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Eurocentric Beauty Standards On Black Women

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Slavery and colonization are not just negative aspects of society’s history, but rather an inhumane phenomenon that paved the way for centuries worth of racism and hatred. Since the practices of Slavery and Colonization deeply contradicted European’s previously accustomed belief of equality, they have established the ideology that Black people are biologically inferior to whites and went to great lengths to prove this belief. This inferiority complex not only resulted in systemic racism within society, but black folks were further categorized to meet different ranks of privileges solely based on their skin complexion.
This form of discrimination is known as colorism, and it continues to take a negative toll on black people to this day. The …show more content…

This is suggested by Dia Sekayi in her article “Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women”. She highlights “ When black women were (and are) presented, they typically met (meet) Eurocentric ideals in terms of…skin color and hair texture” (Sekayi 469). This explains why lighter skinned black women are enduringly the face of black beauty. Celebrities such as Tyra Banks, Beyonce, Halle Berry, and Rihanna are all light-skinned black women who represent black beauty. To make matters worse, Magazine covers typically further lighten already light skinned black women. In Beyonce’s 2008 loreal shoot, her skin looked considerably lighter in the magazine when put aside her actual skin complexion. Dark skin black women then see these alterations and not only assume it's authentic but consider it desirable. One girl from Kiri Davis’ documentary A Girl Like Me shares, “Since I was younger I also …show more content…

We are all aware of the “ratchet black girl” stereotype. The term ratchet being an urban slang for an inarticulate, loud and obnoxious individual.This notion is elaborated through the media as early as childhood t.v shows. The t.v show “The Proud Family” is an example of this. The main character penny is more articulate and eloquent whereas her friend Dijonay is portrayed as loud and boy-crazy. The only difference between the two is that is that penny is light skinned and Dijonay is

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