Before we begin, let me just say that Grey's Anatomy is one of the best shows to ever grace the airwaves of cable TV. Of the copious amounts of television that I watch, this show has remained at the top of the list, with an embarrassing number of low-budget, teenaged, vampire dramas coming in for a close second. On air for nine, incredible seasons, Grey's fans across the nation are slowly facing the reality that our Thursday nights will soon be filled by some less worth activity like homework or exercise.
Much has changed over the last season and it has left many of us wondering something along the lines of , 'Is this real life?' It seems as if everything is falling apart for those we counted on to hold it together (Bailey, Cali, Christina). And as a queer woman of color watching a show written by a woman of color, I think it's high time we took a closer look at these characters and the plot choices surrounding them.
Dr. Bailey is everyone's favorite general surgeon. We love her for the way that she keeps people in line with her no-nonsense attitude and even more for the soft heart we all know she has. In many ways, Miranda Bailey serves to create a sense of security and predictability for viewers. However, Bailey also serves to satisfy common representations of black women in the media and to live out the social realities of many women of color. Throughout all nine seasons, Bailey has played the role of the Angry Black Woman. Please see exhibits 1-3.
P.S these were not hard to find. We count on this angry Dr. Bailey so much so that we are almost shocked when she does anything other than pop off. And while Bailey is in ABW mode most of the time, she simultaneously plays an updated version of the mammy figure to all of her white interns (children). This is most evident in the first few seasons, but has been a predominant trope throughout the series.
She cares for Alex, Meridith, George, Izzy and Christina way beyond their infancy, covering up their incredibly irresponsible mistakes and many times taking blame - all the while being called 'The Nazi' behind her back. (Meridith experiences the same things when her interns begin calling her 'Medusa'.) Even after she gives birth to her own child, Bailey is required to give her most of her energy to her interns.
As a successful black woman, Miranda Bailey is expected to walk a fine line. She is at once called on to fulfill our stereotypes of black women as angry and irrational AND to defend her white colleagues -- all under the guise of black, female empowerment. In reality Miranda has little power over her work environment.
One thing we all know: Miranda Bailey should have been Chief like 3 seasons ago. But not only is she denied this opportunity - she is not even considered. Instead we get -- this dynamic trio.
Yeah- remember when Sloan was Chief...?
And this is no surprise really. How many hospital's have Chiefs that look like Miranda Bailey?
As I examine Bailey's character, I see many aspects of my own reality being reflected back to me. I often feel as though I must appease white people in order to relate to them. This might mean acting out a stereotype or censoring my thoughts for fear of being perceived as angry or unkind. These issues of race are further complicated by gender, if not for the simplest reason that the role of the Angry black woman is reserved for women.
Black men are not expected to blow up at every second, and should they become angry, their outburst would surely not be attached to their gender. It is important to question then though why Shonda Rhimes has insisted on this role for Bailey. As a woman of color herself, I must ask, What does she stand to gain from the production of this image?
For me, the answer can be found in also asking, who is consuming this media? As a writer and producer, Shonda profits by staying on the air. And the most obvious way to do this is by keeping her audience happy. So maybe the question now comes to us. What would make us so uncomfortable about Dr. Bailey becoming Chief Bailey?
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