Yes, I must admit I have a guilty pleasure. I watch Bravo’s Housewives Series. I know what kind of feminist am I to watch such internalized hatred among women. I know I should be ashamed and given a timeout. But, I am not.

Honestly, I have a love/hate relationship with the entire Bravo’s Housewives’ series. I hate it because of the title of the show—Housewives—is misleading. Most of the women on the show are not housewives they are often fiercely employed independent women who are unabashedly traditionally unfeminine at times—flipping tables, opening their own businesses, and choosing happiness over marriage. I think a more sensible name of the show would be “We Are Thick as Thieves” complements of Carolyn of the New Jersey Housewives or “Who gonna check me Boo” complements of Sheree of the Atlanta Housewives. These names really get at the crux of the show which is fundamentally about drama and more drama. Because we all know either through demonstration or inference that women on the Housewives Series can as my great aunt would say, “Throw down.” Yeah, I probably deserve a time out for watching show.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pURWgjPWm0g&feature=related

But, I am somewhat addicted especially to the new series, The Housewives of DC. Mind you, I find the racial and gender politics of the show problematic in many ways and often feel as if Stacie needs a black girlfriend who stars on the show someone like Sheree to “check” some of the comments made by all the white women on the show. I know the show is suppose to be Bravo’s lame attempt to deal with race given that their racial integration of Kim on the Atlanta Housewives failed to materialize because Kim considers herself a black woman, but casting Stacie as the only black woman on the show is problematic. Stacie needs another Sistah on the show. I hate that she has to put up with Kat’s and Mary’s racist comments about who she should know given that all black people know each other (i.e. the new black stylist, Ted Gibson, in DC comment). I hate that she has to remain calm for fear of looking like the angry black woman on the show even when Kat is consistently rude and racist. I tell you white privilege is something else.

I guess I should be happy that Bravo is at least indirectly dealing with race. And not only are they dealing with race, they are dealing with race in the Capital where our first Black president resides. How exciting . . . can’t you feel my excitement [sarcasm]?  Well, I hope that at some point during the series, Stacie “checks” Kat and make her realize that her British ways are not only rude, but racist. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if Stacie flips a table or two to drive home her point. Yep, I need a time out.

So, what do you think of the DC Housewives? What do you think of Stacie on the show? Do you think Stacie should check Kat?