--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's funny that black men, at first, were…" description: "\"It's funny that black men, at first, were worried about a show called 'Girlfriends' because they thought that black men were gonna get bashed. They rea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/mara-brock-akil-17615_funny_it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were_1123373.png" --- # It's funny that black men, at first, were worried about a… ![“It's funny that black men, at first, were worried about a show called 'Girlfriends' because they thought that black men were gonna get bashed. They realized, 'Wait a minute - we're respected in this story.'” quote by Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/mara-brock-akil-17615_funny_it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were_1123373.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/mara-brock-akil-17615_funny_it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were_1123373.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/mara-brock-akil-17615_funny_it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were_1123373.png) > “It's funny that black men, at first, were worried about a show called 'Girlfriends' because they thought that black men were gonna get bashed. They realized, 'Wait a minute - we're respected in this story.'” [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Black men initially feared negative stereotypes but later appreciated respectful representation in the series. **In simple terms:** They feared misrepresentation, then felt respected. Key Takeaway Seek media that portrays your community positively. Themes representation stereotypes media community self‑esteem Mood reflective hopeful Type cultural social When to use this quote - casting decisions - community discussions - media analysis - personal confidence Key Concepts cultural perception identity media impact Questions to Reflect On - How does representation affect self‑image? - What responsibilities do creators have? A Different Perspective Respectful portrayals are rare and can be tokenistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Girlfriends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girlfriends/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [I have no illusions at all about being a sex symbol. None of my former girlfriends ever thought of me that way, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobey-maguire/i-have-no-illusions-at-all-about-being-a-sex-symbol-none-of-my-former/) [Tobey Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobey-maguire/) > [With 'Girlfriends,' even with 'The Game,' or even with 'Being Mary Jane,' I didn't get a chance to wrap up the story and, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/with-girlfriends-even-with-the-game-or-even-with-being-mary-jane-i/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [In 'Girlfriends,' I was exploring the idea of having it all. In 'Being Mary Jane,' I was exploring the idea that you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/in-girlfriends-i-was-exploring-the-idea-of-having-it-all-in-being/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I'm hoping that the legacy of 'Girlfriends' is just that you can enjoy and connect to Joan, Maya, Toni, Lynn, and William and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-m-hoping-that-the-legacy-of-girlfriends-is-just-that-you-can-enjoy/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [Black women must help black men understand their full potential lies not in denying black women full access to their humanity and opportunity, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/black-women-must-help-black-men-understand-their-full-potential-lies/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [In some cities such as Washington, DC, that 75 percent of young black men can expect to serve time in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/in-some-cities-such-as-washington-dc-that-75-percent-of-young-black/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [We black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice, and already have enough enemies as it is, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-black-men-have-a-hard-enough-time-in-our-own-struggle-for-justice/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Black women sharing close ties with each other, politically or emotionally, are not the enemies of Black men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/black-women-sharing-close-ties-with-each-other-politically-or/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“Black men are also notorious for posing as cool and above-it-all instead of expressing joy and happiness. This is one of the masks that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jor-el-caraballo/black-men-are-also-notorious-for-posing-as-cool-and-above-it-all/) [Jor-El Caraballo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jor-el-caraballo/) > [I've never seen black men with fine white women. They be ugly. Mugly dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-ve-never-seen-black-men-with-fine-white-women-they-be-ugly-mugly/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [There's a lot of black men running around with crazy trauma scars, and they should be going to therapy. They should be sitting down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/there-s-a-lot-of-black-men-running-around-with-crazy-trauma-scars-and/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [Black men, Indian men, and gay men have all have something in common: They do not provide an economic security blanket for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/black-men-indian-men-and-gay-men-have-all-have-something-in-common/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [People are going to always have their opinions whether you date a black man or not. I've had girlfriends, family members comment on black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanaa-lathan/people-are-going-to-always-have-their-opinions-whether-you-date-a/) [Sanaa Lathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanaa-lathan/) > [Jefferson Pierce is the epitome of what black men are: He loves his wife, his children, and the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/jefferson-pierce-is-the-epitome-of-what-black-men-are-he-loves-his/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [For a long time, images of black men with big lips and a round head were used to make us feel inferior, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/for-a-long-time-images-of-black-men-with-big-lips-and-a-round-head/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) ## More by Mara Brock Akil > [For me, I start at the place that my characters are human. I start at the place that they are onions that are layered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/for-me-i-start-at-the-place-that-my-characters-are-human-i-start-at/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I often attribute my screenwriting to journalism because they drill in the who, what, when, where and why - but we really need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-often-attribute-my-screenwriting-to-journalism-because-they-drill/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [One of the most powerful things we have is to tell our story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/one-of-the-most-powerful-things-we-have-is-to-tell-our-story/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [That's what this industry is all about - supporting artists and supporting storytellers and hearing the audience for what they want and need. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/that-s-what-this-industry-is-all-about-supporting-artists-and/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [When I walk into a room, I know my storytelling has value and I have to sell my idea. I have to help people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/when-i-walk-into-a-room-i-know-my-storytelling-has-value-and-i-have/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I'm trying to talk about challenging subjects people might not like and trying to find relief as we discuss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-m-trying-to-talk-about-challenging-subjects-people-might-not-like/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I've kinda been an off-Broadway sensation. There aren't a lot of lights or big marquees around my name or my work, yet my core…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-ve-kinda-been-an-off-broadway-sensation-there-aren-t-a-lot-of/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [If you want something, work hard for it, go after it. I can't worry about all the 'no's, because I believe there's a yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/if-you-want-something-work-hard-for-it-go-after-it-i-can-t-worry/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I was nurtured by Ralph Farquhar and then, later, by Sara Finney-Johnson and Vida Spears, two black women. So, I actually was nurtured by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-was-nurtured-by-ralph-farquhar-and-then-later-by-sara-finney/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I think pregnancy, like life, is what you make it. I received a good hand. I'm thankful and blessed and so peaceful and can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-think-pregnancy-like-life-is-what-you-make-it-i-received-a-good/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [Thank you for seeing me on the days when I couldn't see myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/thank-you-for-seeing-me-on-the-days-when-i-couldn-t-see-myself/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I went to journalism school, so sometimes writing the script of 'Being Mary Jane' is me putting my journalism hat on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-went-to-journalism-school-so-sometimes-writing-the-script-of-being/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I'm very connected and passionate about what I put out in the world, and I want to get things safely to shore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-m-very-connected-and-passionate-about-what-i-put-out-in-the-world/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [I'm not afraid of stereotypes. There are some truths to it - but the problem is that people keep sort of owning that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-m-not-afraid-of-stereotypes-there-are-some-truths-to-it-but-the/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [We still have a lot of work to do in American culture. More open-mindedness is happening - in some cases rapidly, in some, slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/we-still-have-a-lot-of-work-to-do-in-american-culture-more-open/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) [Explore all 36 Mara Brock Akil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) ## More Funny quotes > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers & think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/) Michael Fishman [Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's funny that black men, at first, were worried about a show called 'Girlfriends' because they thought that black men were gonna get bashed. They realized, 'Wait a minute - we're respected in this story.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mara Brock Akil" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were-worried-about-a-show-called/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Funny" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were-worried-about-a-show-called/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/mara-brock-akil-17615_funny_it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were_1123373.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/mara-brock-akil-17615_funny_it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were_1123373.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43b/mara-brock-akil-17615_funny_it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were_1123373.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's funny that black men, at first, were worried about a show called 'Girlfriends' because they thought…” — Mara Brock Akil", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mara Brock Akil", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's funny that black men, at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were-worried-about-a-show-called/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/it-s-funny-that-black-men-at-first-were-worried-about-a-show-called/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```