Oprah took the opportunity to touch on a subject that continues to overwhelmingly affect black Americans. On Oprah’s latest episode of “Oprah’s Lifeclass,” she tackled the subject of sons who were raised without their fathers.
Oprah called on her friend, Iyanla Vanzant to help her moderate that show which attempted to get at the root issues of why some fathers leave their children. They also took a brief look at how absent fathers can affect society as a whole. Although Oprah should be commended for her effort to tackle such a delicate issue, the execution was somewhat flawed.
Iyanla Vanzant should not have been a major part of the show. Vanzant made adequate points but perhaps she was the wrong messenger. The show would have resonated more with men if her seat was occupied by a respected strong male.
The show was built as a forum to speak directly to men with the hopes of offering awareness and improvement. However, the show came off as women speaking to men on how to be men. That’s where the execution failed.
Truthfully, most men who needed to hear that message would likely turn off because it wasn’t coming from a male view point. When it comes to issues of fatherhood and parenting, men need to hear those messages from other men who have successfully raised a family.
A male moderator would have made the message clear for men who are struggling with their roles as fathers.
Share your thoughts. Do you think Oprah should have featured a male moderator, or do you agree with her choice to use Iyanla Vanzant?
