To start of with, this isn't a review of Power nor is it a spoiler of any kind; this is just a reflection of how art imitates life-relationships in particular.
Enter: Tasha St. Patrick, portrayed by R&B singer Naturi Naughton (Lottery Ticket; The Client List). In the show, she's married to Omari Hardwick's (Miracle at St. Anna; A-Team) character James "Ghost" St. Patrick. In the show, James is working hard to leave his world of drug dealing and start a string of legitimate night clubs starting with the one he uses to launder his money through. Again, this is not a review nor an endorsement for the cable show.
Changing the subject briefly, in marriages the couple is supposed to be together until death do you part. That means both sides, the male and female must keep their love for each other strong on those good days and times when the days aren't so good. Unfortunately, there are times when that doesn't always happen and that's where couples divorce and fight for custody of the children and friends/family take sides.
Marriages are hard and real couples must work daily to keep them strong. However, when one or both parties cheat, it's a tragic thing because there's a lot of betrayal and the outcome doesn't seem positive.
What does this have to do with Power and why am I comparing real life relationships to a television program? Well for those who knows the show, James (Ghost as he's referred to the most on the show) cheated on is wife with an old friend from high school who just happened to be an assistant district attorney slated to take down his organization. This affair not only slowly cost Ghost his marriage, it cost him his own freedom, his family's finances, his children's safety and welfare, and scores of other issues you'll have to watch the show to find out.
Henceforth my issue with the show and relationships. Yes, a lot of people criticized Ghost for the affair but it was nothing compared to when his wife Tasha started to have her own love affair. First, she was having an affair with Ghost's driver before he was murdered by his father (portrayed by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson) and now currently with the attorney who accepted their case when Ghost was framed for murder. She was ripped throughout the internet as some kind of whore who just destroyed the family dynamic. Henceforth my opinion.
I'm not a huge fan of infidelities on either side I've been cheated on in past relationships and yes, I have cheated in past relationships and neither of which had good outcomes. For me however this situation is a little different. Now don't get me wrong. I'm a strong believer in two wrongs don't make a right but I am a believer in "don't hate the player, hate the game". Not that anyone is or should be playing games but Tasha played the role of the loyal wife. The "ride or die" chick so to speak. She was with her husband loyal since day one. She even stayed for a while after the affair.
Each time when Tasha had her affairs, she wasn't seeking them nor was she looking to get back at her husband. She believed in her heart that her husband made his decision to do what he wanted to do. This was her decision. Men and women make these choices daily but it bothers me when society as a whole is harder on the woman. Men can talk about their escapades all the time and be regarded as pimps and players while females get called whores for theirs.
You can even see this in Ghost's affair with ADA Angela Valdez (portrayed by Lela Loren). There was more hatred for her on the internet than the man who started the affair in the first place. We often hear the term "side chicks" as if it's some rite of passage for us men. Let's be perfectly clear. Stop vilifying women for participating in affairs that men start. If I didn't choose to step out on my relationship in the first place to have the affair then the side chick would have no power.
Before you say "women do it too", yes they do. Yes, they are wrong too when they do it but right now I'm picking on us men. Our names are very rarely dragged through the mud. Real life examples, when prominent men like Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods were outed for their affairs, all people were interested in the women. The women were dragged through the mud on late night talk shows and stand up comedy shows. The Internet is worse, especially social media. From the jokes to the conversations, females are treated badly.
The objectification of women is terrible in this country and it's not even just with entertainment. It takes place in government, the workplace, schools and more. Again, I'm not endorsing, nor am I preaching at this point, I'm just bringing up a point.