The gorgeous Naomi Campbell. Model and business woman
Nothing makes me angrier than Black women buying into the race based looks hierarchy. You know that gosh darn totem pole. When I hear people, and it’s mostly Black people say “Black Women are at the bottom of the totem pole” it’s like hearing Freddy Kruger’s nails on a chalkboard. I want to beat some self-pride in them with a stupid stick. Instead of getting violent, I am about to do my duty and set that totem pole on fire. Then I will extinguish it from your mental Rolodex.
First of all let me explain what a totem pole is. According to Merriam-Webster totem pole is:
“1 : a pole or pillar carved and painted with a series of totemic symbols representing family lineage and often mythical or historical incidents and erected by Indian tribes of the northwest coast of North America. 2 : an order of rank:hierarchy.”
Alek Wek is a model and a business woman who is gorgeous!
The race-based beauty totem pole is nothing more than an artificial social construct created by people to benefit themselves. Meaning it’s not real. It’s man made, and there is no scientific basis behind it. Think about it. If you live in Europe, the America’s or places that dealt with European imperialism and white supremacy you will probably live in a society that recognizes eurocentric features. If you don’t live in these places, your culture’s standards of beauty are probably different. Their beauty standards will reflect their society.
Think about it this way, if you live in a society where your culture is the dominant culture wouldn’t you promote your image first and foremost? That is what White Americans and Europeans are doing. What fool, if they had the chance wouldn’t promote themselves first unless they have serious self-esteem issues or have the modesty of Mother Theresa.
Actress Nia Long is gorgeous!
Have you heard the statement that if someone says a lie many times they will eventually believe it is true? That is what is happening now. That is all the racial beauty totem pole is. It is a lie. A big, and ugly lie. It is a lie to promote White supremacy. A lie to keep you in your place and out of the game of life. A lie to keep you from competing for jobs, wealth, resources and happiness. Remember, that just because Black women happen to live in a Eurocentric society, it does not mean our Afrocentric features aren’t beautiful. They are. We must create our spaces to acknowledge them.
One more thing. WE ARE NOT INFERIOR! We are not on the bottom unless YOU believe you are. So stop saying it. Black women are beautiful, intelligent, and amazing. We come in every shape, size, and color. We are from every corner of this globe and speak many languages. We are the original daughters of Eve and a reflection of her beauty. So do me and most importantly yourself a favor. Love yourself and embrace your Black beauty. If you are religious,”God don’t make ugly” and neither did our parents. Today take a moment to look in the mirror and appreciate god’s/nature’s creation. Appreciate and love YOU!
Remember a revolution always starts between two ears. Start yours today. - BBG
Join the internet’s only online forum exclusively for Black women here.
Since you made it this far in the post, as my gift to you, I want you to download my free Change Your Mind, Change Your Life Goals and Action Plan Worksheets. The worksheets will help you create your goals and stick to them.
If you like this post don’t forget to subscribe, share this post and or even donate to this blog.
Have you seen someone you know living an unfulfilled life, and you are afraid of living that way? Are you unsure about achieving your goals and the direction of your life? Purchase my book Change Your Mind Change Your Destiny. It is “The lifestyle blueprint for the strategic Black woman who wants to win and master her life.” For only $2.99 and within hours you will be given tools created specifically for Black women to create goals and action steps to help you live the life of your dreams. Take the first step towards fulfilling your dreams. All you have to do is buy Change Your Mind Change Your Destiny today.
We want to customize the forum for you. Don’t forget to take the 30 second survey here and tell us what you need. Thank you.
Beautiful video!
Just because you think these women are gorgeous, doesn’t mean the mainstream thinks so. Hence, the hierarchy. Black women will believe there is a hierarchy because they see they are at the bottom.
The hierarchy is not real unless you believe it is real. Once you realize that it is not arbitrary but propaganda and a product of white supremacy and colonialism you will see it’s a lie
It sounds like you have bought into it and have no problem stating that you think Black women are at the bottom. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter. The moment people buy into being in a restrictive box based on their race that’s the moment that they resign to failure. If you don’t think that a Black woman can take good care of herself and be beautiful “enough” or “as beautiful” as any other race of women why are you even here? Why are you reading this site and commenting?
its one thing to decry your predicament - now youve got to take proper action — you can eliminate ‘white’ from your CENSUS - and I promise u that wont be easy - but it will un ravel the artificial UNION of pink skinned peoples who have created an impossible heirchy for you to scale. when ‘white’ dissapears - so will all other ‘colours’ - and u can get back to ethnic categories.
I love the way you think!
I love this post because (though I do not think it is real) the point is whether the beauty hierarchy is “real” or not who benefits from black women believing that they are at the bottom of the beauty totem pole? Surely not black women! We have to push our own images to the top because we will like each other and ourselves better and have higher self esteem. Go black women!!
With all the controversy about Django, it
was refreshing to see a black woman get to be the prized damsel-in-distress!
Good post but I have one clarification. On a totem pole the position accorded the most respect is at the base, as in the most revered, respected, the oldest, wisest etc. Are you catching my meaning here? It was the ignorance of outsiders who assumed the lowest person on the totem was least important. Those at the top were the least important, particularly with regard to family totems. So yes, I AM at the bottom of the totem pole with respect to beauty because I am descended from the mother of all humans…an African woman. Just saying. . .
The racial hierarchy is not propaganda but real. Black women dating online were less likely to find men of other races interested in them compared to white women. Just the way it is. White women are seen dating every other race. In fact I even saw a chinese man online saying white women are attracted to him. Why was this a big deal? They are at the top of the totem pole. The most valued in society.
As black women we need to change our mindset about beauty standards. I would start by acknowleding that we live in a society where the most powerful determine what is acceptable and what is not. Beacuse white people generally are the most powerful and influence various aspects of various socities including beauty and appeal, the message that has been propagated is that white women are the most beautiful followed by other women (hispanic women, asian women) and black women feature last (sometimes they do not feature at all).
As you pointed out BBG, the racial totem pole on beauty is a social construct. From that premise I would say we as black women need to understand that there is no one size or standard when it comes to beauty and that we black women are beautiful and we should reinforce this personally and generally by telling ourselves and those within our spehere of influence how beautiful they are inside and out e.g. daughters, sisters, mothers, friends.
We also need to represent our beauty in the mainstream ourselves. Ensure young and older women see representations of themselves in the mainstream and alternative media in magazines, movies, adverts, books. We should tell our own stories, create our own narratives and reflect our diverse beauty instead of leaving it to somebody else.
You are so right, I love your article
Finally a black women who understands that this is all part of a propoganda program,
to make black women believe in false stereotypes.
Don`t believe the hype!
An image is being created purposely by some people to make, black women think that they are unworthy. This image is being created true, media, by using so called studies that nobody can validate, and by creating differences in relationships between black women and men.
Lets look at the outcome of the studies;
For example, a statement like black women are the most undesairble is being presented as a fact.
Which target group did these scientists interview?
The target group that is chosen, is always the target group from whom they know,
is going to agree with their false statistics.
Even if the target group agrees with the hypothesis because its not a fact, it is a hypothese!
You can never ever speak for a whole damn country.
Besides the opinion of the targetgroup is subjective thats why it is an opinion,
it isn`t a representation off the TRUTH!.
And If you are a good scientist you should know this!
The sole purpose is to brainwash black women in thinking, that they are the least desirable.
Its like the bully in a classroom, if the bully keeps telling the child that is being bullied,
how unworthy it is. The child starts to believe it.
Propoganda has always worked even in history.
Hitler used as a tool to convince the German people to start a war, against certain groups.
It is a dangerous tool, and I feel that we black women, should be aware of this.
Lets stay positive and stand above all this crap and stupidity!!
Black is beautiful. Fuck the media and the sellout coons who buy into such media hype
There is beauty and ugly in every race, but black women can hold their own against any of them from Tyra Banks to Sanaa Lathan to Beyonce to Regina King to Naomi Campbell etc! You would have to blind or racist to deny their beauty!
“WE ARE NOT INFERIOR! We are not on the bottom unless YOU believe you are. So stop saying it.”
Thank goodness you’re saying this. *deep sigh of relief*. Personally speaking I don’t think that because someone is non-black (more specifically white) that this constitutes them as better looking than ME.
I am EXTREMELY annoyed by psychologically defeated BW (And yes! I understand why they would be) who talk down about themselves in relation to other races of women, and even worse look for confirmation of their inferiority through the dating choices of BM???? BM they probably wouldn’t even want if they knew, and BM that don’t care about them. It’s so sad to me and I simply cannot relate.