By Imara Bright-Johnson, Staff Writer
Posted 10:00 PM EST, Fri., Mar. 24, 2017
When defining the typical African-American woman, most people go for descriptors like strong, independent, and effortlessly flawless with a huge amount of confidence. Though many Black women do possess these qualities, the reality is that they are imperfect and there are not many safe spaces for Black women to express these imperfections.
“Insecure” is a new comedy television series that sheds light on this reality. Maneuvering friendship issues, relationship drama, harsh societal expectations and trouble in the workplace, “Insecure” accurately explores the lives and emotions of many Black women in America.
Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore created the series on HBO. Issa Rae’s YouTube series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, achieved well-recognized status a few years ago and has since earned Rae more than a million channel subscribers. Her debut of “Insecure” with Larry Wilmore on HBO in October 2016 was one of the most anticipated shows of last year.
Rae plays main character Issa Dee along with her best friend, Molly Carter, played by Yvonne Orji. Issa is dating Lawrence, her boyfriend of five years who works for a non-profit organization called We Got Yall. The entire show focuses on Issa and Molly’s daily tribulations as two women that have been best friends since college. There isn’t a dull moment between the two; and although life gets hectic, they are always by each other’s sides.
In the first season, Rae relays there is no perfect recipe to being a Black woman in America and explains that there will always be stereotypes placed on Black women, such as discrimination in careers and problems with maintaining relationships. “Insecure” allows viewers, specifically young, Black women, to access the emotions of a subgroup of people typically known for their reserved strength. The show normalizes the genuine struggles of life as a Black woman in America and creates a community of women who relate through the complex situations Rae presents.
“We’re just trying to convey that people of color are relatable. This is not a hood story. This is about regular people living life,” said Rae at HBO’s 2016 Television Critics Association session. To Rae, her series examines “the complexities of Blackness and the reality that you can’t escape being Black.”
It was recently announced by Rae that “Insecure” has been renewed for a second season, which will premiere on July 23, 2017. The first season of “Insecure,” which features eight episodes, is available to watch now on HBO GO.
