Shonda Rhimes Reacts To 'Angry Black Woman' Label From 'New York Times' Critic
Shonda Rhimes felt far from celebrated after reading New York Times’ critic Alessandra Stanley’s article titled “Wrought in Their Creator’s Image” that suggests Rhimes is and creates characters that are “angry black women.”
Shonda Rhimes Vs. 'New York Times' Critic
Among the problematic passages in Stanley’s piece is one in which she writes, “Ms. Rhimes has embraced the trite but persistent caricature of the Angry Black Woman, recast it in her own image and made it enviable.” Stanley’s opening line, similarly off-putting, reads, “When Shonda Rhimes writes her autobiography, it should be called, “How to Get Away with Being an Angry Black Woman.”
Rhimes, who created Grey's Anatomy and Scandal and produces How to Get Away with Murder, took to Twitter to address Stanley's article, firing off a series of tweets that slammed it.
Confused why @nytimes critic doesn't know identity of CREATOR of show she's reviewing. @petenowa did u know u were "an angry black woman"?
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 19, 2014
Apparently we can be "angry black women" together, because I didn't know I was one either! @petenowa #LearnSomethingNewEveryday
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 19, 2014
Final thing: (then I am gonna do some yoga): how come I am not "an angry black woman" the many times Meredith (or Addison!) rants? @nytimes
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 19, 2014
Wait. I'm" angry" AND a ROMANCE WRITER?!! I'm going to need to put down the internet and go dance this one out. Because ish is getting real.
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) September 19, 2014
In addition to Rhimes, Scandal stars Kerry Washington and Joshua Malina also reacted on Twitter, expressing their disbelief that Stanley would pen such a piece.
Dear @nytimes https://t.co/20dzCSLKsx AND https://t.co/VJQ7n0Ujdn You're welcome. Love, K-Dub
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) September 19, 2014
Wow. Did I just read a @nytimes piece that reduced my brilliant, creative, compassionate, thoughtful, badass boss to an “angry black woman?”
— Joshua Malina (@JoshMalina) September 19, 2014
In response to the backlash she’s received for the article, Stanley argued that though she referenced the “angry black woman” stereotype, her intention was to compliment Rhimes for upending and rebranding it.
“The whole point of the piece — once you read past the first 140 characters,” Stanley wrote in a statement to Buzzfeed, “is to praise Shonda Rhimes for pushing back so successfully on a tiresome but insidious stereotype.”
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