On February 27, 2014, actress Lupita Nyong'o gave a moving speech at the 7th annual ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood luncheon in Beverly Hills and reactions to this speech continue to plague social media sites. Although I had a reaction formed in my head, I tried to stay away from commenting but couldn't. Simply because I realize that color continues to be a black person's dilemma and needed to be spoken of. Today's society has made it so that what we wear, think, do, and feel remains a direct product of what we see in the media. Thus, Lupita on a global scale was able to validate that being black is just as beautiful by saying: "there is no shame in black beauty." To be in a position of influence is a privilege, and it is great to see that she is using this global platform for a greater purpose and truly hope this purpose is not hindered by the pressures of being a celebrity. Just like everything else in the media, things come and go within a blink of an eye. And although this speech was so moving, I wish that among others this message becomes ingrained in the hearts and minds of black women and men across the nations.
The strive for beauty as seen in the African, American, and Caribbean cultures is seen by the self-inflicted harm of bleaching our skin. This is obviously the standard prescribed by the media as beauty. I never understood the concept of someone completely changing their skin complexion. As one who suffered from acne for over a decade, I fell prey of bleaching creams namely hydroquinone as an ingredient; all because I wanted to rid my skin of blackheads-the awful aftermath of acne. As I watched my skin tone change to the point where I could no longer recognize myself, I knew that this was going against my belief that God made us the way he intended with no mistakes. Along with the expensive wet-n-wavy Indian hair on my head, I noticed that I was receiving more compliments from both Caucasian and Hispanic males. This actually offended me as I compared the attention I previously received. So this caused me to do extensive research on skin bleaching and the harmful ingredients found in these products. Well, for starters, The color change is superficial and not internal unless you take oral products to alter your melanin production. I can imagine how Lupita felt, when I and many others have been told over and over again that African men find light skin black women more attractive. I mean you have darker women bleaching to become lighter, and even lighter-skinned black women bleaching to highlight their color. The truth remains that none of these women can truly formulate a reason for their bleaching, this shows the seriousness of this issue. So living with that inferiority complex, does more harm than good unless you make the bold decision to be yourself. I do not wish to attack anyone who has bleached their skin, because ultimately this remains your personal preference, but it is something to think about. We can say "black is beautiful" all we want but unless we actually believe those words our daughters and sons will suffer the pain we endured and repeat the vicious cycles that plague black communities.
About a decade ago, my cousin came to visit from London and while at the Laundromat in NYC, she was told by a Black American man that she was too pretty to be African. This comment was definitely not warranted by her British accent, but the fact that it has been wrongfully ingrained in western societies that being African denotes inferiority to the point where blacks specifically in the United states feel superior to Blacks in Africa. When a black woman is made aware of her skin it is rarely as a compliment. When a black man is made aware of his skin, it is surrounded by fear and discomfort. Living in Utah I felt so passionate about race, and as time went by I tried to overlook the issues surrounding being black and promoting that everything does not have to do with race. However, the unfortunate truth remains that when you are black your skin color always precedes even your gender. I would not get into the media's influence and subtle messages about blacks. I rather wish to highlight that as a people, we must overcome the mental hindrances of slavery, empower one another, see through a lens of love where prejudicial acts and statements lose all power and control. Most importantly, love the skin you are in no matter what tone you are on the color spectrum.
There is so much more I wish to say about this topic but this will do for now. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments on this very issue.
To read the speech:
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/lupita-nyong-moving-speech-essence-event-article-1.1706333#ixzz2uxvFmOKd
This is a very important topic, as you stated, and one that is so deep and multifaceted. It's something that's been of relevance throughout my life and those of ALL the woman of color I know, though some are surprisingly and sadly oblivious to the deep psychological roots.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I've also receved the ignorant comments made to your cousin on one-too-many occasions. From the browness of my skin to the texture of my hair, I still shake my head at the depth of these diseases of superficial external identity - color, hair, and now "butts." There's a term for this disease - internalized oppression.
Yes, the media plays a HUGE role in perpetuating these diseases, but we are also actors in the play. Note, skin bleaching is also practiced in India, China, and beyond, so the concept of "white is right" is global and has some roots in colonialism. As for hair, that's an ailment that also has a global impact (for example: Indian hair, manufactured in China, sold by Koreans to women of African descent).
These issues in physical appearance are deep and real. They also exist on the other side to a lesser degree - obsessive skin tanning and butt enhancements. As the mother of a "mixed" child and a woman-of-color in a "mixed" partnership, some of these issues continue to be imposed on me from all sides. It never ends, sadly. I will empower my child and all the young people in my life to embrace and be proud of their appearances, as the external does not define the internal.
I find Lupita Nyong'o absolutely beautiful and so refreshing! Her natural skin color, her natural hair, and most importantly how she carries herself. We need more women of color to proudly embrace themselves...their natural selves!
No harsh judgement on others, just clear observation on my part :)
@raibak you have proven that so much could be said about this very issue. There is a need for an open forum. Thank you for such great contribution, would love to hear your thoughts on the forum.
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ReplyDeleteThank you!
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