The Effect Of North American Beauty Standards On Young Black Females
Our duty is to praise each others beauty not penalize each other for it
The way in which our society is developing when it comes to beauty standards white women are represented as the ideal beauty standard, while black women are left vulnerable to the effects that these standards have on them. These standards emphasize skin colours and hair types that exclude many black women, especially those of darker skin. This is because when were shown flawless white women it leaves us mesmerize but also leaves us confused about ourselves when we look in the mirror, the damaging effect of these North American beauty standards on black women is societies biggest downfall because when it comes to an issue such as this. It’s left unaddressed which puts it on a multisystem level and due to that it leaves young black females of today subjected constantly reminded by their peers, partners, the media, and family about these North American ideals of beauty. If young black women continue to stand in the contrast of what society dictates as attractive, in the future they will find it difficult to accept their true selves.
The harmful effects of North American beauty standards on black females is a societal issue that is often unaddressed. The psychological results of racialized beauty standards can extend into a long-lasting beauty culture of self-hatred which can bring diversity among many . In 1947 Kenneth and Mamie Clark published a study called “ The Doll Test” in which the results showed how black children were negatively effected by the North American/European standards of beauty.
The results shows how beauty standards , displays are more closely associated you are to the North American/European standards of beauty , the more attractive he/she is considered the more respected they are and the valued they are. In this example the standards deem that attributes that are closely related to “whiteness”, such as things like having lighter skin, and straight hair result in more positive affects for those with these attributes versus those who don’t . Growing up, I knew that I was different from many people. Students and teachers would point out how thick my hair was and how dark my complexion was. Those actions made me feel inferior to them, which always left me thinking, “Why can’t I have a lighter complexion?” I wasn’t the only one that felt that way, many other girls of my complexion feel this way when it comes to their looks. These suggestions of what true beauty is still continues to grow and get more and more out of control, and as it expands the more the community will get hurt by it . Children of colour will continue to question themselves when they see “stunning” models on every ad and on every television screen, which will not just effect the generation of today but also the many generations to come.
We live in a country in which one-third of the population is coloured but yet we continue to see minimal representation of black women which is truly disturbing. The only account of black women being represented is mostly shown in positive depictions of beautiful or desirable roles in the media and real life, but that percent of black women accounted for is very negligible. The main stream “beauty ideal” is dominated by white people, which makes it very unattainable for women of colour to achieve. Even though there are many beautiful women of colour such as Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, that have renowned the North American beauty culture as a whole. The media labels them as women that have become“ whitewashed”, with straight hair, lighter makeup complexions, coloured contacts, and extraordinary figures. These changes can be their own choices, but their more digital companies such as L’oreal and Clairol have both been accused of doing such things like lighting the skin and hair colour of their black models that are a part of their advertising. With issues such as these it makes sense that there is a huge lack of coloured models in the makeup and fashion industry. If stunts like these continue then the outcome is going to be horrendous and disturbing for everybody in our country because we’ll be lost and confused about what were really seeing and what were really believing when it comes to beauty itself.
Continuing with the topic of how harmful and negative beauty standards are for women of colour, there are also extremely toxic in terms of the products it leads women to purchasing. Personal “care” products are not just poisonous for coloured women, but it can also take on “ extra burdens” for those with a darker complexion meaning that they’ll have the face the tragic end results of what the product has done later on in there lives. These days the average women uses around 9–12 personal care products everyday. Normal products such as body wash, shampoo, conditioner, etc. are just daily habits that exposes women to a number of chemicals. But for coloured women this exposure is much more toxic. Women of colour are exposed to toxic battery chemicals, that white women are not exposed to. With evidence such as this one, its fair to say that coloured women have more beauty-related environmental chemicals in their bodies. In a study conducted in 2017 the results showed that chemical relaxers put in foundation, body wash, and other self care products contain the compound which effects reproductive pathways. Coloured children as young as four years old are exposed to these chemical relaxers which led to early puberty, uterine fibroids, and have an increased risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer. This can all be triggered by little things such as straightening hair, moisturizing, and showering. But it doesn’t end there coloured women are introduced everyday to chemicals that are open for use like mercury that can found in makeup, bleach which can be found in lotions, and even products such as hair sprays that contain phthalates.
Lastly, when it comes to North American beauty the biggest case of this development is through the spread of disparagement images that whites have of black men and women. Black women are excluded from mainstream cultural institutions like beauty contest because of how their beauty standards are somewhat displayed on a national scale. With information like this its very fair to say that even though the main stream media lack a representation of black women being depicted as beautiful, black women beauty is only valued in blacks communities, and nothings wrong with that. But why is black beauty only appreciated in one community when North American beauty standards is loved by all and respected by everyone. If we continue with conditions such as these instead of being diverse, we’ll find ourselves in small communities that hate each other and hate themselves for not looking a certain way.
In conclusion when it comes to the beauty standards affect on young black females, if we don’t start to realize the true danger that it holds on them and the generations to come. We’ll find ourselves raising “puppets” that get brainwashed. Into thinking that straight hair and lighter skin promises riches and love for those around them as a whole. So in order to avoid this we need to educate them on what true beauty is and what it isn’t.
