Different Strokes for Different Folks

A surface reading of The Project Chick by Nikki Turner might yield an interpretation that that the themes and characters presented in the novel represent a rhetoric that encourages traditional gender roles, and the submission and objectification of women. However after looking deeper within the text and taking account of intersections of race, class and gender, details of the story contain a more feminist framework than what might initially be assumed. A good way to identify feminist tendencies in this novel is to pay close attention to the women, the ways in which they exercise power and agency, and understanding the complexities of the roles the men in their lives play.

Looking specifically at Tressa, it is important to understand that class, access and income are factored into her romantic relationships, thus forcing her to be cognizant of her financial well-being when making decisions regarding the men in her life. While her reliance on men might seem at first to fall within the bounds of gendered norms, much of it is rooted less in companionship and more in the affordances, both material and otherwise, that the men she is involved with can offer her. In the same vein, she must consider what can be lost in severing ties with the men in her life and how it might impact her reality. This is evident in all of her relationships as she closely considers what each potential partner can offer her, measuring the risks against the rewards. The men who are allowed to be in Tressa’s life must have something significant to offer up that will benefit her life and her circumstances. Her relationships with men, while on the surface, seem to revolve around and run by them, are actually motivated by her personal necessities and desires. The men in, or potentially in, her life, are valued for their resources and serve as a source of Tressa’s survival. Tressa’s priority is the well-being and safety of herself and her family, and her environment is set up in such a way that a part of ensuring that security has to do with how a man might able to contribute. Her decisions then, are strategic and while they might not overcome historicized and instutionalized gender, racial and class oppressions, she exercises power by working within her reality and being the ultimate decider over those actions that fall within her control.

If we bind notions and definitions of feminism to specific traits such as, independence, financial and otherwise, from men, we disregard other ways in which women might claim or exercise independence. This therefore excludes as well as disregards, narratives in which women are navigating intersections of gender, class and racial oppressions. Turner’s A Project Chick, and Tressa herself as an embodiment of intersectional feminism, to a substantial degree, help to expand an understanding of feminism which makes it possible to view it through a variety of lenses and from multiple angles. One of the most important characteristics of feminism and feminist thought is its plurality. It is important to be aware of the bounds in which some women with certain identities might be working within, that are different from those narratives that have in the past, and today still, represent [mainstream] feminism.

Women against Men vs. Women against Women

At first I was a little disappointed after reading A Project Chick because I felt like Tressa was very dependent on men throughout the book. I felt as though she was dependent on men for money and that the situations in which she accepted money from men were inappropriate. For example, after engaging in sexual acts with Mr. Bill, “…he handed her a wad of cash, and said. ‘Told you I was gonna look out for you real good, here’s a little something to help you out’” (Turner, pg. 138). 

However, I did see some positive aspects of the story. It seemed that although Tressa often looked for help from men, especially financial help, it was the women in her life that she could really count on. Wiggles was there for her from the day she decided to leave Lucky, and she provided her with money and shelter. Her neighbor, Joan, also provided support and a job opportunity. The major difference between these women and the men she depended on was that the women did not expect anything in return for their help. They gave selflessly, while the men gave to her expecting her to continue to show them a “good time”. Joan and Wiggles were the ideal examples of how women should support each other. Wiggles who had barely anything to her name still worked to supply Tressa with whatever she could, even if it was just time to babysit the kids. Her neighbor also did everything in her power to help Tressa such as, giving her money, storing her clothes, and giving her the opportunity to work for her sister. These women who were from completely opposite situations and backgrounds did their part to help a women in need despite any class or race difference.

            There were also negative aspects addressed of the relationships between women. Among the black women and Tressa there was often hate and jealousy. Between Tressa and Joan’s sister there was discrimination.  For example, Tressa felt the need to show off her expensive purchases in the hair salon, while Gypsy felt the need to make Tressa feel embarrassed about her financial situation. Tressa states, “Sometimes you just gotta pay the cost and take the lost, simply to put a bitch in her place, and keep their head wondering” (pg. 105). Both Tressa and Gypsy were in tough financial situations and they could have supported each other instead of envying each other. On the other hand Joan’s sister originally refused to pay Tressa at the pay rate she deserved based on the money she brought into the company. She took advantage of Tressa’s situation since she knew how badly she must need the job.

            This novel points out how women can decide to build each other up or tear each other down. It also shows how women can be the support group for other women when they are in unfortunate situations. It shows positive views of how black women and white woman can work together and how black women can work with other black women. It also shows the negative point of view about how dangerous and wrong it is for black women and white women to tear down other black women. Finally, it shows the backbone that the black women have even after being torn down by degrading men, envious women, and unfortunate circumstances.

Gypsy: Tressa's Antithesis

One passage of the novel that I found particularly intriguing was the one that describes Gypsy. Her description to me seems to illuminate not her own feminist power, but Tressa's. Gypsy is described as being a very strong woman. Her motto is that "pussy is power"(114) and that so long as she is able to use this body part, she will have power. She uses it to get money from men by "purposely" (115) getting pregnant or simply prostituting herself. She works as a hair dresser, but this isn't how she makes her money. She uses it to fill in gaps, but mostly relies on men to sponsor what she wants. To her, "motherhood is a business investment," just another thing that she can do to make money. She chooses the fathers carefully so that she knows they will financially take care of her and her children. She is extremely selfish, has no friends, and admits to caring about no one but herself.

This personality is starkly contrasted with Tressa's. Tressa is almost the opposite of Gypsy. She cares very deeply about others. She visits Taj in jail whenever she can, supports him even when she barely has money, dreams about going to college, and never asked for Lucky to shower her with gifts like he does. Were the roles reversed, we can be pretty sure that Gypsy would take Lucky for all he's worth and not care at all. But Tressa doesn't do that. She is a hard worker. And what's more, she cares very deeply for her sons. She doesn't view them as a business enterprise but rather as her family. She will do almost anything for her sons - even Lucky recognizes that. What's more, she works hard to build a good life for herself. When she decides to leave Lucky she takes matters firmly into her own hands and gets an apartment, works to make it clean, and creates a safe place for her sons. She also encourages Wiggles to go to rehab and supports her when she does. Tressa and Gypsy are both single women who are in one way or another empowered (though through different means).

What's interesting though, is that they had extremely similar childhoods. Tressa had an abusive stepfather and a mother who was incarcerated (and later died). She has had to work three jobs to support herself in school and give the leftovers to Taj. Gypsy had a drug-addict mother who couldn't make enough money to feed the family. So Gypsy started doing hair to make money. She became the breadwinner for herself and her mother. But despite such similar beginnings, both women end up becoming empowered in very different ways. This to me is supposed to highlight Tressa's more subtle feminine strength. Gypsy is very clearly independent and strong and at first look, appears to be a clear feminist. But comparing her strength to Tressa's highlights the pure, truly impressive power that Tressa has. And also highlights that Gypsy's power still comes from men. Yes she is independent, but she is gaining power from men. Tressa is truly independent and doesn't rely on men for her power. Upon closer inspection, she actually appears to be the 'freer' of the two women. I think that Gypsy serves to enlighten readers on how amazing and strong Tressa is and show that women can gain freedom without resorting to selling their bodies and reproductive functions.

Money Talks, B/S Walks Analysis

Tressa is a smart, strong black woman who undergoes challenges when dealing with her boyfriend and the father of her children, Luck. There are multiple undertones, side stories, and hidden messages within the text that are important to unpack in order to see a larger picture—Tressa’s story is not fictional or isolated. It is not unique or unfathomable. Sadly, her narrative resembles the reality of many African American single mothers in lower socioeconomic environments.

I am a firm believer that people are products of their environments. I think Turner uses this theory in her approach to show just how much of Tressa’s life is out of her control. Her immediate family, abusive stepfather, her incarcerated mother (who died tragically from “suicide”), her incarcerated brother, have all greatly impacted her life’s trajectory. Her boyfriend’s circumstances, his drug dealing ways, his criminal record, his abusive behavior resulting from his mother’s abuse, are all factors that go into the way Tressa is treated.

One section (Money Talks, B/S Walks) I was extremely upset about was the pay phone scene following Tressa’s departure from Luck’s house. This chapter connects specifically to the controlling behavior of Luck. He is so guilty and so insecure that he is forced to control her. The little comments he’s made, “Where you going to go with two babies? Who gonna want you?" (Turner 47), give me chills. I am so frustrated with Luck’s mentality and his carelessness and the reckless abandon he exhibits towards his children. “Well scrammmm, since you want it like this. I ain’t going to help you do shit for the kids. Make that shit do what it do…If I ain’t a part of your life, you cant get no type of help from me”(Turner 123). If anything, this behavior is the first domino of a cycle that is deadly. This is so hurtful to hear from a male figure. As Tressa tries to lie to her sons about their father’s absence, it is heartbreaking to see that Luck is more concerned with Tressa snitching than actually taking care of his children. Some argue that many of the issues in the black community can be attributed to absence of male role model figures. I wholeheartedly believe that people overlook the importance of having a stable household amongst the noise that comes with socioeconomic issues and an unhealthy environment/lifestyle.

Final thought: 
In this novel, Money gives people power and control over others. It is the only thing Luck can hold against Tressa and it's the only thing Tressa thinks about when debating to leave Luck. So what can be said about drugs as a source of revenue and livelihood in Turner's novel? It says everything. Luck doesn't care abut Tressa or the boys. Only the reality that Tressa could ruin his business. Ultimately, Money and love are used interchangeably. Does that mean that women in Tressa's situation are likely to put up with abuse for this "financial affection"? Is it all worth it in the end?

Female Power in A Project Chick

A Project Chick paints a new definition of femininity and womanhood as the women of the novel navigate and survive the systems of oppression that they are living within. Tressa is described as the perfect woman and mother, who is doing everything she can to stay afloat after leaving her abusive boyfriend. The novel states that she “was very meek, humble and the definition of a lady. But don’t get it twisted, because her spunk and feistiness would make one think she had the heart of a lion” (150). Thus, we see a new definition of womanhood emerging as Tressa must develop strength to navigate the class, race, and gender discrimination that she faces.

More women in the novel are presented as strong and independent with a strong sense of self. Tressa’s hair stylist Gypsy believed and “lived by her motto, “Pussy is Power”, and as long as she had a well and clean coochie between her legs, there laid the power” (157). Despite this strong picture of the women in the novel, they still rely on men for financial help. For Gypsy, the novel also foregrounds the fact that “the guys she dated would pay her double, sometimes triple the money she made, so her hobby, her hustle, to do hair became second to her seeing her male friends” (159) and furthermore, “she saw opportunity and purposely got pregnant” (160). Gypsy strategically uses the men in her life to support her and her family financially.

The novel constantly draws attention to the precarious position of women’s finances, in that they are extremely strong and independent while still dependent on men to live a more comfortable life. We see this after Tressa leaves Lucky, “Tressa’s life had changed tremendously in the past few months since she had left Lucky. A dollar didn’t come easy” and “there were so many sacrifices she had to make” (154). Tressa also recognizes some of the various systemic obstacles and oppressions that face her when she says that it “seems like you have to commit some fraud just to stay afloat” (181). Again we see this reworking of womanhood for survival with Tressa’s relationship with Bill. She recognizes the mutual benefits of their relationship when she says that she “didn’t feel like a prostitute at all, she was getting paid for her services and doing what she had to do” (217) and “Tressa was definitely grateful because that money came in handy” (230) and it “enabled her to get ahead a little” (236). Thus, relationships with men become devices to help the women live a more stable life.

Within this dynamic, the novel also foregrounds class politics in which people reject low class status through consumption and material goods. Thus, although Tressa is in need for financial support, she rejects outright asking for help. The novel states that, “Tressa reflected that she didn’t want to put herself in the situation of making Jacko think, for one minute, that she needed him” and she “didn’t want to feel ‘needy’” (207). We see the motivations behind this throughout the novel, because “she didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for her or looking down on her” (183). Overall, the women in this novel have a lot of strength and agency despite their oppressions. Although they navigate this system and build their own lives, they are still very dependent on men for financial support. However, in my opinion, this is still a very strong representation of women because Nikki Turner emphasizes the fact that it is their choice to use the men and they also continually reject outright victimization, which, similar to Jacobs’s choices in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, grant the women more agency and power over their lives and bodies.

A Project Chick: Perception of Power

The dynamics of relationships that Turner writes out for us include a few specific things: money and trust.  Money is something that often times starts relationships because this seems to be what some women want from these men who have it. Tressa said "I seen the looks they were giving me tonight," when she is talking about the other girls in the club (44).  Other women envied her because being Lucky's girl meant that she had access to his money and she was being taken care of.  Turner gives the impression that "being taken care of" means being well off and having plenty of money for luxury.  Perception about relationships also plays a huge part in the story Turner is telling us because even when Tressa was talking with Lucky about how the girls were looking at her in the club, she was "trying not to let on that she liked the feeling of envy and the thought of being his girl" (44).  She didn't want to give the impression that she was like the other girls who only wanted the money.  She proves this when Lucky tests her with the paper bag with $100,000 in it (44, 45). 

Perception of power comes into play again when Tressa finds out another woman was living in her apartment after Lucky bought her a house for their family.  Lucky tries to turn it on Tressa when she says that "I am not the one who's unfaithful here. You are!" (63).  Lucky comes back with "Well, you ain't answer your phone" (63).  He continues on and almost threatens her with "well, where are you going to go with two babies? Who gonna want you? Who is going to treat you like me?" (64).  We can see here again the message Turner is alluding to that power comes along with having money.  Tressa knows she is right, Lucky knows cheating is wrong, but because Lucky has the money he can do what he pleases.  All he thinks he needs to do is make Tressa "unappealing" to other men which he thinks occurs because she has the twins. Lucky also thinks because he has the money that Tressa needs him and she wouldn't dare leave because  she can't support herself. Little did he know that this perception is not reality. 

A Project Chick: Consciously Playing the Game

"Consciously playing the game, but never being able to win" seems to be a theme within the Black community. How can one win a game they were never given a fair chance to win? One they were never intended to win? 

Turner seems to be making this argument when she details the difference in drug convictions between Whites and Blacks under judiciary law. "The 'white man's candy' or drug of choice was usually powder cocaine, and the sentencing guidelines were set up to give less prison time than a person caught with crack. Obviously, more minorities sold and used crack." (pg. 18) A system set in place not created for Blacks, a system Turner seems to recognize, is one that instead condemns and subdues them. It condemns them to become bodies within the penal systems capitalistic agenda. It subdues because these systems force blacks to succumb to a livelihood of drugs, gangbanging, etc. in order to live. I don't believe that it is ignorance that prompts blacks into their stereotypical roles of gangster, killer, gangbanger, deadbeat, or hoe; it is the aforementioned systems — systemic and societal constructs. I actually believe that it is the awareness of these systems itself that creates these images of blacks; the consciousness of being an active participant in this game and knowing that, by playing it fairly means losing themselves to a life of regret; it is not an option. The only way that someone who is not white and male can play this game fairly is to sacrifice parts of themselves, to assimilate to who the game was intended for (primarily white males, and in other instances, just males). I see these stereotypical characters (i.e gangbanger, gangster, hoe, welfare queen, etc.) as a sort of resistance to that assimilation; an awareness and a resistance.

This mentality of resistance to "the man" is generational. When Tuner writes, "...Taj was true to the game...He was a conscious player in the game, and was fully prepared to sleep in the bed he made when the heat came...[Tressa] fully respected the rules and principles of the game he molded into her" (pg. 14, italics mine). On the surface, this could be read that Taj was true to the game of drug slinging, but from a pro-resistance and personal feministic lens, I read this as Taj being true to himself in fighting systemic racial politics that condemn him and that he is extending the fight to his sister. Ironically, Taj is in prison at this point when Turner writes this. “…the same kinds of people Taj surrounded himself with on the streets were the same type of people who mostly ended up in the prison system,” (pg 23) because they were all fighting against the same constructs on the streets. “Taj was a real gansta on the street s an only carried it gansta while in prison. He only dealt with other real guys…there was always a sucker or weak dude trying to get brownie points by trying Taj.” (pg. 23) This quote demonstrates that being a resister is not a choice for some —for those like Taj in the real world—, but is a lifestyle carried from one system to the next, from one group to the next, with friend and with foe. “After all, prison is a world within itself. Lifelong relationships are built; friends, enemies, and bonds are made behind bars, while principles and rules are applied and broken.” (pg. 23).