The Carefree Black Girl and Her Representation of Black Girlhood
Who is the carefree black girl? Why is she so carefree? Why is this little black girl wearing blue hair? The eccentric style is fascinating? What is so special about Willow Smith? The above statements are critiques and unveiled fascinations of the carefree black girl. Primarily, the website, carefreeblackgirl.tumblr.com which holds an archives of the performances of the carefree black girl describes their website as “A safe space for black girls across the globe and beyond to share their diverse fashions, passions, conversations, and cultures without any drama — and a home away from the various struggles we face in the real world. We aim to celebrate the diversity, intelligence, and beauty of all of us.” With its origins stemming from.” For most spectators, one is exposed to the larger figures of the carefree black girl movement such as Janelle Monae and Solange Knowles. Although their styles and fashions are deeply admired, there are other young trailblazers such as Quvenzhané Wallis, Amandla Shelberg and Willow Smith. All of them are under the age of eighteen and set precedence to dismantle monolithic characterizations of young black girls expressed by the media.
The carefree black girl movement came about in midst of turbulence of the angry black woman and other castigations among the black body. Although there are many adult examples of the carefree black girl, young women under the age of eighteen are executing these practices just as fantastically. The emergence of young black women in the forefront of the carefree black girl movement is spectacular and uplifting. It positively contributes to the identity construction of the female adolescent in the African American culture. Additionally, the carefree black girl movement dismantles definite claims of their implied deviance and pathology to be used against them. Thus, exhibiting joy in one’s portrait is crucial to the politics of representation. The joy in pictures don’t equate happiness for the women on the other side of the camera, however if more and more pictures of happy women were circulated just as fast as angry black young girls are then they reduce risk or harm. Displaying these images make a difference in how even younger black girls see themselves. Black women deserve the complexity other white and other privileged women are granted. Willow Smith, Quvenzhané Wallis and Amandla Stenberg are the soldiers in the middle of combat and the social war of young black female bodies. They reinforce positive notions of black adolescent youth. Despite each adversity, each young woman surfaces their black girl magic cloud over the turbulence Their fearless approach in acts as simple and complex as experimental fashion and the overall performance of being carefree not careless. All of which are admirable and acceptable and necessary for the intense racial climate in our country.
Quvenzhané Wallis performance’s of the carefree black girl is exceptional and inspiring. Her tender age and jubilant personality sets her as a target to be sensationalized. Wallis is best known for starring in the film rendition as Annie. She is one of the first black girls to be starred in a film with such historical significance in theatre. Her acting and her presence on the forefront of the film embody the performance of the carefree black girl and impacts many black girls. Furthermore, Wallis smiles in almost all of her interviews. She can be seen wearing a smile in critically acclaimed magazines in her natural, bountiful brown hair and smiling. Her presence in the media as a happy black girl, influences and helps tear down tainted imageries of angry and loud black girls. This essay indulges in a critical study of the new “school to prison pipeline” featuring young black girls.
Amandla Stenberg is most know in her performance as Rue in the Hunger Games series. She is also seen in other publications of magazines such as Girl’s Life. She can be seen on social media outlets such as Tumblr, and Instagram. She can be seen posting selfies of her natural hair, and eccentric fashion. Additionally, her performance of self-awareness is seen in YouTube discussing cultural appropriation and poverty.
Furthermore, Willow Smith experiments with fashion and her youth seams through her Instagram or Tumblr. Willow Smith engages in the revolutionary performance. carefree black girl. The performance of friendship is highlighted through her social media performance. The concept of smiling is very apparent in her appearance. Willow Smith’s radiance can be seen her fashion sense. Her style is a fusion of punk rock, bohemian and “hippie” aesthetic. She is a fashion icon as well as talented singer. She is glamorous and exudes a sense of maturity carefree (not careless) attitude. Willow’s Smith embodied performance is seen through her fashion sense, personal social media profiles that explain her everyday life. These strategic performances challenges past erasure of childhood innocence.
The carefree black girl movement came about in midst of turbulence of the angry black woman and other castigations among the black body. Although there are many adult examples of the carefree black girl, young women under the age of eighteen are executing these practices just as fantastically. The emergence of young black women in the forefront of the carefree black girl movement is spectacular and uplifting. It positively contributes to the identity construction of the female adolescent in the African American culture. Additionally, the carefree black girl movement dismantles definite claims of their implied deviance and pathology to be used against them. Thus, exhibiting joy in one’s portrait is crucial to the politics of representation. The joy in pictures don’t equate happiness for the women on the other side of the camera, however if more and more pictures of happy women were circulated just as fast as angry black young girls are then they reduce risk or harm. Displaying these images make a difference in how even younger black girls see themselves. Black women deserve the complexity other white and other privileged women are granted. Willow Smith, Quvenzhané Wallis and Amandla Stenberg are the soldiers in the middle of combat and the social war of young black female bodies. They reinforce positive notions of black adolescent youth. Despite each adversity, each young woman surfaces their black girl magic cloud over the turbulence . Their fearless approach in acts as simple and complex as experimental fashion and the overall performance of being carefree not careless. All of which are admirable and acceptable and necessary for the intense racial climate in our country.
