Black masculinity in Tyler Perry's 'Diary of a Mad Black Woman'

Mediated images of white men are far more varied than images of black men, which are often recycled stereotypes. The thesis analyzed the three male characters in the film Diary of a Mad Black Woman to assess (1) Whether these characters promote or subvert negative stereotypes of black men, and (2) The significance of the subversion or promotion of negative stereotypes of black men. I compared the Diary characters to a list of negative characteristics often found in mediated images of black men. Analysis of the characters led to the conclusions that all three characters were more complex and varied than any stereotype.