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NewsOne hosted a panel discussion on “African American Males Portraying Female Roles in Film and Television,” earlier this year in Dallas, Texas.

The discussion was moderated by filmmaker Warrington Hudlin. It included columnist Stanley Crouch and The Black Academy of Arts and Letters Founder Curtis King.

Below is a video of the lively discussion which had over 50 attendees sharing their thoughts on this pressing film industry issue.

VIDEO:

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TheGrio.com tackled the issue in a article in February by pointing out that many actors and producers create these roles because it is a profitable genre, disregarding the repercussions from the stereotypes they perpetuate:

Who’s to blame for this proliferation of poorly made comedies? The usual routine is to fault black audiences for not supporting more uplifting or at least, less stereotypical black films. But I think the actors themselves should be held more responsible for the roles they choose.

During the video Hudlin questioned whether these films are a form of artistic freedom.

Do you believe these type of films are a form of artistic expression, or simply a way for actors to make an extra buck?

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