On Friday February 15, Marvel released its latest superhero movie “Black Panther”, but the movie was more than just another Marvel superhero movie. Not only is “Black Panther” the first solo superhero movie to feature a black superhero, but it features black women in a different light. In the past movies have shown black women as weak, this movie is changing the game and providing a new perspective. In my opinion the movie was a step in the right direction, so major props to Marvel.
I don’t want to spoil the movie for anyone who has not seen it (if you haven’t though I highly recommend you do), however I will go over some of the main reasons “Black Panther” is changing the way black women are represented in pop culture. For starters several of the main characters are women, and all of the main characters are black. The women in the movie are show in positions of power, and are in charge of the throne. Not only are the characters portrayed as powerful, but intelligent too. Latitia Wright plays Shuri, the Black Panther’s sister who is the brains behind most of the technology in the fictional country of Wakanda, and she even saves Black Panther with her technology on more than one occasion throughout the movie. The other main female character is played by Lupita Nyong’o, her name is Nakia and she is a Wakandan spy.
Even without superpowers the women in the movie are heroes, and at times I forgot the movie was about the Black Panther and not about them. I was also relieved that the women were not portrayed as “the sassy black girl” some other stereotype, they broke away from these stereotypes, and created unique characters. Overall the movie was a breath of fresh air, and much needed. It broke stereotypes, and portrayed black women as powerful and intelligent. The movie is a must see for black women and women in general!