The list is never-ending, and Black women frequently experience another level of fatigue. Because, despite the world’s current claims to “celebrate” us, the standards for what it means to be attractive continue to rise and become more costly. Although beauty has always been political, it is also profitable in the twenty-first century. Our insecurities are the foundation of a whole economy. Every new beauty trend seems to come with a shopping list that includes designer clothing, wigs, nails, body contouring, and skincare routines. The point is that capitalism is aware that women will spend unlimited amounts of time pursuing confidence or rather the perfect look.
These days, it’s more important to perform riches, control, and desirability than just appear nice. Every “new look” or “self-care aesthetic” also subtly conveys the idea that you are lacking until you purchase this. The worldwide standard of beauty was never created with Black women in mind, making it worse for us. We used to be told that our features such as our dark skin, large lips, and thick hair were excessive. These same traits are now fashionable, but only when they are repackaged for consumption or worn by others. The concern of “for whom are we performing this beauty” persists even as women regain confidence in themselves.
In actuality, a large portion of the contemporary beauty economy still centres on the male gaze that subtle but potent need to be noticed, coveted, and accepted by men. This is made worse by social media, which turns visibility into validation that the more likes you receive, the more deserving you feel. In no way am I saying that women invest in their appearance for men validation. However, social conditioning is the source of this hunger, not simply men. We’ve been taught that having beauty is a way to stay protected. Opportunity arises from that desirability. That affirmation is evidence of value. Because society has never taught us how to be enough without it, we feed the gaze.
Black women live in a strange environment. We are both hyper-visible and invisible, fetishized and ignored at the same time. We are accused of “selling out” when we adhere to Eurocentric beauty standards. People tell us we’re “too much” when we accept who we are. In either case, the conflict benefits companies, influencers, or industries in the economy that depend on our continual attempts to be noticed. Contradictions turn beauty into a battlefield. The world still expects us to appear effortless despite everything.
Perhaps capitalism’s need to keep women pursuing anything is more to blame for the emergence of unachievable beauty standards than vanity. Because the system loses a client when women at last find contentment. Seeing the pattern and making the decision to act differently is what it means to me to be a Humanity Babe. It entails appreciating beauty without allowing it to overwhelm me. It entails realizing that confidence originates from the mind that examines it rather than the mirror. Because loving oneself in a world that makes money when you don’t is the true revolution.
This is nice to read ❤️❤️