--- created: 2021-10-10 tags: created/2021/10/10, review, node/evergreen/claim aliases: - null sr-due: 2022-09-24 sr-interval: 184 sr-ease: 270 ---> [!infobox] <s class="aside-in"><em>mentioned in 2 evergreens</em></s> #### [[How Masculinity and the black identity model are represented in 'Moonlight']] #TO/TEND/GRAFT into [[The black identity has evolved past it's political origins]] [[Black identity is inseparable from other identities]] #TO/TEND/WEED #TO/TEND/PRUNE #TO/TEND/MULCH While the movie Moonlight does not directly approach racial issues, I do believe stages of the [[Black Identity model]] can be seen. The reason that black identity development is obvious at first glance in Moonlight is because Nigrescence model is primarily focused of black people's experience of racism perpetrated by white people, and Moonlight mainly takes place majority [[BIPOC]] and because the main character Chiron's identity journey is related to him being gay and not him being black. However, the homophobia Chiron experiences in Moonlight and the racism required for the Nigrescence model are linked. Despite the fact that the majority of homophobia Chiron experience is from other black people, he is forced to submit to their model of masculinity because the alternative is facing the racism of white people. Two major encounters for Chiron are when he is beat and bullied for the effeminate way that he walks and acts as a child. The ultra-masculine archetype that his peers are trying to force on him is no [[doubt]] related to the way black people have been persecuted in society. The other encounter is when one of Chiron's only positive influences communicates to him the importance of a strong black identity and intrinsic [[masculinity]] in that. These encounters push Chiron to shed his effeminate nature and pursue being a stereotypical masculine black man. I believe this phase in example of the Immersion-Emersion phase, Chiron is internalizing holding onto a negative black stereotype he is engaging positively with being black in other ways. However, I don't think he moves onto the Internalization stage until many years later, when he finally comes to terms with being gay and is able to embrace self-love now that he has shed that negative stereotype of masculinity. ### <hr class="footnote"/> **Status**:: #EVER/WEED *edited 7:35 AM - July 08, 2022* **Topics**:: [[masculinism]], [[Patriarchy]]