Who TF is Reesa Teesa and Why Does She Have The Internet in a Choke Hold

If you were like me, at some point you probably found yourself wondering, “Who TF is Reesa Teesa?” the internet sensation whose real name is Tareasa Johnson, and recently became famous after launching a 50 part TikTok video series entitled, Who TF Did I Marry. Yes, you read that correctly, she made FIFTY short videos telling the story of how her husband (now ex) lied to her, and millions of people have watched ALL of them!

Now you’re probably thinking, ‘yes, women are cheated on daily by boyfriends, husbands, and partners, so what makes this woman so special?’

Johnson is special because she has done what many of us are afraid to do - publicly share our stories of betrayal, hurt and pain. We normally don’t talk about how hard marriage and relationships are. Instead, we hide behind nicely curated pictures on Instagram and Facebook, that depict the ‘happily ever after’ life we want the world to believe we live in.

Johnson’s act of vulnerability could be a case study in several fields, including mental health, entrepreneurship, and marketing. Why? Because we’ve all been through hell with an ex, yet the large majority of us are firm believers in, “What happens in this house, stays in this house!” As the old folk would say, Johnson has a lot of audacity and I am here for it! Our culture norm is to not allow anyone, especially the entire world, to see our dirty laundry. Spilling the beans about a trifling a partner is considered taboo, but Tareasa Johnson said fuck that! And now it is paying off!

Since going viral, Johnson has made her rounds on shows such as Good Morning America and the Tamron Hall Show, and as of Tuesday, she is now signed to the Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which represents world leading actors, directors, writers, producers, musical artists, athletes, and more. But where there is Black Girl Magic, you’d better believe there is going to be some hate.

Others have not been as positive or receptive regarding Johnsons vulnerable TikTok videos. Charlamagne Tha God and his Breakfast Club co-host, Jess Hilarious, referred to Johnson as being desperate because of her plus size. Then there was the influencers who stated Johnson doesn’t have the correct look to be married to a company VP (the supposedly occupation of her ex husband) because they normally go after women who look like trophy wives. Others on the internet have stated that Johnson deserved what happened to her, and a few well known actors are big mad because they feel her 5 minutes of fame don’t qualify her to work with an agency like CAA. When I tell you the public gaslighting, bullying, and micro aggressions are the nasty work of haters, believe that. And newsflash, love and success do not have a specific size or look qualification. Period.

I personally admire Johnson. Why? Because she is bold. Let’s face it - it takes a certain type of person to make 50 videos that detail the horrors of their marriage, for the world to watch! I like Johnson because she allowed herself to step outside of her comfort zone and try something new, and in the end, she is winning. But most importantly, I believe Johnson has helped to inspire generations of Black women to unloose the chains of emotional bondage that have stopped us from being vulnerable, by showing us how to be vulnerable. Unfortunately, because vulnerability isn’t encouraged in the Black community, many of us do not know how it looks, let alone how to articulate our feelings. This is where Johnson comes in. She has inspired all of us to rethink some of the cultural boundaries that have define us and our relationships. Sista girl has helped to shift the cultural paradigm.

Now in the end, you and I probably won’t get signed to a talent agency for being vulnerable, or have BMW knocking on our door, but peace of mind is priceless. Meanwhile, Johnson has blazed a trail that allows us to dismantle the secrecy that surrounds infidelity, and destroy the fallacy and filters that have upheld and glamorize the idea of the perfect relationship for centuries.

Comment below. What are your thoughts on Reesa Tessa? Would you make a video series detailing how you were cheated on by an ex? Do you think she is paving the way for Black women to be vulnerable in the digital space?

Dr. Carey Yazeed is a Behavioral Scientist, and the creator of Unbreak My Soul: How Black Women Can Begin To Heal From Workplace Trauma. To have her speak at your next event click here.