I am a woman of color, and although my skin color does not define me, I hold power in knowing that my skin is gold and radiates as if it is one with the sun. I am confident in knowing this now, however, that has not always been the case. Growing up in predominately white school systems, my interpretation of beauty was flawed and shaped by what I saw around me.
White models were then the face of the modeling industry, featuring the typical tall and slim characteristics. The normal blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin are what I perceived as the epitome of beauty, and when I turned to media, the message wasn’t any different. Very few times did I see someone on TV or on the cover of magazines that looked the way I did. I can remember feeling out of place on the first day of fifth grade when I saw that my twists and ponytails were distasteful compared to the long and straight hair that my classmates had. Little did I know, Eurocentric beauty standards have stripped cultures from their own values of beauty making others feel less than, and portray a false image of beauty.
There is so much more to beauty than what media wants us to believe. Beauty comes in all different shapes, sizes, and colors because beauty in itself is unique and one of a kind. As brands continue to bring diversity into the modeling and fashion industry, it is important to showcase all shades of skin, textures of hair, and body types. This representation matters and it is important. Without representation, our young black communities will continue to feed off what is deemed as the standard of beauty and see themselves as unfitting. Removing these standards of beauty in society will allow them to understand that there is no set image or rules of beauty. We don’t all have to look the same for someone to be considered beautiful.
Your inner beauty is worth far more than society’s expectations of the way you should look. One’s inner beauty is a reflection of who they are as a person and how they make others feel. It’s about your thoughts, your knowledge, and expressing your true self. Being comfortable with who you are is the best way to express your beauty. I challenge you to defy society’s expectations of beauty by recognizing your own and the beauty of others around you.
#YouAreMoreThanYourLooks