The below post is an interview transcript between a Nigerian-American woman, who whose name will be shortened to N, and me, who will be called M. Any potential grammatical errors are not changed for the sake of the precision of the transcript, but there may be ellipses for brevity.
M: What culture(s) do you identify with the most, other than America?
N: Nigerian. My father is from Nigeria, so often when I am asked about my ethnicity, I state that I am Nigerian-American
M: What, in your opinion, are the most fundamental beauty standards for women in America?
N: It is crazy because there are so many beauty standards but they all reflect “whiteness.” The beauty standard is to be white, have straight hair, a skinny nose, etc.
M: What, in your opinion, are the most fundamental beauty standards for women in your particular culture?
N: White standards of beauty communicate differently in the Black community. As a result of colorism and texturism, beauty standards in the Black community are having curly hair and light skin. (when I refer to Black, I am talking about Black all over the world, not just America)
M: How do you think these two cultures differ? Has that affected your way of thinking, appearance, self-esteem, etc?
N: In essence, they are the same to me because both standards are not something that I am. I have never desired to fit the beauty standard, but I have been impacted by it. Recently, when I had my hair in a high puff, a woman asked me “when am I getting my hair done?” But if someone wore the same hairstyle but had a looser texture, they would not have been approached with that question. They would have probably been told that their hair was cute. It made me cry, but it has honestly increased my love for myself and all of my features. Similar situations happen with skin color too. This has not happened to me recently, but there have been instances where Black men would openly state that they desire a light skin woman, and when asked why they would not give a sufficient response to justify that they are not a colorist. The media also promotes this too.
M: Do you feel like you fit, or try fitting, into one or the other culture’s standards?
N: No, I have learned to accept, love, and be fully confident in myself.
M: How do you think beauty standards affect women? Who do you think is the culprit of the pressure put on them?
N: I think America is more accepting than Nigeria. I did a project last year about white beauty standards in Nigeria and learned that about 80% of people bleach their skin. I believe the culprit of this is the media and those who own it. Colonization also has a strong influence on this too.
M: Do you know what fast fashion is? What do you think is the general trend of consumerism in America?
N: Yes, I do know what fast fashion is. I think America consumes too much without concern for sustainability. It is annoying too because I do not have the money to afford more expensive clothes, so to be fashionable, I have to support businesses that hurt the environment.
M: Do you follow trends at all? Do you find it hard to keep up with them as they are constantly switching in and out? How do you feel about the potential effects this may have on people’s confidence in their appearance?
N: I don’t think I follow trends but I think that’s because I was never able to. From my elementary to junior year in high school, I wore a uniform, so I am really just getting to know my fashion style now. I do think following trends can be detrimental to one’s self-esteem. I remember feeling insecure in high school sometimes because I saw people younger than me being more “socially acceptable” than me because of the trends they followed. This has increased my acceptance of myself, but for others, it can make them participate in dangerous activities.
M: Do you mind sending a photo of an outfit that best encapsulates yourself and how you enjoy presenting yourself to others? What cultures do you think your clothes conform to? Do you think your outfit contributes to fast fashion?
N: These are a few pictures from my Pinterest board of my favorite outfits. My style shows an appreciation of my culture with other influences as well. Most of the clothes can be purchased on fast fashion sites, but can also be bought in thrift stores and mid-range clothing stores. My Nigerian clothes are usually custom-made.
Next exhibit: Chinese vs American