Friday, July 3, 2015

Badass Femmes: Alike from 'Pariah'

Badass Femmes is a bi-weekly column that I write on Crome Yellow about all the Badass Females in pop culture that has shaped my life. 

Contrary to popular belief, it’s hard being in any minority group in America. Being a woman is hard enough, but imagine being a black and queer as well – you can just imagine the sorts of challenges you might run into on a daily basis. Rarely have I seen that perspective painted as vibrantly as it is than in Alike (Adepero Oduye), the central character of Dee Rees’ semi auto-biographical first narrative feature, Pariah. The film is a gorgeously shot one, which takes us through this woman’s first loves, friendship, family and heartbreak, pulsating with authenticity and heart. Oduye as Alike gives us a nuanced, complex performance that resonates through every scene. As she reclaims her identity and sexuality amidst the vicious prejudice of her own family, we get to know a girl takes charge of her life and realizes that only she can make the choices that will make her happy.

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