2023 Black Youth Project. What I read between the lines from Marys potential red gumball moment was that she was stuck between a man and a baby girl, figuratively and literally. She says while were led to believe that men are the most frequently abusers, not all mothers should be entrusted with the greatest responsibility in life, raising vulnerable children. Youll find the words when you start speaking. She said the onset of puberty was a trigger for the escalation of sexual abuse. They insist that it is yet another stereotypical, demonizing representation of black people. Precious, like others who have been abused, sometimes overeat (or undereat) for protection. Rain becomes a trustworthy confidant through the Journal writings which allow Precious to start to come to terms with the things that have to her. It is in part due to her mother's constant stream of violent and demeaning put downs. Perhaps, my obsession with wanting to know Marys story is based on me wanting to know Sandras story which informs my story because I am Sandras daughter. . Many were quite upset aboutthe abusive mother and wanted to know what would cause someone to engage in such monstrous acts. I'm tired of movies presenting black people as grateful to find a helping hand to rise above their abusers. She violently demands that Precious eat even when she isn't hungry. SoPrecious gets her kids back and moves away from her mother after learning she contracted HIV from her now dead rapist father. However, the sexual abuse depicted in Precious doesnt reflect what really happens in homes where children are sexually abused. If you've been sexually abused, you may be coping in one or more of the following ways. I wonder if people have any idea the statics on young black girls and xesual abuse. Dont stay silent, youre not alone. When you are 12 years old and are still dependent on your mother, you don't have the power to stop her from doing what she is doing no matter how inappropriate her behavior is, so you don't have the power to stop her. Most people don't want to believe that female perpetrators of sexual abuse exist, and certainly don't want to believe that a mother could sexually abuse her own . No choice: Mums rat-infested nightmare. Precious then tells Ms. Mary and Precious meet one last time with Mrs. Weiss. She is the mother of the protagonist Claireece "Precious" Jones. Its not a sentimental movie. She wasn't the only person to ever abuse or assault me. My mother was an alcoholic and had moved out when I was about seven. Precious is seen at home, washing dishes for her mother. The heroine and narrator of the novel Push by Sapphire (born Ramona Lofton), now a much-hyped film called Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, is the embodiment of everythingI mean,. Read an excerpt from this revealing article. Does redemption mean that Mary and Precious sing Kummbaya at the end of the film? Yes, I know that the purpose of the movie was to tell the daughters story. I must be hella sheltered and my eyes must be shut. She has learned to disassociate herself when her father is raping her. Five threaten I see in precious and her family are the following: Experienced Throughout her life Precious is subject to copious amounts of abuse and trauma. We are these kids best chance, each of us has the ability to be a childs hero. Incest appears in many of William Faulkner's works, either enacted or imagined. When the principal leaves, Mary gives in to rage and starts verbally abusing Precious and calling her any inappropriate names, blaming her for bringing "that white bitch" over. Attractive women wield more power in their households, study finds, Universal Theistic Satanism vs Christianity. What were the political, social, cultural, and economic forces intersecting to shape how she saw her daughter and how she saw herself? The lesson I walk away with is that we need to open our eyes as a society as a whole. I often watch films to see how we are portrayed in others eyes. Violence: Aside from the aforementioned sexual abuse from her dad and Mom, Mary also abuses Precious physically by hitting her with pots, a potted plant and dishes and verbally by saying really . The nurse (played by Lenny Kravitz) is eating healthy, natural, organic food. She found her 13-year-old under his covers . She is slapped, kicked and has things thrown at her. And with ourselves. Soon after, Precious goes to the welfare office. Celebrity Alley - Celebrity News and Gossip. Knowing the female theyve been living with has been faithful in the production of a child., For siblings, social cues such as living in the same home, being cared for and breast-fed by the same woman, are important clues to kinship that kick in even before morality is taught, Lieberman says: These systems rely on a family structure that is typical over our evolutionary history. Putting everything and ever other race aside..it is RAMPANT in the community. I hope that me speaking will help someone else know theyre not alone. But that's fiction. Join the Lipstick Alley 2023 NCAA Tournament Challenge. Fathers who do sexually abuse their daughters may be unsure the child is theirs. She fathered two of his children, and the first born has Down syndrome. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Who are the fathers? The film tells the story of Claireece (Precious) Jones and her struggle to survive a life overfull with misery. Precious is not hungry, but she ends up eating the meal. You're a dummy, bitch! Precious is at home washing dishes when her mom, Mary, (MoNique) who is unemployed and watches $10,000 Pyramid all day, asks Precious if she is going to start cooking. This time Mary has had it with Precious. The book defines and describes sexual abuse by mothers as experienced by adult women when they were children. It is clear early in the film that Precious's mother has failed in her . Making her daughter "fat" helps to ensure that others will reject her. Even then, the son is likely to initiate. Precious was the victim of incest, and impregnated twice by her father. The "Precious" star . (One "down" involves a flashback of Mary calling Precious "a dumb bitch".). Cheap, low quality foods that do not nurture their minds or bodies are a staple part of their diet. When you disconnect from your body, you no longer feel your hunger. She discovers in therapy that her illness is the result of having been sexually abused by her mother. AND read the book. If this story has brought up anything for you, contact 1800 Respect on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Talkin' 'bout some higher education? If you are going to edit a lot, then make yourself a user and login. Her father impregnates her twice and infects her with an STD that eventually kills. Nicola*, who is now in her mid 20s, was sexually, physically and emotionally abused by her mother from a young age. "Precious" Sixteen year-old Clarice Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe, Oscar-nominated for her film debut) is pregnant by her father with her second child. Here, she shares her story. I could relate so much and I just started crying because the system is so effed up and that's why I hate working within it. He attempted suicide before he was 20. Who the f*** she thinks she is?! JavaScript is disabled. An obese ill irate 16-year-old Clarice Precious Jones who lived with her dysfunctional and abusive mother, Precious has been raped by her father Carl numerous of times resulting in two pregnancies. Once Precious and Abdul are gone, Mary returns to her home. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! With the help of a very determined alternative school teacher named Miss Rain, Precious discovers her . I wanted just a hint that she would also escape the hell that was (is) urban poverty. Again, it is a gripping story. I liked sex and didn't have any weird hangups about it, and I was able to easily form and maintain romantic relationships. Her self-esteem instead hinges on her education and care for her children. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Precious is not an easy movie to watch, and there are people in the black community who wish that you wouldn't. These rapes continued until Precious was 16 years old. Comic books Mary is thecruel, narcissistic mother of the novel's main character,Precious, whom she subjects to constant verbal, physical and sexual abuse. As a teenager, I found girls attractive. Precious' home was full of domestic violence and she was verbally, physically, and emotionally abused. If you find that you needastronger dosage ofpositive images of African Americans imagesI hope you have access to TV One. "It was a time. The mother experienced, most likely, a chronic lack of empathy. In the film, Mary is portrayed by actress Mo'Nique, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the role. Family like Precious grandmother should have stepped up and protected this child and notified proper authorities that something was not right at home. . Rain becomes more than a teacher to Precious. Would you like to get a custom case study? Does anyone else feel behind because we lost two years due to pandemic? Updated: 17:43, 29 Jun 2018. When I was 11, I made a similar move on a girl at a party. And one of 'ems a goddamn animal, runnin' 'round lookin' crazy as a mothaf***a? [emailprotected] Precious doesnt have many informal supports in her life. Mind you, there are many critiques I could write about the movie. For many years, I didnt realise that what happened to me was sexual abuse. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Psychology and the Mystery of the "Poisoned" Schoolgirls. While Abdul is fine, Precious finds out she is HIV positive. Now, I realise, I was about to have an orgasm. Just because he gon' give you more children than he gave me, you think you're something f***in' special?! The biggest travesty of all is that even after Precious states in her Journal that her father was her childrens father no outside agency was notified. In addition to throwing pans at Precious and calling her names, Precious's mother either starves her daughter or forces her to overeat and berates her for going to school. Mary catches Precious trying to give the candy back to Mongo, but refuses her to give her back the candy and ordersher to put it back on the floor. Even In her community she Is physically assaulted and made fun of, causing her to have low self-esteem. No, but it does mean that Mary is not seen as the originator of evil. It was only as an adult that she realised how wrong her mums behaviour was. Precious has a pregnancy and a child with Down syndrome from him. This includes anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder as well as emotional eating, obesity and body image dissatisfaction. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 'Cause you ain't s**t! The teacher asked how it felt to speak up. Her father impregnates her twice and infects her with an STD that eventually kills him. I still have a whole heap of weird notions around sex that I dont have the words to talk about. No matter how much she gets beat down by the people in her life, her strong will and determination rise above and keep her going. Reactions. Still, I understand people who complain about the lack of positive role models more than those who applaud just for telling this story. Mary expresses unapologetic interest in reuniting the family, including Mongo. The 63-year-old who is the manager of Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust (MSSAT) in Christchurch, said he believed sexual abuse at the hands of both men and women, remained massively under reported. I think you tryin' me. What's your top five cities for overall quality of life for ADOS? Hey, I told yall, yall have to get the hell away from me and do for yourselves and look yall have done that and that makes me proud. You see, its possible for black mothers to love their daughters even in conditions that society labels as the most damned conditions or when they do not always choose the choices of June Cleaver and Claire Huxtable. From a Precious Doe to finally getting her name back, Erica Green, Miss Ukraine takes care of the wounded soldiers, Trigger Warning: Dog mutilated near the scene of Idaho Student Murder weeks prior, 'Mommy, somebody just tried to take me': Teen calls mom after abduction attempt in Akron, New Documentary On Precious Hope St. Louis Jane Doe, People who feign illness and refuse to take sick days, Left to take care of sick deadbeat dadwanna put him in a home. Rarely does a movie devastate and uplift you at the exact same moment. She lives with her mother Mary Jones, who was entropic and abusive to her. We may earn a commission from links on this page. This has caused Precious herself to exhibit aggressive and violent behavior. When Precious awakens, she realizes the rain is actually Mary throwing a pot of water on her face to revive her. **For the record, I do understand that this movieunfortunately falls into the classofdisproportionate negative portrayals of African Americansin the media. Depending on who you are, where you grew up, and, frankly, the color of your skin, you'll most likely react in one of two ways to Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire. These personality types may beso damaged that they are unable to even see their children as real people with feelings and needs. Preventing Precious from modulating her own hunger is another way of abusing Precious' body and violating her personal boundaries. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. She didnt have a bed for us when we stayed. At the age of eight, Maya went to stay with . In 1987, Precious is 16 years old, illiterate, pregnant for the second time (once again with her own father's child), and still attending junior high. But this does not please Mary. My mum talked to me very explicitly about sex since I was very young. . "I didn't like her. She says while we're led to believe that men are the most frequently abusers, not all mothers should be entrusted with the greatest responsibility in life, raising vulnerable children. Also the movie addresses the self hatred that we have as a community because of our skin color. Precious has died of AIDS several years after being diagnosed. To me, something universal is about the, In addition, not to say that it won't be a highly entertaining, enlightening, or interesting movie for some viewers, because I'm sure it. Maya and Bailey were sent from California to the segregated South to live with their grandmother, Momma. And of course, once we add into the mix issues of race and class, the choices women make are not always June Cleaver and Claire Huxtable types of choices. Yes, the book was way more disturbing then the movie. Promiscuity is an issue that may lead fathers to be unsure of parentage. Mary then responds by throwing a heavy pan at Precious, knocking her out. She is painfully aware of her problematic eating. So, it was a walk in the park for Lee Daniels. We also can't forget Lee Daniels, Tyler Perry and Oprah (and many others) who got this movie to the theaters. If people apologize for their mistakes, are you obligated to forgive them? She was told as all little black girls are told: Youre beautiful light skinned black girl and because youre beautiful people will buy you things for you, Sandy. She was told as all women are told: Prince Charming will come and take care of you. She was told as all working class people of color are told: Just get a diploma and you will find a good job. She was told as all women are told: Dont have too many women around theyre take your man and some of them are gay. She was told as all abused women are told : I hit you but I love you. She was told many things that hid and cloaked intersecting systems of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and capitalism. Derma Rolling/ Needling works to grow back edges. Maureen Wood kept her horrific childhood abuse secret for three. It will leave you reeling emotionally. Here, Sarah, from NSW, shares her experience. We need to be observant to our neighbors, childrens friends and any other children we come into contact with. Director Lee Daniels Writers Geoffrey Fletcher (screenplay) Sapphire (novel "Push") Stars Gabourey Sidibe Mo'Nique That wasnt enough of an explanation. Bitch, you know what? One of the saddest portions of the film to me was seeing Precious looking at herself in the mirror and seeing the reflection of a young white blond girl.. What Precious had to go through was horrible, but that doesn't mean that it is something that we can all relate to. If I had been in Ms. Rains shoes I would hope that I would have wanted answers to these questions and had the instinct to know that this was not the typical inner city teenage struggling with poverty and issues common in an urban society. Being overweight leaves her vulnerable to taunts by classmates, boys on the street and her mother. The layers around her protect her from the sexual advances of others. I am an admin of this site. Get it off your f*cking face! There's no swelling crescendos. Its raw and real.