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It’s Time To Stop Racializing Beauty
Beauty standards are constantly changing. One thing that isn’t — the racialization of beauty.
What does this mean?
Racializing beauty means assigning beauty to characteristics that are associated with certain races — typically European. Think thin noses and straight hair. This actually wouldn’t be a problem, as beauty is subjective, if society didn’t feel the need to say, thin noses are beautiful; therefore, wide noses are ugly. Or straight hair is beautiful; therefore, hair that isn’t straight is ugly. If we could learn to acknowledge the beauty in everybody, because I’m certain we see it, there wouldn’t be a problem.
Now with the advent of blackfishing — facial and body features, as well as hairstyles, clothing, nails, and aesthetics, that Black women naturally have, or wear, are now being adopted by other races of women. Basically, a lot of women try to look like Kim Kardashian while Kim Kardashian herself is emulating a Black woman. But it also goes further than that. Blackfishing is a form of blackface, which is the practice of dressing up as a Black person. A person may blackfish to gain attention or financial resources or to mimic Black people and culture. If you wonder how the standard remains European — it’s because it’s usually a white woman who is blackfishing. Confusing, I know.
