Why do minorites follow Eurocentric Beauty Standrads?

Question

I was looking at some magazines like Jet, Ebony, Essence, Vibe Vixen, King, XXL, and Sista2Sista. I was looking at the women inside the hair ads and some of the models and celebirties and I noticed that most of the Black models actresses all looked the same: they either had light skin or long and striaght relaxed hair. What is up? I wrote a essay about this for my African American studies class about how Black people prefer light skin over dark skin. I myself, I have very "African" features, I thick natrual hair, chocolate skin, and a hourglass body. I'm just staring to appreaciate my Afro-latino hertage and my skin color. It's hard because there are barely any dark skinned actresses and you always see dark skinned women in Black movies and vidoes potrayed as the villain or the hoe. I'm tried of it. why can't the dark skinned girl be the love interest of the pretty girl? Why do we have to relax our hair to assmilate? I think natural hair is so much better and easier to take care of.

It bothers me when Black women have to go through this pain just to assmilate. I would never get my hair straighten again. I love my natrual hair and I even if my life depended on it, I still wouldn't straighten it.

Answer 1

it because people don't like to stand out they rather blend. people are used to seeing things a certain way. people don't like different. i think perming hair is like bleaching skin. it erases ethnic traits. but people still do it anyways. asians still get that surgery to make their eyes like westerners. its sad. GOD doesn't mistake one for another.

i find it funny how when i get compliments from whites or blacks, about my lil curly afro hair. black people will look down on me, or treat me mean. but they are the same ones who perm. yet blacks say they are confident. how are you confident when you perm your hair to look white. few perm their hair to have straight hair cuz they like it. they do it for acceptance. but it happens. people want to be what others believe is smart, cool, beautiful, etc. just know who you are. and what you stand for. know your beauty, skill, etc.

yeah minorities are always stigmatized. especially dark skinned black girls. ugly, ghetto, loud, uneducated. it isn't always true.

not enough positive stereotypes.

you have to get over this issue though.

i had been typing it a lot too. about blacks perming for acceptance. it was like it had became my life or something. people were frowning on me for not perming and i was frowning on them for perming.

eventually you get used to the stares. your hair is healthy not fried. you hair will grow a lot healthier. this is what it is.

take care!

Answer 2

I gotta admit Mary Blue brought up a really good point why is it ...I think our culture has already been westernized and now it is getting Africanized.Watch Alpha Dog and Kids... Also I like the response that just because you get a perm doesn't mean you are not beautiful and black.

An interesting study sampled blood from the south and whites only and found 30% had African ancestry in last the last three generations....that means someone passed for white...and white isnt really white... The History of Black America was written by a "white " guy who found his confederate grandfather was black......What Im saying is eventually these things are going to change...Hallae Barrey Jessica alba Beyonce.... etc are the beginning...Even white guys are starting to marry dark skin pretty black women black guys dont want... and vice versa look at Seal and Hiedi Klum......Our generation is the last generation to see a clear blcak and white of what race is. Next generation its going to be more subtle like racism now...soon.....who knows.

Answer 3

Because they don't know how to love themselves. They live in a society that decides that "beauty" is everything that they're not. This is why they keep damaging their natural hair with chemicals, getting colored contacts, and getting blonde weaves. And what's hilarious about people who do those things is that they're the main ones shouting that they're "proud to be black!" I must sit back and laugh at these people.

There are many black women who claim that the hair thing isn't an issue and that it's just common practice. Uh...hello? That's WHY it's an issue! It's common practice to slather chemicals in your head, burn your scalp, and increase your risk for brain cancer? That, my dears, is a problem and a HUGE one at that!

I've just recently been getting more and more into natural hair styles and such things and I feel better than I ever have about myself. There was a time when I got relaxers and I would hate the feel of new growth, but I've been relaxer-free for over a year now and I love the feeling of my natural hair. I love that it's who I am and I love that it's beautiful. I wish more black women would love their natural selves instead of trying so desperately to look like the non-black women on magazine covers.

As far as skin shade goes, I'm a nice mocha latte with a few drops of cream (lol, my skin tone is difficult to describe) and there were times when I was a lot younger that I wish I had light skin like my friends, but now I love my skin tone and I wouldn't change it for the world. This self-hatred thing is like a virus for many blacks and they let it rule their lives to the point that they're frying, dying, and blow-drying away their ethnicity until there's really nothing left of them.

Be proud of who you are and what you've accomplished and don't assimilate into standards, make your own!

Answer 4

Okay...but what if some people just like having their hair straightened. It goes both ways. Some Black women just light trying something new, and it has nothing to do with assimilation or the pressures of society. It is their hair and they should be able to have that choice.

As for dark-skinned women in magazines, the last time I checked Glamour magazine was telling me that natural (black) hair is OUT, so I don't think you'll be seeing that for a while. The closest and most recent thing that we've had to a "real sista" in a magazine was Jennifer Hudson in Vogue, and she had a long, flowing, shinning, bouncy weave.

Answer 5

They are unhappy.It has nothing to do with conformity.Look at this section and you'll see most hate everything about Whites.This section is more of a Black forum than a culture section,with a troll or two tossed into the mix.http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58397

Answer 6

The whole lighter closer to white being thing is left in tact from the slave mentality when light skinned slaves were house help and the dark skinned slaves were banished to the fields.

It is apparent that every black woman doesn't want to assimilate because the natural look is coming back in a big way. It is good that you choose to do "au natural" but I think you should take into consideration the fact that women who don't might simply be making a choice just as you are. ( I happen to think natural hair and dreads are beautiful but they just aren't a style choice I'd make for myself...)

For example my mom has 3 daughters. I like versatility in my hair styles so I wear wigs/weaves/braids and perm my natural hair. My younger sister V is a tomboy/math major and rocks the natural look...she blow dries her hair straight for special occassions. My baby sister C chooses to perm her hair and dye it outlandish colours. There are women in my family who don the natural look and those of us who perm but regardless of what we all agree that we are beautiful black women.

Answer 7

The answer is so obvious, it's because we live in "european" society,the majority of people are "white" [I use the term very loosely].

If you lived in a society of green people and you and a few others were bright blue you would eventually try and become greener to fit in.No big suprises there.

Asians and other groups feel the same pressure in the west to alter who they are.

Answer 8

Yeah black woman do a lot of stuff to fit stupid Eurocentric beauty standards and they still get the shaft. It's ridiculous. And of course somebody is stupid enough to say look at Halle Berry. She is not black she is biracial. Just another example of how when somebody considers a black woman beautiful she's never actually black. This is getting annoying.

Answer 9

You could argue that if a white person perms their hair to be curly, lie under the sun to get darker, put that stuff in their lips to make it fuller, lift up their buts to make appear large is trying to follow 'black' standards.

Why is it always looked upon as though 'blacks' are 'tying to be like whites' but hardly that whites are trying to be 'black'.

Answer 10

we minorities have to deal with this all the time
like in Hispanic TV shows the dark girl is the villain who is jealous of the blonde and blue eyed female character. I just refuse to watch them things because i want to punch the TV screen.

People, usually other Hispanics, tell me that my hair is too dark and that i need to go lighter. i just tell them no because i love my hair the way it is and I'm not changing my hair color and damaging my hair.

I'm also shocked that they advertise whitening cream on a mainstream Mexican channel.