HMalureTest

See Jane Masturbate; cum Jane, cum.

July 2^nd, BET aired another superb Mara Brock Akil creation, Being Mary Jane. The original made for television movie features Gabrielle Union as protagonist Mary Jane. The raw illustration of a Black woman navigating singlehood caught my eye, most, when in her office, Mary Jane uses her vibrator to self-pleasure. Upon seeing this carnal act, something inside of me smiled. It is not often that Black women are the sexual action rather than the reaction. Historically, woman especially those of color are objectified sexually for the satisfaction of men. Yes, there are images of women like Josephine Baker and Nicki Minaj who seem to have total control of their sexuality, using the racist notion of Black hyper sexuality to entice mainstream audiences to open their wallets. However, consumption is consumption. However, now, Mary Jane comes along and masturbates on our television screens. It is a bold socio-political move. I am sure masturbating is no secret among Black women in their social circles, but to be broadcast on national television ups the ante. Mary Jane was not just being pleasured for man; there was no male gaze upon her nor did she use a penis for pleasure. Patriarchal societies have this debilitating notion (for sexual minorities) that there is no pleasure without that of the male penis or heterosexual male approval. As a gay Black man, I often get the question how do two men get pleasure from one another. This question only exist, because ‘gay’ is not heterosexual-male approved.

Anecdote ahead.

Likewise, I was at a “coffee table talk” where the host thought it would be productive to have Lesbian-omics: a lesson in being a Black Lesbian for gay Black men. Side note: its disgraceful and disparaging how we expect the minority and the oppressed to educate the dominant culture. Do your research and learn on your own. I was disgusted at how they asked one Black lesbian to speak for a whole community, essentially putting her on the auction block to prod and poke at her sexuality. These gay men asked, “How do you get pleasure without a penis?” This question only exists because we, as a society, believe in the myth that there is no pleasure without the penis.

Reveling in the pleasure that was Mary Jane’s masturbation, I decided to have a discussion with two of my good girl friends I met at Hampton University during undergrad, Shawnon Corprew (writer for Lambda Gazette) and Rochelle Sample (filmmaker).