I was pretty hesitant to post my opinions on this issue, because it is such a broad subject and I did not want to over generalize with out giving you hard evidence/research.
Lately I have been paying close attention to the growing trend of this "Barbie Epidemic" and I must say that I personally feel that a woman that would even refer to herself as such is not only lacking the understanding of the true Essence of being a woman, but also what it means to be a woman of color. The miseducation, disenfranchisement, devaluing, and de-culturalizing of our Nubian Queens is a story to be told, but sadly to know the history and the story of progression and regression you would have to do personal research outside of the classroom. This epidemic is nothing new to women of color. The original Barbie was created in March of 1959 by Ruth Handler. She drew her inspiration from a German doll called Bild Lilli. The new American prototype was displayed all over the media. Need I remind you that during this time, blacks were involved in the Civil Rights movement, marches, sit-ins, and etc. The leaders of these movements were trying to redefine their culture and protest the unjust laws that were inflicted on blacks. As young black women began to see the images in the media/papers/magazines, they began to understand and visualize what American "true beauty" looked like. They were used to seeing the pale faced white lady with the rosy cheeks, blue eyes, the long flowing hair, and etc. As most teenagers have done, these black sisters battled identity issues, self-evaluations, and mixed feelings of self-worth. They were made to believe that this image is, "what will make boys notice me" or "this is what I have to look like to be accepted". During this time, many women (as well as men) had no clue of the importance of an African woman from a historical perspective because like a stated previously, the African culture was stripped away from Africans during slavery and post-emancipation.
If you did not know, Africans were involved in the slave trade just as much as Europeans, but their goals and forms of slavery were totally different. Black males over populated the slave ships. Women were sent in small numbers, because African culture placed the African woman on a high pedestal. In some tribes she was Regal or considered a Goddess of fertility. She was worth more in Africa than she would have been in the New World. (Homegirl had it made!) Do not be fooled, there were black Kings and Queens in the past. I will save that for another blog, but I will say that some African Queens who ruled actually have success stories that I believe could compete with Queen Victoria of England's story any day.
As our culture began to vanish during slavery, women became victims of sexual abuse, beatings, arranged marriages, and lynchings. As time progressed we began to see the growth of a new black culture in America, because more African-Americans were being born in the United States. By this time most African customs did not survive, especially the importance of the black woman. As a result African-American men have continued the trend of our European brothers by devaluing our women, using them as bait for cash, placing more value on her "pie" instead of valuing the black woman as a whole. Today we cannot continue to blame everything on the white man, because now its the black men and sometimes the black women that continue this trend. We are forgetting to place more value on the intellect of a woman, her mind, body, spirit, her strength, her ability to give birth to a healthy child, and etc. We cannot allow these celebrities (AND YOU KNOW WHO IM TALKING ABOUT) to teach our young women that being a DAMN BARBIE is what it takes to be successful or get noticed.
Black men and women need to start talking about the Essence of A Black Woman more often. We cant afford to continue to sit back and assume that the opposite sex knows what or how we are thinking. COMMUNICATE!! Men cant respect a plastic/lifeless prototype of something the was originally created to devalue the worth of a black woman anyway. So why call yourself Barbie?
I will leave you with this quote from a distinguished gentleman who agrees that this "Barbie Epidemic" HAS TO DIE!!
"If you were to get a knife and cut a Barbie doll's head off, you would find no brain inside. If you were to make an incision on the doll's chest, there would be no soul. A human being lacking these two vital components is in a severe vegetative state. Contrary to Aqua's 1997 hit record, "Barbie Girl", life in plastic isn't so fantastic. Almost 15 years later, it seems many women have forgotten that important message."-Enitan Bereolaesque
LETS REDEFINE THE ESSENCE AND VALUE OF OUR BLACK WOMEN
J. Quinn
Lately I have been paying close attention to the growing trend of this "Barbie Epidemic" and I must say that I personally feel that a woman that would even refer to herself as such is not only lacking the understanding of the true Essence of being a woman, but also what it means to be a woman of color. The miseducation, disenfranchisement, devaluing, and de-culturalizing of our Nubian Queens is a story to be told, but sadly to know the history and the story of progression and regression you would have to do personal research outside of the classroom. This epidemic is nothing new to women of color. The original Barbie was created in March of 1959 by Ruth Handler. She drew her inspiration from a German doll called Bild Lilli. The new American prototype was displayed all over the media. Need I remind you that during this time, blacks were involved in the Civil Rights movement, marches, sit-ins, and etc. The leaders of these movements were trying to redefine their culture and protest the unjust laws that were inflicted on blacks. As young black women began to see the images in the media/papers/magazines, they began to understand and visualize what American "true beauty" looked like. They were used to seeing the pale faced white lady with the rosy cheeks, blue eyes, the long flowing hair, and etc. As most teenagers have done, these black sisters battled identity issues, self-evaluations, and mixed feelings of self-worth. They were made to believe that this image is, "what will make boys notice me" or "this is what I have to look like to be accepted". During this time, many women (as well as men) had no clue of the importance of an African woman from a historical perspective because like a stated previously, the African culture was stripped away from Africans during slavery and post-emancipation.
If you did not know, Africans were involved in the slave trade just as much as Europeans, but their goals and forms of slavery were totally different. Black males over populated the slave ships. Women were sent in small numbers, because African culture placed the African woman on a high pedestal. In some tribes she was Regal or considered a Goddess of fertility. She was worth more in Africa than she would have been in the New World. (Homegirl had it made!) Do not be fooled, there were black Kings and Queens in the past. I will save that for another blog, but I will say that some African Queens who ruled actually have success stories that I believe could compete with Queen Victoria of England's story any day.
As our culture began to vanish during slavery, women became victims of sexual abuse, beatings, arranged marriages, and lynchings. As time progressed we began to see the growth of a new black culture in America, because more African-Americans were being born in the United States. By this time most African customs did not survive, especially the importance of the black woman. As a result African-American men have continued the trend of our European brothers by devaluing our women, using them as bait for cash, placing more value on her "pie" instead of valuing the black woman as a whole. Today we cannot continue to blame everything on the white man, because now its the black men and sometimes the black women that continue this trend. We are forgetting to place more value on the intellect of a woman, her mind, body, spirit, her strength, her ability to give birth to a healthy child, and etc. We cannot allow these celebrities (AND YOU KNOW WHO IM TALKING ABOUT) to teach our young women that being a DAMN BARBIE is what it takes to be successful or get noticed.
Black men and women need to start talking about the Essence of A Black Woman more often. We cant afford to continue to sit back and assume that the opposite sex knows what or how we are thinking. COMMUNICATE!! Men cant respect a plastic/lifeless prototype of something the was originally created to devalue the worth of a black woman anyway. So why call yourself Barbie?
I will leave you with this quote from a distinguished gentleman who agrees that this "Barbie Epidemic" HAS TO DIE!!
"If you were to get a knife and cut a Barbie doll's head off, you would find no brain inside. If you were to make an incision on the doll's chest, there would be no soul. A human being lacking these two vital components is in a severe vegetative state. Contrary to Aqua's 1997 hit record, "Barbie Girl", life in plastic isn't so fantastic. Almost 15 years later, it seems many women have forgotten that important message."-Enitan Bereolaesque
LETS REDEFINE THE ESSENCE AND VALUE OF OUR BLACK WOMEN
J. Quinn
WOOOW! I thought I was the only one who thought our generation of women was screwed by tv wanna be's! You said it all cuzin! Minister in the making! Hope women read this and realize how stupid they make us look trying to pose as manicans from the tv!
ReplyDelete"What we talkin' bout fiction or we talkin bout fact?" That's what Jay said! FACT: this whole Barbie thing is a gimmick to make some money and apparently, corrupt some folks along the way. The saddest part is our people can't even see that. I'm sure the ringleader of this Barbie movement is a regular chick once she pulls off her tu-tu and washes off that MAC Barbie collection make-up. FACT: Coming from a black woman who neither looks like your typical Barbie or acts like one (nor do I aspire to) I think it's a sad day in our history that that's all we can come up with to be. Somewhere down the line, folks need to be able to distinguish FICTION from FACT. My mama wouldn't even let me play with a Caucasian Barbie when I was little...and I see why - because that was NOT the norm and I DON'T have to be that to be a top-notch kind of woman. Thanks Mom and Thanks Josh..loves it :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your article and I totally agree. At this point as a people we're more than a bit messed up in the self-esteemed department. Its to the point where we don't believe we can be beautiful without a weave, probably a throw back to the old Barbie days as kids. I think it's up to each of us to reclaim (and if necessary relearn) our lost history and cultural identity.
ReplyDelete