Blackness and it's Beauty: A Different Perspective

Shall I start with my immense intrigue with Alek Wek? The Sudanese beauty has changed the modeling game into a whole new playing field. By leaking diversity through the industry, Alek Wek has introduced a new meaning to the word beautiful. With dark, midnight skin, an exotic womanly frame, and of course, beautiful white teeth, she has catapulted herself within the midst of high fashion.





It was a teacher of mine who brought her up one day in class. We were discussing the issue weave, and why young girls go on endless journeys to attain it. It was getting to the point where these girls had developed a whole new ego. The hair was making them a different person. The hair held their confidences and hid their insecurities. So, my teacher used Alek Wek as an example of someone who didn't need her hair to portray pure beauty.


One of the most outstanding features that captures me the most is her flawless skin. She is THE chocolate of the chocolate. The blackest of the black. But yet, she has managed to so eloquently showcase her beauty in modeling.


Of course this addresses another issue as well: Skin Color.





Color is gradable. There is a scale of different tones, tints, and shades. People of color can fall into any part of this scale. Color smoothly meshes together as it ranges from darkest to light. So why, with people, is there a division that's created by each end?


This has been a long, drawn out battle for decades. It's come to the point where it has reached ignorance. I've had to listen to black men and women degrade darker skinned women. I've heard statements of beautiful dark skinned women being "rare." Listened to endless complaints of wanting an exotic women but yet, without fail, they go for the same, generic idea. Seen how we've subconsciously began to hate ourselves and used our own women as scapegoats, recipients for our hate.


I'm not here to completely denounce those of the lighter complexion, darker complexion, or anyone in between. As far as I'm concerned, we're all black. Why hold ourselves up to the stigmas enforces by slavery? Embracing something that holds so much pain? There's no need. It's time for us to lift ourselves up as a people instead of widening the chasm between us. Let color be color.





So some are going to look at this picture, and say this woman is ugly. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But if someone could just take the time to open their minds to a newer experience and understand something else besides the European standard of beauty, maybe things will change. Understand that it's not about the longer hair, or the thinner nose, or the lighter skin, or the straightest teeth. That beauty is so much more than what the media feeds us. That anyone, in their own way, can be beautiful.


Cheers, to you Ms. Wek. Beautiful African Empress.