Lil Kim is the poster child for what the light-skinned vs. dark-skinned beauty hype has done to some of us.
As we debate the meaningless ignorance of the light-skinned vs. dark-skinned standard of beauty, there are millions of little black girls watching us, and it’s up to all of us to stop the cycle of self-hate.
In order to stop the cycle of self-hate, we must first confront it. So, here we go.
It seems that from sun up to sun down, we are accosted with an endless stream of fair-skinned, long-haired sirens who define the standard of beauty.
It seems that we’re the marrying kind and that every black man with an ounce of sense and two nickels to rub together has a multiracial babe on his arm.
It seems that black isn’t beautiful these days, and, in response, we may do things to ourselves to conform to the European standard of beauty.
So, we may change our nose or bleach our skin or, perhaps, wear the expensive contact lenses that promise to turn our brown eyes blue. (Note: Glamour touches, such as changing one’s hair color, isn’t the issue here, unless the intent is complete racial transformation).
It seems that we are doing whatever it takes to erase our proximity to blackness because, let the media tell it, black isn’t pretty enough.
So, what do I tell my sisters who are black? I will tell you to open your eyes for everything is not what it seems.
As we bleach our skin, there are fair-skinned people baking in the sun and-or spraying on perfect brown tans.
As we line our lips to make them thinner, there are people injecting their lips with collagen to make theirs fuller.
As we loathe our nappy hair, there are people of other races who buy perms to mimic our hair.
And as we conceal our brown eyes, the hottest trend in color contacts this season is black.
Speaking of contact lenses, are you seeing the picture more clearly now?
Recognize the game. Do not allow the commercials and music videos’ limited images of beauty, which are selected by industry execs who are not black like you, to redefine your beauty standard.
Do not allow the endless portrayals of successful men who love anyone but black women corrupt your dreams of Mr. Right.
From this day forward, love yourself, black woman, and embrace your interpretation of beauty inside and out.
Lil Kim Syndrome can be cured. Light-skinned, brown and dark-skinned sisters must travel and meet cosmopolitan men who will respect our uniqueness and our unwavering ability to resemble a Queen even when some media, it seems, pretend that we’re invisible.
