Comments on: Black Woman, Know That You Are Beautiful

By: MLG

MLG — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:20:18 +0000

If black is beautiful, why is there so much race-mixing between whites and blacks. If you care anything about your race, you would be against this.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:20:53 +0000

I liked the article and I agree that as a black woman I am not represented by most fashion mags. I also get sick of watching those shampoo commercials, because even if they do have a woman of color in the ad, she has hair like a barbie. I though, find myself in a situation that to me, is much more distressing and disturbing. I am a very light skinned black woman who not only is seen as a negative by whites, but also am not really accepted as being a woman of color by my own race. I think that as African Americans, we have so bought into this slave mentality that lighter is better, and we can’t move past it. If we as a race promote this idea through our negative attitudes toward others of our own race, how can we fault the white establishment for continuing to feed us this idea that we find so irresistible? We want to be proud of our race and who we are, we insist that we love being black woman, and yet those features that are distinct to us are seen as negatives. We scream,” Acknowledge my value as a black woman, see me as just as good, just as beautiful as my white counterparts!” And then go to the nearest beauty shop and pay a small fortune to get tracks in our hair so that it is as straight, long and Caucasian as we can get it. So we have to figure out what it is that we want. I have a large fro, don’t relax, press, or add tracks. My hair is a part of my identity, and I am proud of who and what I am, and what I came from. The only way society as a whole will see our beauty is if We can see our beauty, and stop feeding into the the ideas that they give us about what beauty is, especially if the ideas they give us don’t include those things intrinsic to what makes us, us.

By: Rashelle

Rashelle — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:05:52 +0000

“do NOT buy them those stupid blonde barbies or let them watch such disney movies as ’snow white’ the racism is in the title, and the whole message to the movie is being ‘the fairest of them all’ its ridiculous.”

I find the above to be a racist comment. We as a people have suffered enough racism in the past and less in the present time. So we should know best of all not to be saying such things. (There are black dolls, and plenty diverse and black television out there)

Calling a Disney movie racist because it says “fairest of them all”(by the way not the message of the movie) is wrong. Where is the logic in that? Here are some definitions of fair for you…

“free from blemish, imperfection, or anything that impairs the appearance, quality, or character” “pleasing in appearance; attractive” Fair has many meanings not just fair as in skin tone.

On to my comment in regards to this article…

Black is beautiful! I love my skin, hair, lips, and figure. Every race has beautiful, unqiue qualities to be proud of. This does not mean each race has to find your race beautiful. We are made differently and our minds are attracted to different things. I for one am attracted to the black race and others. (I know a hot male when I see one!) All races are beautiful and we should all be proud and show off ourselves!

By: jacobia

jacobia — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:18:42 +0000

You have a point about the snow white. Fortunately I have never allowed my girls to have white dolls. In fact my youngest daughter never played with baby dolls. I believe that playing with baby dolls sends the message to girls that babies are fun there’s nothing fun about being a teen mom. I work with teen moms and they had a fantasy about babies. I believe also that allowing little boys to have play guns sends the message that guns are not serious weapons. Anyway this forum is about hair. Is there anyone that have good suggestions about how to keep natural hair from being to dry.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:15:30 +0000

I’m glad to help and I’m glad that you know your beautiful. I’m sorry to hear that you hated your features when you were a child but It’s great that thats all changed now. The sad truth is that we are all living in a white world and it will probably always be that way. I lived in africa for a while and still saw racism from white people, that’s just crazy, what the hell are thy doing there if their racist??? anyways i think parents can do a lot to help improve their kids opinions on themselves. let your children know that their skin and features are beautiful at an early age and do NOT buy them those stupid blonde barbies or let them watch such disney movies as ’snow white’ the racism is in the title, and the whole message to the movie is being ‘the fairest of them all’ its ridiculous. there does need to be more black dolls and children’s programs in order for that to work though. so i guess there is a lot of work to be done and all i can really do at the moment is tell you that YOU ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL.

By: jacobia

jacobia — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:16:21 +0000

Thanks Matt for the support. I do think I am beautiful and in fact as a child hated my full lips and everything else that didn’t look “white” I also recognize that I am who I am and with each passing day embrace the beauty of it all. Just to day I had a someone say natural hair is hard to handle. That gave me the mind set to say I’ll show you differently. I will go for the color but keep it within the range of my own natural color dark brown. Thanks

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:16:20 +0000

i think coloring your hair would be ok because it won’t change the texture right? i’m mixed race as i stated above so i can’t tell you for sure and i’m only 19 so i don’t know a lot lol but i do love black women’s natural hair, everything natural about black women is beautiful and thats why none of you need to cake your face up full of make-up like the white woman

By: jacobia

jacobia — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:17:29 +0000

Love the comments. Just one thing I want to add Not all light skin black women have the so called good hair. I am a light skin black woman with full lips and a gap with nappy coarse hair. I experience comments such as for me to be so “red” I sure have some nappy hair. I have not put chemicals in my hair for almost 2 years. I am frustrated about not being able to feel comfortable being natural. I choose to wear wigs and braids during my grow out because I had a lot of damage. Now I am looking at what kind of natural style to wear. I am in may late 40’s and do have some gray that I don’t like. Genetics cause graying early. Will coloring my hair make me not natural?

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:48:36 +0000

I havn’t read through all the comments but i definitely think black women should love themselves, they are the most beautiful, sexy and strong minded women in the world. i’m mixed race black/white but i have never known my white dad or any of his family, he left when i was born beacuse i was darker than my sister and therefore my mother must have cheated :s anyway i don’t dislike white people or my white blood i just dislike the white media and their idea of beauty. they portray light skin and white features to be the best things to have and that message is shown all over the world in all countries. it gets me real angry especially when black women start thinking that way too and get skin lightening crap n destroy their beautiful skin. i also hate when beyonce is brought up when talking about black beauty, that women is TRASH! and a disgrace, she actually went and got a nose job and lip reduction to look more white! wtf! in my opinion white women are unattractive in every way, flat body, no lips, pointed nose, stringy hair and skin that ages real bad just doesn’t do it for me. i love real black women, dark smooth skin, curvy bodies, full lips, beautiful afro hair and amazingl beautiful faces. i respect, admire and love black women. i just wish they all felt the same. all i can say is f*ck the media, you and i know what real beauty is. BLACK WOMEN = REAL BEAUTY/GOD’S FINEST CREATION.

By: Miss Profe

Miss Profe — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:28:20 +0000

I am all in favor of Black women loving themselves and appreciating themselves for who and what they are. Additionally, let’s be honest: A lot ff Black women are seriously and dangerously obese, and it’s not usually due to glandular problems like an under-active thyroid. Many Black women eat carelessly, and don’t exercise on a regular basis. I a Black woman the other day who is dangerously obese. She couldn’t have been more than 25 years old. She was walking across the parking lot to the university campus. She was struggling, just to walk across the parking lot to campus. Ladies This madness has to STOP!!!.