Comments on: American Standard of Beauty http://adiaha.com/american-standard-of-beauty/ Adiaha Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:06:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Anita http://adiaha.com/american-standard-of-beauty/#comment-1419 Anita Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:18:14 +0000 http://adiaha.com/?p=1870#comment-1419 Will I still be alive when the world no longer has issues over skin color, facial features, and body types? Will it ever happen? I hate the fact that all over the world, within certain cultures, the lighter skinned people are considered the lucky ones. I don't get it. I mean, are we still enslaved and taught that dark skin is less attractive. Haven't we come far enough to know the tactics of the slave owners - make them envy and hate one another within their own race. I'm not great with world history, but it seems other countries, for various reasons, have the same hangups. I handle it in my household by not making physical characteristics an issue. If something has to mentioned, I calmly and simply stick to the facts. For example, we don't use "good hair" and "bad hair" terms. When my girls want to do something with their hair, I'll tell them if it's possible, and if not, just give them an alternative- and not with a sorryful tone or look. We are a tan and brown toned family, with lots of hair, but I let my daughters know that it's doesn't make them "cuter," that it's just another "look" of the many beautiful "looks" of black people. I wish you well in raising your daughters to feel feminine and beautiful, but to BE smart, wise, caring, and loving. Will I still be alive when the world no longer has issues over skin color, facial features, and body types? Will it ever happen?
I hate the fact that all over the world, within certain cultures, the lighter skinned people are considered the lucky ones. I don’t get it. I mean, are we still enslaved and taught that dark skin is less attractive. Haven’t we come far enough to know the tactics of the slave owners – make them envy and hate one another within their own race.
I’m not great with world history, but it seems other countries, for various reasons, have the same hangups.
I handle it in my household by not making physical characteristics an issue. If something has to mentioned, I calmly and simply stick to the facts. For example, we don’t use “good hair” and “bad hair” terms. When my girls want to do something with their hair, I’ll tell them if it’s possible, and if not, just give them an alternative- and not with a sorryful tone or look.
We are a tan and brown toned family, with lots of hair, but I let my daughters know that it’s doesn’t make them “cuter,” that it’s just another “look” of the many beautiful “looks” of black people.
I wish you well in raising your daughters to feel feminine and beautiful, but to BE smart, wise, caring, and loving.

]]> By: Ninda http://adiaha.com/american-standard-of-beauty/#comment-1373 Ninda Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:37:02 +0000 http://adiaha.com/?p=1870#comment-1373 no one can judge why God gave us diff looks. what is important is to value the African wombs we came from & bring up our daughters to maintain their culture. Here in Africa big girls get all the attention. Skinny girls r thought to be malnutritioned. What angers me is the notion that light skin is "good". When I had Nakwavi people would say to me" umefanya ... See Morevizuri kuza mzungu" (u have done well to give birth to a white). My in-laws constantly remark that Zainabu is "too dark when will she lighten up". what I like about living here is color isnt a constant like in America. in fact my kids dont know thy r black or whatever n they dont differentiate between their friends some r white, Indian, etc.we dont get a lot of that crap in our ads/marketing. Thy like e'thing from taylor swift to Beyonce. My hope is we dnt forget our history or misinterpret it to suit the motives of others. If we dnt knw ourselves we end up assuming the wrong identity or evn identifying w our enemies. God made us naturally beautifu & unique to stand out amongst people of the world. That is what we must teach our children. Check out this article written ... See Moreby a Kenyan feminist/activist & former member of Parliament Njoki Ndungu (who is also mixed race) http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/columnists/InsidePage.php?id=1144030791&cid=485& no one can judge why God gave us diff looks. what is important is to value the African wombs we came from & bring up our daughters to maintain their culture. Here in Africa big girls get all the attention. Skinny girls r thought to be malnutritioned. What angers me is the notion that light skin is “good”. When I had Nakwavi people would say to me” umefanya … See Morevizuri kuza mzungu” (u have done well to give birth to a white). My in-laws constantly remark that Zainabu is “too dark when will she lighten up”. what I like about living here is color isnt a constant like in America. in fact my kids dont know thy r black or whatever n they dont differentiate between their friends some r white, Indian, etc.we dont get a lot of that crap in our ads/marketing. Thy like e’thing from taylor swift to Beyonce. My hope is we dnt forget our history or misinterpret it to suit the motives of others. If we dnt knw ourselves we end up assuming the wrong identity or evn identifying w our enemies. God made us naturally beautifu & unique to stand out amongst people of the world. That is what we must teach our children. Check out this article written … See Moreby a Kenyan feminist/activist & former member of Parliament Njoki Ndungu (who is also mixed race)

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/columnists/InsidePage.php?id=1144030791&cid=485&

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