Race Matters: Old wounds, need to Heal

I agree with all the women in the videos for the most part. I agree with Ms. Maipai101, in the fact that the media does have a bias toward light skin women. Does not make it right, but its true. Only a few blacks females are allowed in the media and those seem to be fair skin black women. These women are trying to survive in a media culture that does not show a variety of beauty. MAYBE, if there were more of us behind the camera, then there will be a variety of beauty. But, I can not blame them either. I feel hypocritical, if I do. When I did that IAT test, I realize that although I believe all shades of black people are beautiful, I had a slight bias toward complexions that are close to mine. Mostly due to my own vanity. Whites think they are beautiful, so they are going to show images on television, movies, magazines, that are look like them. If we wanted to send a message that we are not going to stand for the lack of variety, then we should not support companies that show only a certain type of beauty.

Pinky brought just reiterated this point in her video. She said within a course of minutes of watching television, we see several images of good vs bad. Fat bad, Skinny Good. To not be fat buy this gym equipment. This sport team is better than that sport team. Root for the Home team! So many images, we get everyday. So when we don't see people like us, except for the fabled angry black woman or black male criminal, some of us begin to believe this crap

Tragic MulattoThere has always been an affinity toward lighter skin in the public eye. What comes to mind is during the slavery days, abolitionist used the "tragic mulattoe Maude" in plays such as Uncle Tom's Cabin. This is because white felt sorry for her and they related to her because of her skin color.
Also we were divided based on skin tone, the lighter completed people stayed in the house around the master while the darker skin slaves worked the field. This act created division and self hate.
Although this is a slavery example, and I know some people do not think we should blame slavery for our wounds today. I think this is relevant and should be discussed. Slavery aside, keep in mind, we only got our civil rights in the 1950's. So, this thinking was the dominant train of thought of alot of people, up until the Black is Beautiful period!!


SAY IT LOUD!
I'm Black and I'm Proud!!

One fist in the air, celebrating our unity! The sixties and seventies brought with it a period of self love and unity. We tried to connect with our Africa roots. We wore afro's celebrating our natural beauty, dasheekees, and braided hair. Our beauty is celebrated. We were business owners, poets, artist, CEOs, teachers, designers, activist and students. We knew who we were and where we were going!!


Eighties and Nineties in Color
The eighties and nineties brought with it some good and bad. There was an explosion of creativity in the form of rap, design, and black media. I am going to say this now. I never been a fan of rap therefore I am bias. The media caught on to rap and they watered it and munipulated it to have it conform to what it is today basically. Rap started off as us battling eachother, dancing, and having a good time, it went from that to us being the criminals, the sex feigns, disrespectful to black women. All of the sudden, its cute for us to call eachother Niggas. Niggas with Attitude. Gun carrying,drugged out, law breaking, fools. Now, ask your self, did we do this to ourselves or did the white CEOs do this to us? We became the image that they wanted us to be. We were the Boys in the Hood, and the Original Gangstas. The "tragic mulattoe" whom was always desireable to the European influenced media was stripped into a bikini and stilletto heals. She became the venus. The sign of black beauty in the media.

A New Day..Time to Heal
Today, I believe we are moving away from this old way of thinking. This country is more diverse than ever. There are Asians, Blacks, Mexicans, Phillipinos, Carribians Americans, whom all have their own view of what is beautiful. Americans are trying to celebrate all kinds of beauty. The racism from the past is trying to heal with the inagguration of our new President elect Barack Obama. During his campagn, we began to talk about race and some times it got heated. Old wounds were opened that needed to be healed. His slogan was what was on the mind of every American : WE WANT AND NEED CHANGE! I see more and more types of beauty recognized in the media everyday. Light and DARK.