msjwilly: I laugh at people that claim that black women aren’t funny. Seriously it makes me fucking...

msjwilly:

I laugh at people that claim that black women aren’t funny. Seriously it makes me fucking lol. In my mind someone that says some lol-centric garbage like that should not be taken seriously. Ever. Things like that- “Women aren’t funny.” “Black women aren’t funny.” Etc. Garbage. Etc. Reeks of laziness and ignorance and of the 1950’s. I am not here for them. I am too grown for that. Comedy is so incredibly subjective it seems so stupid to argue about it.

That being said the recent conversations regarding black women in comedy have been a hot topic for the last 3 months. The statement of one person has sparked a “conversation” or a need to “prove” that “black women are funny” to idiots that don’t need our worth proven to them in the first place.

Now there are so many blog posts and news reports and articles on the internet discussing and analyzing black female comediennes. There are articles along the lines of  “Black Female Comediennes That You Just Need to Get Behind!!!!” or a “Women of Color That, Because of their Skin Deserves To Be Known!!!!!” And while I am sure many people mean well, a large part of this conversation seems forced and insincere. That’s kind of the side effect of the media getting a hold of something. Keep in mind that a part of me is grateful to be a female POC that is sometimes considered “funny”. PLEASE understand that. But do you see how this conversation can also be seen as negative? Putting us in a separate category because of the color of our skin? The underlying tone of these articles trying to “prove” that black women are funny? The suddenness of this “conversation” yells “See! Here’s a black girl! Here’s one! See?! See?!” I’m just- I am so tired of it. 

And I know that I am black and a woman and a comedienne but often times I just want to be known as a human doing stuff. I am so many things. I want to be known as like, a person. Not as a “trendy” topic of conversation. Put me out there with everyone else. Like- with all of the other humans. Do you get what I am saying? 

-Jessica Williams