skin. Straight Outta Compton gets singled out because of its popularity, but truth be told, a LOT of casting breakdowns look just like this and worse. Especially for women of color. We are told we aren't valuable unless we're the right shade.

Sigh...

Can I like the message of this movie without condoning some of the content within? The movie doesn't talk about Dre's assualt on Dee Barnes. The movie barely makes room for the main character's wives amd girlfriends.

Can we love the movie for what it is instead of hating it for what it's not?

I'll try.