Black Americans Have Shaped The Way I See Myself

I am obsessed with beautiful Black Women -- in real life and on social media. In fact, my Instagram can be segmented into three categories: Black Women celebratory/news pages, vegetarian/vegan food pages and essentially the Shaderoom. I am a simple woman. As a Bahamian, I am surrounded by beautiful black people: women and men. But after spending a few years in America (and a lifetime of American media), I have learned a lot of things from Black Americans. I suppose you would think that being surrounded by Black People in the Caribbean that there would be a heavy appreciation for women of darker complexions, but there is not.

"The effects of Colonialism, as well as slavery, still has a tight grip on the neck of our beauty standards."

While some African standards exist like men appreciating a woman with fuller thighs, hips, and breasts, Western standards such as having lighter skin, and straight to loosely curled hair is still loved by many above all else. It is undeniable that this is closely related to the fact that anything close to White is deemed more attractive. Therefore, White Women, Biracial Women, and lighter skinned women are deemed more attractive by many.

"These women are beautiful, but so are the women that would fail a brown paper bag test."

American culture has been very influential in the development of my personal beauty standards. It has heavily infiltrated Bahamian culture and it is easy to say that is has been intertwined from the very beginning if we take into account the Loyalists. But I believe American culture has also benefited Bahamian women like myself. Through it, I have learned so much about my hair and caring for it. I have come to appreciate my skin and my curves so much more from the plethora of beautiful women all across social media. I greatly admire the way that Black Americans have a created a space for themselves on the internet for the purposes of representation, self-education, activism and social justice.

"I greatly admire the way that Black Americans have a created a space for themselves..."

The natural hair movement was from my perspective an American initiative and most of the natural hair You-tubers are American. Most of the pages that I follow on Instagram are American. Many of the articles that I read are American. The books, music, documentary, films, authors, and some of the most influential women in my life are American. Furthermore, American culture, specifically Black American culture, has played a significant role in my development. So I am very grateful to Black American culture for all the wonderful things it has giving to me. It has in one way or another mothered me.

Has anywhere besides your home country in the Diaspora shaped you?

#africanamerican #Diaspora #womenofcolor