Intersectionality in Movies: The Help

[TreasonousBastard]

3. I'm going to have to read the book, or...

at least see the movie-- these little eruptions over it are getting interesting. I've mentioned in the past that reviews and comments over sensitive topics often tell more about the reviewer than the reviewed, and this work seems like no exception.

Even though I haven't read the book, I do know a little about the situation-- my grandmother was a very white, fairly wealthy, Lincoln Republican in rural Maryland who hired "darkies" to work around the house. Although she never exhibited any of the racial hatred some of the neighbors had, she was still the product of several centuries of tradition and social conditioning. When she fought the Klan and integrated her church because her employees worshiped the same god she did, there was little thought that those employees might become "closer" family and she still talked of everyone having their place.

I could go on talking about the great works they did, and the people they helped, but I'll just say August and Edith were two of the finest people I have ever had the privilege to know. There was, however, that old Southern part of them that while far ahead of many of their neighbors would leave us aghast nowadays.

Relations between the races were so complex back then that I never hope to understand them. I suspect anyone talking about it is just one of the blind men with the elephant-- very well understood, but only of one part.