Is Beauty In the Eye of the Beholder?
Is beauty really in the eye of the beholder, or is what we are supposed to find beautiful drilled into our heads from the time we enter into society? As women of color, this question is especially pertinent as many of us chase the Eurocentric image of beauty that is thrust upon us. Just look at what trying to be the European image of beauty has done to Michael Jackson to see the most obvious example of this distorted image gone horribly wrong. For Black people trying to chase the Caucasian image of beauty there is a great deal of danger. Great physical, psychological and even spiritual damage can be inflicted. But, most women and many men- Black, White, Hispanic and Asian struggle to walk the line between being the best we can reasonably be and accepting ourselves as beautiful the way that God made us.
No one can find fault with common grooming tasks like combing our hair, showering, a pluck of a hair or two there. But, how much is too much? Plastic surgery? Dying our hair? Permanent relaxers? How far do we go? What does it mean to be happy with the way we are and to find beauty in the way we were made? A recent short film put out (ironically) by Dove (not the chocolate and ice cream people but the beauty people) has been getting quite a bit of buzz on the Internet. In the film, we see a plain-Jane type of girl as she goes through the miracle transformation into a bill-board model. The transformation includes makeup, hair, lighting and then a pretty nice job with PhotoShop to stretch her eyes, lips, neck, etc. to totally unrealistic, but “beautiful”, proportions that women then try to emulate. Take a peek at the film and see what you think.
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I am a white woman who does not understand why any person of color would want to change themselves to try to meet the ‘Caucasian image of beauty’.
Anyone who tries can usually use the many grooming products to bring a more attractive appearance. There is a lot to be said for cleanliness!
Jaesea,
Social pressure is a powerful thing. As African Americans, we are surrounded by a popular culture that is much larger and can be more influential than our own ethnic group. Images of beauty passed on by the media and even by our own friends who chase this euro-centric image are difficult to fight. It takes a certain amount of courage and self-confidence, not to mention awareness to buck the trend.
When African Americans try to break away from the image, we are often ridiculed and/or criticized by our own group. Black women are often harassed about natural hair by friends, co-workers and even superiors in the workplace.
This crossing of cultures isn’t unique to African Americans though. Consider the Caucasian children wearing the baggy pants, speaking black street slang and listening to rap music.
“When African Americans try to break away from the image, we are often ridiculed and/or criticized by our own group. Black women are often harassed about natural hair by friends, co-workers and even superiors in the workplace.”
How awful!
I must confess my ignorance of such behavior. Perhaps my opinion of a natural look always appearing to be the most attractive to me has something to do with it.
I find prejudices of any sort to be repellant and I get very frustrated with the ignorance of my own race with it’s widespread belief in it’s supposed ’superiority.’ There is nothing superior in the idea that all humans are not equal. Those kinds of ideas are nothing to aspire to.
What a wonderful world this would be if it were made up of people who treasured beauty in all forms. I guess I am asking for too much.
:O(