Byera Kashangaki
Contributing Writer
Raw, explicit, addictive. These are the three words I would use to describe one of HBO’s finest: “Insecure.” There is an unmatched intensity in the show that captivates the viewer from the first scene; immediately, there is an instant connection to the characters and their daily encounters. The show stars Hollywood’s Issa Rae who plays Issa, as well as her best friend Molly who are both juggling their careers and navigating relationships.
The show starts off with Issa dating a Black man named Lawrence. They go through a series of intense love making, yelling at each other from across the room and break-up sex to make-up sex. Issa’s insecurity leads her to making decisions that she regrets — cheating on Lawrence with her ex-boyfriend. The regret chews her up inside even though she manages to keep it from Lawrence for some time. However, as expected, he finds out and the scene ruptures into an emotional turn of events when Lawrence, irate, yells at her in disbelief and their relationship comes to a dramatic conclusion. Issa resents herself for her actions and goes through internal conflict for a significant amount of time after the breakup. Her work suffers, and she confides in Molly about the situation. While Issa battles with her thoughts and tries to forgive herself, Molly continues making strides with her career as she figures out what she wants in a man. She is classy, sophisticated and intelligent yet seems to be struggling on the relationship frontier where she has a few flings here and there despite her insatiable desire for a man to see her as worthy beyond sexual intercourse.
This show tells an important story of what it means to be a woman and what it means to be Black. For many young Black women, it is a story that they can relate to because it encapsulates the reality of their lives. The show also challenges the notion that men are always the cheaters, demonstrating that women are capable of cheating as well, which is just as inexcusable. However, we do see that Issa’s self-worth is largely determined by how men perceive her which exposes how influential the male gaze is over Black women’s lives. It is beautiful nonetheless, to see the success of a Black woman like Molly who works in a senior position in her law firm. Black women watching this would be happy to see her succeed and have a significant voice of reason in her workplace, as there are not too many series that represent Black women in the same light.
As a Black woman, I can say that it warms my heart to witness such powerful women on the screen, taking on such empowering roles. There is also some nuance in how the men are depicted in the show, where they are supportive and protective over women. Lawrence was loyal and caring towards Issa and was determined to make things work even when Issa gave him many reasons to leave. He fought for their relationship to last but was too heartbroken after she cheated which made him resent her—that was the ultimate turning point for his character. There is a sense of sympathy we feel for Lawrence as viewers, knowing that he did not deserve that. Overall, the show is comical, dramatic, intense and should be watched by suitable audiences who might relate to its content.