The Bla ck Lad y

Sk et c h Sh o w :
Bad b it c h
su pp o rt g r o u p

Az ah Y THOUGHT
cq ue line NTEMPORAR
Ja IN CO
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POLIT 4-01)
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SEPH
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03
 meet the girls
L O
V

Mo (Angela Basset) Kiana (Laverne Cox)

Scientists

Mya (Gabrielle Dennis) Tina (Robin These) Sydney (Amara Le Negra)

 Satirical Devices
This episode is written through an
Afro-centric lens

rhythm --> indicator of black presence

stylin’--> expressive communication
indirection --> the characters are the audiance
signifying/double word choice --> decolonizing
 THE PROBLEM
Mya is feeling tired from all that comes
with being a “bad bitch” (performance &
presentation) and wishing she could
sometimes be an “okay bitch”

Scene: Girls *GASP* and make noises after

hearing Mya’s confession (stylin’).
Expressing their discontent with her
glorifying being an “okay bitch”. Her make
her feel unsupported.

B A D I
D E
 Real LIFe implications for black women

Desirability is survivability
Historically, a black woman’s worth
has been interlinked to her
productivity.
SLAVERY: maid, nanny, birth
The beauty standard = whiteness
Natural beauty was not celebrated in
black women, especially amongst the
darker skinned.
The concept of “traditional beauty” is entirely
based upon white supremacy and in order to achieve that,
black women are forced to alter their features in potentially
lethal ways. (Gettysburg College)

The natural state of a black woman had

to be altered in order to be deemed
desirable. For many, this was their
first time feeling like a woman and
not a product.
BAD BITCH vs. OKAY BITCH
 Real LIFe implications for black women

Desirability is survivability
“Our results indicate that there
appears to be a skin tone preference
in regards to job selection. This
finding is possibly due to the common
belief that fair-skinned blacks
probably have more similarities with
whites than do dark-skinned blacks,
which in turn makes whites feel more
comfortable around them.
(University of Georgia)
Rudder wrote that user data showed
that most men on the site survey rated
black women as less attractive than
women of other races and ethnicities.
(NPR)
 Mo Analysis
Angela is the pacifier. The unassuming industry
plant that still encourages them to keep going under
the guise of “feminism” and “empowerment”.It still
aids to the culture.
Support Group
or focus group?
The support group was actually
being monitored by two scientists.

The scene revealed that the black

women were not aware that they were
being watched/misled (indirection)

The only person who knew what their

plant that was hidden inside of
their culture.
The rest of the ladies and
the scientists are shocked
at her questions and non
conformity. The scientists
resolve to increase the
dosage of Fucksicodone.
Drugs that are meant to
numb the desire to rebel
against imposed beauty
standards

All star weekend level = Max

 e yo u had
Hop
lis te nin g!
fun
Armstrong, Rosa E. “Understanding the Proverbial ‘bad Bitch’ through the Black Lady Sketch Show.”
Medium, September 2, 2020. https://efuarmstrong.medium.com/understanding-the-proverbial-bad-
bitch-through-the-black-lady-sketch-show-df8902b40a40.

“Bad Bitch Support Group (Full Sketch) | A Black Lady Sketch Show | HBO.” YouTube, August 3, 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7n65rVz95Y.

Brown, Ashley. “‘Least Desirable’? How Racial Discrimination Plays out in Online Dating.” NPR, January
9, 2018. https://www.npr.org/2018/01/09/575352051/least-desirable-how-racial-discrimination-plays-
out-in-online-dating?t=1625768242115.

HARRISON, MATTHEW. Colorism in the job selection process - GETD. Accessed March 7, 2024.
https://getd.libs.uga.edu/pdfs/harrison_matthew_s_200512_ms.pdf.

Robinette, Sabrina E. The imposition of White Beauty Standards on black women. Accessed March 7,
2024. https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1924&context=student_scholarship.

Sanders, Regina Lynnette. How HBO’s A black lady sketch show utilizes humor to ... Accessed March 7,
2024. https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2410&context=etd.