I was reading a back issue of French Marie Claire today in the library and there was an article about a white woman who had herself painted black and spent a day as a “black woman”. She had her skin painted black with foundation, had curly hair put on as a wig etc and surrounded herself around Black French people and lived her “new life”. In the article she notes that as a black woman, it was harder to have a flat rented if she said her name was “Fatou” yet it was easier if her name was “Valérie”. She then noted that they went to a bar and she concluded that it was easier as a white woman to have men chirpse you as opposed to being a black woman. (This comment I found to be full of errors but the subject of inter-racial relationships between black women and white men is another complex topic).
I think black women and white women in the West have a lot in common within the womens’ struggle but we also have many differences that have created an almost invisible gulf between us. This article is aimed towards a Caucasian demographic I am assuming for the readers of Marie Claire to be more socially aware of the issues affecting other French people from ethnic origins. While that is great, it is also dangerous because in a global history of people being exhibited like savages or animals, I almost got the impression that the journalist was noting that it was “worse” to be “a black woman” for the all the hype and problems that they in France face (which no doubt is difference for each black woman living in France or any Western country).
Race is a social construct no doubt but it still and will exist for centuries. I do not think it is going anywhere soon at all whether it is in the US, Europe and Africa. That is why it is crucial for debate between black women and white women to open up. I used to tip-toe around issues of feminism because I did not feel like it included me as a black girl. My feelings have changed a lot since then but I think in order for this conversation of sorts to commence, the ideas of white privilege and eurocentric beauty ideals must be cut down. In an issue of ELLE, they had an article called “Noire est ma couleur” (Black is my colour) where they featured anecdotes from Black French ladies of different backgrounds. One that stuck in my mind the most is how one black woman noted that she bleached her skin so she would have light skin or looked mixed race.
This is when I understood the notions of eurocentric beauty had created a mental inferiority complex for some black women. I don’t share those sentiments. I have noticed how in many ways Eurocentric beauty ideals work for black girls who have Eurocentric traits (I know many people who think Naomi Campbell is a black woman with “white” features). In fact, there is a school of thought that the reason why celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna, Halle Berry etc are successful is in part because of their Eurocentric features. Are black and white women going to reach a middle ground on the topic of image within feminism?
Yes, they will (re: will black and white women reach a middle ground)- but it will take many open conversations, such as you initiated right here. When I lived in Baltimore, my best friends at the hospital where we worked were black women- over 6 years, we discussed many issues from “both” sides, including beauty as perceived by ourselves and Society.
One day, a very close pal asked if she could touch my “straight since birth” hair, which was the bane of my teen years in the Big Hair ’80s, and asked how I managed to get it so straight. My confused answer of “Um…genetics?” broke us both down laughing our asses off- I loved HER beautiful, shiny curls and was dumb-founded that she liked my long hair. We probably looked silly, playing with each other’s hair… but we were both curious about how it felt.
We then spent a long time discussing beauty issues, body shapes, skin tones, etc- and came away with a mutual decision that it was best if WE liked OURSELVES first and foremost- screw what anyone else thought.
Aulelia, I have SO enjoyed your posts!
That’s the crux of the matter. I’m having difficulty at work right now because I’m trying to initiate conversations around issues of racism in music. I’m allowed to select music by composers of color (or gay composers, or female composers for that matter) as long I don’t “make a big deal” out of the fact that they’re South American (or whatever) and as long as it doesn’t sound too South American (or whatever). But it’s racist to exclude music because it sounds too “African” and “inappropriate for a formal” occasion, and a few people who know nothing about music meet my attempts at dialogue with resistance.
Resistance really is the mildest word I could have chosen. This is one of those times when I want to quit my job and take a correspondence course to become an electrician.
By the way, everything in quote marks above is lifted directly from meetings with my boss and the board over this past week.
Now I’m wondering how this relates to your previous post, esp. the assumption that being hit on by random men in public is a GOOD thing. Are the creepy types more likely to give unwanted attention to the same woman if they perceive her to be black than if they perceive her to be white? It’d be hard to quantify, as it’s not an everyday ocurrence, but since we know that the creepy sort of attention is more a matter of power than attraction, I’d suspect that this sort of “flirting” would be worse if the same woman presented herself as black. The fact that she’s not changing her basic features so much as just changing her skin tone complicates matters even further, as she would still have basically “white” features.
Just something I’m going to ponder for a while. Interesting posts from you this week on things I probably never would have thought about otherwise, definitely. So, I’ve also enjoyed your posts!
Bach-us, you may like this article in which the author (in part) struggles with defining “white” music.
Well, there is the whole stereotype of “hot blooded” _____. The (usually dark-skinned) Other. Spicy, exotic, wild…available. So…well, can’t answer that from personal experience, but my guess is “yes.”
What does “chirpse” mean?
I’m not black or white, but I did find this in my journal from last summer:
(I’m walking down the street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, towards two black guys.)
First guy: (turning to look at me as I approach): “If I had a white girl, I’d treat her like a QUEEN! Not like a black…”
Other guy: “Man, she ain’t white!”
First guy: “What?” (looking at me, puzzled)
Me: (just shaking my head and walking)
First guy: “Aww, fuck you then, bitch!”
So yeah, it’s complicated. And racist. And all sorts of fucked up.
I had to google it Frum, but I think it means “flirt”
I had to look “chirpse” up, too. Urban dictionary basically gave it as “flirting,” which I interpretted to mean mutually desired flirting, which is why I tried to differentiate the creepy unwanted attention. I’m guessing that while maybe appropriate flirting might be diminished for a woman who presents as black, and therefore outside the culturally defined beauty norms, the creepy kind might actually be increased, as then she would be perceived as more culturally vulnerable. and thus an easier target. Of course, the “strong black woman” stereotype would make her a less attractive target (attractive being used in this sentence in the easy victim sense, not in the beauty sense). The fact that she would still have “white” features, and could therefore be perceived as being more delicate or high-class or some other such nonsense further complicates things. I guess it all depends on which stereotype was foremost in the mind of the creepy guy in question at that exact moment.
Could you elaborate, please?
[...] ad obvious, so I guess lots of peeps would come up with the same). Good reading this week: Is Race A Difficult Topic for Women? and Is Feminism Global? (Aulelia, guestblogging at F [...]
Thanks, Sailorman. I don’t think any one article will change hearts and minds, and that frame is a little too evolved for my board. It’s nice to see a writer for a major newspaper (I assume) exhibiting such self-awareness, anyway.
“Why do we have to recognize Black History Month?”
The usual answer, that the other eleven months are white history, met denial. I’m running out of hard surfaces against which to bang my head.
Heck yeah race is a difficult topic for women. It’s a difficult topic for everyone in America, from what I can see, because it’s been pathologized to thoroughly, and because talking about race is seen as being somehow impolite.
Posts like yours – thoughtful, dialog-generating posts – can only help raise the comfort level around the issue of race.
Holly, that is several kinds of fucked up.
Hi everyone,
Louise — Your story is so interesting because hair is one of those topics that I think unifies and ultimately underlines the gulf between black women and white women. Why do women define themselves on the basis of hair? I struggle with mine everyday and my hair can make me shout from the rooftops or just make me feel depressed.
Bach-us — That is very interesting. In your workplace, are they trying to be diverse out of their own accord or is it government policy?
Djinna — Thanks for your comment + liking mine. It has been good fun writing posts here.
Belledame222 — I think a lot of that comes from the old stereotypes that black women were to be used to sex and sex only ie during slavery etc whereas white women were the ones who were married to the certain slave masters who slept with their black female slaves. It has made things very unbalanced and is still felt today.
Frumious B — Sorry for that confusion. If a guy chirpses you, he is trying to get with you and see how far he will go. Hope that clears it up.
Holly — That is really really disgusting. I cannot comprehend why certain men act like that. It is beyond me.
Angel H — In this post, when I was referring to “eurocentric ideals”, I am referring to the ideas throughout new world history that light skin in black people was more favourable than dark skin. This is a direct effect of how pale skin was considered more beautiful. This is a Eurocentric ideal that is alive and vibrant in the Black community and it is one that is not discussed a lot outside of Afro circles. I do not want to objectify this struggle because it is one that I have seen affect people I know and love but I do think we must start talking about it asap between white women and black women so we understand that these wounds have no been healed. Eurocentric beauty traits such as blue eyes etc are also another thing that people think is “better” than brown eyes. There are many black people with blue/green/grey eyes naturally and many people like that because they think it looks exotic. However, the problem that creates is that it creates an inferiority complex for the black people who do not have light eyes. Why should have blue eyes make one prettier? I can only speak for myself but the way I see things, black people with light eyes are seen as more desirable to some people because they have features from two races — and in a society where there are hardly any dark-skinned dynamos being shoved down our throats, it is something many black people accept. I have come a long way in this Western world to finally accept and love myself. Thus, that is why I think Eurocentric beauty ideals can be destructive if they are not discussed.
As for white privilege, this is things that are linked to racism such as not being served in restaurants, being stared at if you are the only black person in the room etc.
Rachel — I agree with what you are saying here that talking about race may seem impolite due to its’ sensitivity for some people but I am glad that so many of you have engaged in this debate.
My spelling is terrible — apologies.
Yes, it’s like talking about money. In both cases, a really good, useful discussion is possible, but only if the participants check their egos at the door. It’s a discussion that could prevent discrimination in some cases, and would probably do a lot to relieve tension on all sides.
Are you kidding? It’s not even close to terrible. You should see some of the essays I get from students…
“Are black and white women going to reach a middle ground on the topic of image within feminism?”
This begs the question if they should reach a middle ground, which assumes compromise. Compromise assumes that each gives something up. And typically when something is given up, it’s by the less powerful. Should something be given up? And if so, what?
[...] doesn’t deign the know the price of milk, bread of gas. Friday June 8th: Aulelia: Is race a difficult topic for women? Zuzu: Ask And Ye Shall Receive. JUNEBUG PICTURES!!! [...]