The Empowerment of Black Female Characters in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther (2018): An Intersectional Analysis

Abstract

[eng] Black women’s presence in film and popular culture has been historically neglected due to their gender and race. Their representation on screen has been generally based on stereotypical depictions that not only oppress but also sexualise black women. When considering the superhero genre, it can be argued that if the presence of white women in significant roles is scarce and sexualised, in the case of black women such portrayal is barely inexistent. For this reason, this paper aims at exploring Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther’s (2018) characterisation of black women who are not only visibilised but are also depicted as empowered individuals as opposed to conventional representations of women of colour, which is also significant in the context of the fourth wave of feminism (2012–). While the protagonist and superhero of the film continues being a man and such female characters are secondary, this paper reveals how these women are given visibility and paramount roles and, therefore, they challenge not only previous stereotypical depictions but also a Western male hegemonic discourse. Indeed, the analysis of such characters will be carried out taking as starting point concepts and insights coming from women’s studies and black feminism in particular, which will be crucial in the comprehension of the obstacles faced by black women.