This is something that I’ve been thinking about a lot recently.
The other day I re-posted this great article on my Facebook about a photo series by photography Daniel Stewart exposing America’s obsession with the physical characteristics of black women. The article displayed a collection of beautiful photos showing a black woman, model Imani Love, being touched and manipulated by the hands of white people.
Just a reminder…. I simply re-posted the article and wrote the caption “this right here”.
One of the things that I am most passionate about is merging social justice and civic engagement with the arts to provide education and visibility of under represented groups. This artist’s work was very powerful to me and I felt that it was something that people should see and explore. Shortly after posting this article a Facebook acquaintance, who happens to be a person of color, commented on my Facebook post voicing their opinion. This person stated,
“i don’t disagree with the sentiment at all, but to act as if “full lips, wide hips, round bottoms” are exclusive to black women and undesirable traits is kind of insulting.”
While reading this comment I took pause…
Have you ever had a “is this blank blank serious right now” moment? Well, this was my moment.
There are ways to say “all lives matter” without saying the words “all lives matter”.
In the few words that this person took the time to compose on my Facebook wall, they did just that. By going out of their way to completely avoid the original context of the photo series and article to simply say that this is not just for black women you have shown a larger problem within our social justice and activist groups, communities, and figures. Simply put? Not all projects, spaces, platforms, movements, etc. are for you.
Yes, these traits are not exclusive to black women’s bodies however, the way that these characteristics are viewed on black woman’s body is different than how it may be viewed on the body of any other woman. Furthermore, if you’re feeling “some type of way” about the article’s contents maybe you should take a step back and think about why that is.
Maybe it’s because you have fetishized some of these traits on black women.
Maybe it’s because you hold some of these traits and feel upset that people view them in a negative way for some and not in a negative way for others or just in a negative way at all.
Maybe it’s because you own some of these traits and realize that this article and the series of art that it is referencing is not about you. Own that.
The fact is, black women’s bodies have been fetishize by American culture for years. You see it in movies, you see it in music videos, you see it on the latest Kardashian that became relevant enough to make it into the news. Ignoring the fact that this is a problem that exists is not helpful to anyone’s progression in society.
To ignore the fact that a black woman will be called “disfigured” or “ratchet” or “inhuman” or “monkey” while a famous celebutante can walk around with injected lips and hips and be seen as fashion forward icons is just, quite frankly, ignorant. To respond to an article or collection of art and derail the conversation by calling out how these traits aren’t “exclusively for black women” when the title of the article specifically states that they are exploring “America’s Obsession with Black Women’s Features” is, quite frankly, selfish and ignorant. To not understand how this derailment can be detrimental to the education and betterment of the pro-black movement in general is, quite frankly, mind-boggling, selfish, and ignorant.
*exhales*
I’m finished with my rant for now, but I just want to leave you all with one last thought: Do not think that because you are a person of color that the words that you speak and/or type cannot have a sentiment of anti-blackness.
Check out the original article from blackgirllonghair.com here!
Much Love Y’all,
S
**as I said… who actually created “proper” spelling and grammar am I right?
Site Title 