Let’s talk about it….
If you know me, you know I LOVE the arts, music especially. While R&B has long been a favorite, for me, there is no one particular genre. I don’t see music as black, white or other. Music just IS. For as long as I can remember, I have sang my heart out. I’m a lover of music as a art form, on a whole and I’d like to think my ear is something fierce. I truly wish I could play tho. I really think I’d be a beast. In middle & high school, I began to write both music lyrics and poetry. The stringing together of words is healing and music is so very soothing to me.
Upset with someone? There’s a song for that.
Heartbroken? There’s a song for that.
Falling in love? There’s a song for that.
Sad as f*ck? There’s a song for that.
Need a boost of energy? There’s a song for that.
Feelin good as hell (Hey Lizzo!)? There’s a song for that too.
Most of the time when I do at home workouts, I listen to afrobeats, reggaeton, soca, or reggae. On my commute to work, I may throw some gospel or hiphop into the mix. Music is and has always been universal. It transcends every barrier because even when I don’t understand the words, I feel the beat or something about a track resonates with me. I’m then transported to a different space. My ear is tuned into background vocals, sounds, melodies, harmonies…. I’m in a space of truly feeling.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, at what point do we call a thing, a thing?
Let me preface this by saying Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter is the sh*t and there is nothing anyone can say that will change that.
That said, of course I AM THE BEYHIVE!!! lol No, not a member, like, I’m the whole damn thing!
But can we talk about how deep and ugly misogynoir and colorism are in our society? I mean, truly ingrained in the fabric of everything but I’m on Beyonce so we gon’ be on Beyonce.
Misogynoir is often defined as the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against Black women. While colorism is viewed as discrimination or bias against someone’s skin tone; typically darker skin tone but let’s not act like the paper bag test or one drop rule isn’t a thing.
“The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.” -Malcolm X
Destiny’s child popped on the scene back in 1997 and I kid you not, from the moment I heard Wyclef Jean say “this is the remix” I was HOOKED! Now, I loved No, No, No Part 1 but baby Part 2 was a banger! Beyonce & Kelly became my instant favorites. They were so damn sassy and I loved it. But baby lemme tell y’all how I’ve been a Jay Z fan since Reasonable Doubt and hunty, when that ’03 Bonnie & Clyde dropped…. lawd have mercy. Him and Bey had me in a chokehold!
Beyonce’s solo career took off from there. And her signature blonde tresses took over red carpets and tv screens. She’s written music, dabbled in acting, directing, sold out entire stadiums and arenas. This lady has been an undeniable FORCE, you hear me?! Undeniable. I’ve always known what “I” knew, but the Renaissance documentary solidified the fact that she is one of, if not THE, hardest working women in the industry. She’s continuously tackled different genres and styles of music over the course of her career and the day she proved she wouldn’t be confined to the box they tried to put her in, is the day the hate took front and center.
“That is not her real hair”
“Her voice really ain’t all that”
“So and so is so much better”
“She can’t act for shit”
“She sounds so ghetto when she talks”
“She’s in the illuminati”
“Jay Z controls her every move”
“She faked her pregnancy”
“She wasn’t that light before”
“She bleachin her skin”
“She wanna be a Kardashian so bad”
“She really think she white”
Beyonce is a fierce advocate of Black women and the Black community and she has been from day one. She has always paid homage to her southern, creole/Louisiana roots and her hometown Houston. She has never denied her blackness or failed to acknowledge and work to dismantle the barriers we face as a people. Her BeyGood Foundation does amazing work. Yes, her skin emphatically appears lighter when she doesn’t have a tan, it also varies with lighting and when her hair is platinum vs honey blonde or brown. Yes, she also wears extensions and lacefronts but let’s not pretend her natural hair isn’t ridiculously long on it’s own. So, what’s really the problem?
Now, let’s take it back…. wayyyyyy back to 1993. “What’s the 411, hun? What’s the 411, hun? I got it goin’ on. Ay, yo, I got it goin’ on, hun.”
THEE Mary J. Blige has been a force since she stepped on the scene. She had auburn and/or brownish tresses back then but in the early 2000s, her signature blonde locs took over. Baby those short platinum cuts were the bomb! But I love Mary in any season. Besides the obvious, “whew chile Mary J CANNOT dance” comments, I’ve never heard a soul say anything negative about her.
There aren’t any whole think pieces or ho-tep dissertations about how she wants to be white, thinks she’s better than everyone else, or her weave is too much.
Now, why is that?
I mean, her hair and Beyonce’s hair typically look the same, no?
Seriously…. does their hair not look the same???
Misogynoir and colorism is so deeply ingrained in our society. It permeates everything because both are rooted in racism, discrimination, and bigotry. You’re either too dark or not dark enough. While non-Blacks are equally guilty of misogynoir and colorism, Black people are some of the worst offenders. There is still this “house slave, field slave” mentality among us and it angers me deeply.
I don’t even have the time or energy to get into the sh*tshow that has been created by the release of Cowboy Carter because baby “THIS AIN’T A COUNTRY ALBUM, IT’S A BEYONCE ALBUM!!!!” and your misogynoir is showing.
We’ve got to start acknowledging it and having open conversations about why we feel the way we do.
You absolutely DO NOT have to like Beyonce or her music but to deny her talent and dedication to her craft is asinine. But please know that this woman can and will do anything and gon’ look however she chooses to look in the process of doin it? BUT, I digress.
“Why would you try me? Why would you bother? I am Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter” – Mood 4 Eva
Psssssssst, your misogynoir and colorism is showing.
So let’s gon n call a thing, a thing from this day forward.
Cool?
Cool.
*End scene*
#Beyonce #Misogynoir #BlackWomen #Racism #Colorism #Bigotry #Discrimination
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Dear Black Grl 