For those who read –or stumble upon– Essence Magazine, it was hit with a fire storm of letters in response to their February 2010 cover featuring Reggie Bush. Stunningly gorgeous, his presence on the cover backfired with Essence readers.

Why? Well, Reggie Bush is among a long list of Black male athletes and celebrities who are currently dating non-Black women and showing them off in as many public venues as possible. Normally, no one would care –nor look twice at his antics– but the message sent was not well-received by Black women readers. The issue –from what I can glean from the maelstrom– was aimed at “Black love.” To me, love is love, but when you put a qualifier on it (like the word “Black”) it’s meant to suggest a deeper love that is insurmountable to all of the negative messages that bombard Black men and women daily, i.e., racism, sexism, elitism, colorism, etc.

I *thought* that’s what Black love meant, but apparently I was way wrong.

If you’re a TMZ-addict, or can’t wait for magazines and tabloids to massage you with the latest celebrity news (like this site tries to do), then you’re more than aware of Kimbush (that’s for Kim Kardashian + Reggie Bush). If you’re an even deeper reader who also has the audacity to read about issues affecting Black people (especially younger Black people), then you were probably hotter than a $2 pistol on a Saturday night at the message Essence appeared to be sending (albeit, unwittingly). For the unaware, Kim Kardashian is the daughter of entertainment lawyer, the late-Robert Kardashian, and has an E! Television reality series called “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” Other readers may know her for her celebrity sex-tape with singer Brandy Norwood’s brother, Ray J.

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No one’s talent or accomplishments deserve deconstruction to the point of dismissal, but judging from the barrage of Letters-to-the-Editor, it seemed that sisters were not happy.

Why bother to mention it, you ask?

Well, when  other blogs covered the publishing melee, the general public posted very interesting responses. Overwhelmingly, people blamed Black women for feeling slighted and insulted! Wow.

The usual tired words were thrown around like some cryptic Black-women-hating secret code that everyone seemed to understand, specifically: bitter, angry, jealous and (this was a new one) nosy.

Unfortunately, this is a growing trend where everyone (and their mama) feels quite entitled to de-construct the social, cultural, psychological and physical construct of issues that impact Black women –and rarely do they know a sane Black woman. And, as usual, no one seems to come to our defense.

So what do we do when the institutions and outlets that claim to “have our back,” don’t? This is one of the reasons why the film festival was created.

Selected films in the festival don’t sugar-coat Black women, and not all of the films put us in a positive light; however, the festival actually cares enough to explore the issues that impact us, while trying to deliver the message in a supportive, proactive and impact-filled way, that promotes self-esteem, understanding and promotes positive behavior, especially between Black women.

As any woman (or person) should feel the right to say how society impacts her and her community, so should Black women. And, yes, there will be times when those who claim to support us will not. And there will be times when we are forced to rely upon ourselves –and maybe even each other– when our backs are to the wall.

The International Black Women’s Film Festival tries very hard to be a beacon of light when the hours are darkest. Even though some of us may take a misstep, it’s up to Black women to demand that our voices are heard just as clearly and strongly as anyone else’s, even in our own publications, at our own events, and in our own films.

So, let’s all do our best to make sure that those outlets that claim to speak for us, actually do…

Read Jamilah Lemieux’s response to the “Reggie Bush Issue”…