cristinaleotama

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im going to start a false crime podcast where i explain crimes that never actually happened

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What this is about is the way that Hollywood continues to pretend that no impact or history lies in the darkness of someone’s skin. Well, when I say Hollywood, in this case I mean Bryan Singer. And when I say “someone’s skin,” I really mean Black Women. Brothas can fall victim to skin shade discrimination as well, but, outside of skin color, they don’t have to deal with the impossible beauty standards of women, let alone a dark-complected woman. Plenty of people will say (with or without venom): “What’s the real issue, it’s not like they cast a white woman as Storm, does it really need to be this complicated?” Yeah, it kind of does.

Even as a fictional character, Storm is a feminist symbol for Black Women the way that most assume Wonder Woman has been for women all these years. Storm has always been powerful, goddess-like and African. And no, not Charlize Theron, South African. Her dark complexion has always been part of her appearance and it’s not by accident. The same way it isn’t an accident that Storm has become a beacon and symbol for women with darker skin for decades now. The unwillingness to recognize that is just another thunderbolt in the side of a demographic of women who frankly, are plenty used to it by now.

I will say that the stigma of black women that are darker being ugly, less desirable or just plain less than, goes back a lot further than the X-Men. Unfortunately, time has done little to eradicate that notion. It’s why Lupita’s rise to fame was constantly met with, “I don’t get it, I don’t see why people think she’s beautiful.” Or the New York Times calling Viola Davis “less classically beautiful.” Or why there are about 17 things wrong withZoe Saldana being cast as Nina Simone, but one of the most talked about is how much lighter she is than Nina was. Black does not equate to all black. For Nina specifically (but for other cases broadly), the disregard for her struggle in the world because she was dark complected is a disregard of her daily story. Her most honest story. Now Storm is a fictional character, she does not have a daily grind, struggle and catalog of insults, dismissals and micro-aggressions that have to be accounted for. But living and breathing Black Women that embrace the idea of Storm, do have to face those things. If you look at certain movies,editorials or documentaries, you’ll see this isn’t a new or unexplored conversation locally or out in the world.

Maybe Alexandra Shipp has been a Storm fan for years too. Maybe, the symbol that is Storm has been a source of power and pride for her just like many other Black Women and this is a dream come true for her. But that empathy doesn’t really do much to alleviate the consistent knocking in the back of Black Women’s skulls that have been passed over because they were too dark. To simply dismiss this as a non-starter of an issue is really just another level of “I don’t see color,” but instead it’s “I don’t see the difference between one black person to another.”

this is reason number 1 i’m bowing out going to see this when it comes out. when the first x men movie placed halle berry, i was against it (because storm is NOT a light skin black woman) but i understood why they were doing it. they were clearly hoping that her name and star power (which she honestly would NOT have if she were a dark skin black woman) would attract people to the theater and add to the bottom line. i got it and even though i didn’t like it, i understood. however now there’s no excuse to do it again but a bias (a continuing bias) against our dark skin sistas. 

no offence to shipp but she’s a no name. “alexandra shipp” isn’t pulling anyone to the theater that will impact the bottom line. therefore casting another light skin black woman in a role made for a dark skin black woman can only be due to racism against dark skin black women. period. 

fuck all the “we’re all black woman” bullshit. open your eyes to how dark skin black woman are treated like shit compared to light skin black women. it happens everyday, everywhere and this is just another example of it.

[cristinaleotama]

The fuck is she supposed to do? Leave her ass at home? Wear a trash bag? All you clowns need to sit down.

[cristinaleotama]

FINAL DESTINATION (2000) dir. James Wong

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Selena photographed by John Dyer at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio, 1995.

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THE ADDAMS FAMILY 1991 | dir. Barry Sonnenfeld

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PARASITE (2019) 

Dir. Bong Joon-ho

[cristinaleotama]

Start reblogging the money blessings post…

If you haven’t already done it…. Go hit that reblog button. Do what you have to, just do that too.

Like seriously. Just find one and reblog it real quick. I post a couple yesterday and put into the universe that I actually wanted it

Only been at work for a couple and I get this at as a tip! (tips ain’t normal at ALL in here)

Come on now!!

Let it work for y’all too

[cristinaleotama]

do u take me to be ur lawfully wedded gold digging ho

[cristinaleotama]

A double wedding in Harlem, 1940s.

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Mushroom witch and her little mushroom friends

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Billie Holiday holding her pet Chihuahua, Pepi, in front of Sugar Hill, Newark, New Jersey, April 18, 1957. 

Photograph by Jerry Dantzic.

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Corazón. Serie Carneada. 2000. Nicola Costantino.

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Self care 101 

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WHAT!!!!

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we’re about to lose our car!!! please help us 🥺🥺🥺

hey, everyone. my girlfriend, alyssa (an autistic genderqueer Black lesbian) and i (an autistic nonbinary butch) are really struggling right now…

alyssa obtained a spinal injury on the job that’s left her badly disabled and unable to work her old hours. she’s applying for worker’s comp but it’s likely to take months. and due to my own disabilities, i’m still struggling to find any employment. i’ve also lost my tablet pen and can’t afford to replace it, so i can’t do my usual art commissions.

on top of all of this, we’re behind on car payments and if we don’t get enough to make a payment, our car will be repossessed and that will be EXTREMELY financially devastating to us.

so we need $245 by TOMORROW or we will have no means of transportation at all!

we’re begging y’all to help us. if you can’t donate, please reblog and spread the word… 😭😭😭💔💔💔

paypal: paypal.me/cryptidfriend105

venmo: @crypticangels

cashapp: $RaphaelSchmidt