Popular reality shows like Divorce Court and Maury have been on the air for decades, often drawing viewers in with their sensationalized portrayal of conflict in Black families and between Black couples. They televise these conflicts, from chronic bickering and paternity confusion to cheating and abuse.
But besides amplifying stereotypes and making failed conflict resolution a spectacle, what does this mean for us?
Though court on TV and court in real life aren’t the same, both the television industry and the court system exploit Black pain.
Black children are overrepresented in the violent foster care system, Black parents are more likely to have their parental rights terminated, and the government racks up billions from child support debt. Judges are also not exempt from severe racial bias.
When both the representation of court in entertainment and the family court system itself damage Black families, it’s only natural we ask the question: is the system a good solution for family conflict?
In a more liberated future, divorce, child support, irreconcilable arguments, paternity testing, and even domestic abuse could still exist. But the responses and solutions to these things would no longer be criminalization and exploitation.
What would it look like if family conflict was handled by those actually invested in the well-being of Black families? How can we imagine better?