Black women haven't historically been the most respected demographic in America. Through much of the 20th century, black people and women alike didn't have the same rights and opportunities as white men. Although we don't label ourselves as racist anymore, many magazines and advertisements still choose skinny white women as models over black women. For women today, self image is everything. I know it is for me. Little girls are bombarded with "perfect" girls from different media outlets surrounding them.
The media is quickly reaching people of younger and younger ages every year. I wasn't really affected by their ideal of perfect until about fifth grade, or age 10. However, I found a video the other day of a little girl (aged 3 or 4) crying to her mother because she is "brown", as she refers to herself. The girl implies that she is ugly because of her skin color.
Her mother reminds her of many beautiful women that they know who are also brown, and even some of the girl's friends who are beautiful. The mother has to sternly remind her that black people can achieve great things, and your skin color doesn't make you any less of a person than a white girl. At the end of the video, the girl believes her mother, but I wonder if it was a temporary belief. That poor little girl will definitely be exposed to more body shaming and more "perfect" girls as she matures.
The video does not state if she had this negative idea of herself because of her friends or peers or something she saw in the media. It might be a combination of all three. I found it fascinating that girls at such a young demographic can already be so impacted by various influences around them. One of the most astonishing parts of the video was the girl's age, and how she hates something so much that she will never be able to change about herself. The age this girl is at is for learning how to read, not how to hate your own heritage. Without a mother's love or someone to keep you believing in yourself, how can millions of girls like her who are looked down on everyday grow as humans?
Link to the video on Tumblr: http://encourage.tumblr.com/post/118902283357/humbledhoney-maybeonedayjustnottoday
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ReplyDeleteHey Della I like this post! I've seen this video before and it broke my heart and really opened my eyes. I've always known that women of color were hardly represented in the media but this video made me realize the true effects of that. When I was younger I remember obsessing over Dora. She was my favorite thing and I think it's important that children see people of their color in the media in order to avoid a another video like this.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree. I think being a female and black, or of color, can really set everything up against you.
ReplyDeleteThere is still so much oppression and injustice that is going unseen because the victims are not white males.
With all the current news on police brutality, the story of a black woman being unjustly shot is still not going viral. And I think a lot of that has to do with the reality assumption that so many Americans hold about black females. They receive less media coverage and in turn are unable to present themselves as anything other than what most would think.
I definitely agree. I think being a female and black, or of color, can really set everything up against you.
ReplyDeleteThere is still so much oppression and injustice that is going unseen because the victims are not white males.
With all the current news on police brutality, the story of a black woman being unjustly shot is still not going viral. And I think a lot of that has to do with the reality assumption that so many Americans hold about black females. They receive less media coverage and in turn are unable to present themselves as anything other than what most would think.
I definitely agree. I think being a female and black, or of color, can really set everything up against you.
ReplyDeleteThere is still so much oppression and injustice that is going unseen because the victims are not white males.
With all the current news on police brutality, the story of a black woman being unjustly shot is still not going viral. And I think a lot of that has to do with the reality assumption that so many Americans hold about black females. They receive less media coverage and in turn are unable to present themselves as anything other than what most would think.
I definitely agree. I think being a female and black, or of color, can really set everything up against you.
ReplyDeleteThere is still so much oppression and injustice that is going unseen because the victims are not white males.
With all the current news on police brutality, the story of a black woman being unjustly shot is still not going viral. And I think a lot of that has to do with the reality assumption that so many Americans hold about black females. They receive less media coverage and in turn are unable to present themselves as anything other than what most would think.