A theory that’s gained popularity over the past few years is that, in terms of power and privilege, black men are the “white men” of the black community. In short, while men of color are definitely at the bottom of the proverbial totem pole, black women are still one rung lower. As a result, they are prone to being the targets of black male privilege—no matter how limited it may be.
The easiest way to illustrate to black men how they at times abuse said power and privilege is to, of course, imagine a scenario in which their bodies and likeness are the ones being objectified. Terence Nance brings this scenario to life in his critically acclaimed new HBO series, Random Acts of Flyness. The above clip gives black men viewing at home a self-reflective peek at how cringe-worthy catcalling actually is, and how implausible its desired reactions actually look.
Episodes of Random Acts of Flyness are available now on HBO.
