Equalizer: Female Empowerment, Wisdom & Strength
The show “Equalizer” featuring Queen Latifah centers on the criminal legal system and social injustice. I analyzed many episodes that consisted of Queen Latifah as an ex-CIA operative who now spends her time solving cases that involve minorities and others who may not be able to receive justice through the normal legal process. She is a powerful, smart, and a tough woman of color who is dedicated to helping those in need. She puts herself in dangerous situations in and around New York City all while maintaining a family and home. She has a teenage daughter and is divorced coparenting with her ex-husband who is a doctor. The ex-couple are in constant conflict with raising their teenage daughter who often is exposed to her mother’s private life and business of solving crime and saving innocent people.
In many episodes she is picked on by ex-colleagues at the CIA and often forced to work cases against her will. This show is realistic to a certain degree and all the main characters are people of color. The stereotypes are typical in which there is a white man at the top of the CIA who often preys on her skills and ability to solve cases. The man usually gets the credit and has all the authority when it comes to the legal system. The main character played by Queen Latifah name is Robbin and she is a savvy, street smart, a great fighter and an expert shooter. She works with a couple who is a white man and Asian woman. They work out of a basement or underground studio using high tech equipment to aid Robbin in reviewing camera footage, conducting background checks illegally and accessing drones and other technologies to locate and confront criminals. The criminals are usually high-powered white individuals that prey on less fortunate individuals/minorities for profit and murderous activities.
Robbin has a news paper column where she solicits people who need help solving some mysterious situation that involves the legal system whether state or local. She often relies on a male friend at the main police precinct to look up suspects and make legal arrest. He is a detective that seem to be smitten by Robbin. The two appear to have a physical attraction to one another and struggle with their magnetism to one another. The detective is also on the front line and usually answers to a female police chief who he is often subject to. The show realistically display how people of color are often met with injustice and unfair treatment by the legal system. The main characters work hard to help resolve these cases and the true “bad guy” is usually a white male or organization that gets away with illegal endeavors. Both the detective and Robbin are challenged with the legal system in America that criminalize minorities and turns a blind eye to the privileged population.
Women of color are usually displayed as brown beauties who seduce men who usually protect them in the field or in the streets in these types of shows. The men in these shows usually put themselves in harms way to help these damsels in distress. One of the most curious concepts in the show is that Queen Latifah who is openly gay in real life is portraying a woman who is attracted to men only. Some scenes are awkward and unrealistic due to how she carries and presents herself as far as her mannerisms. I feel like the show is intentional to make Robbin a stereotypical “Black” woman who is single, divorced, seductive and needing a man whether white or black to solve crimes. In real life, women like Queen Latifah are usually strong, self-sufficient and do not have ex-husbands and children. I just wish the character is ok with the realistic state of women of color these days without compromise.
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