Beauty

[José Rodríguez & Sally Everson]

I agree that the issue of beauty - and/or physical attractiveness is one
that makes us all skittish - we are all so ambivalent about our bodies, no
matter what others think of us. Except of course here in cyberspace. But
most our lives are still conducted face to face and we all have to deal with
that.
As for Fanon and Black Skin, White Masks - yeah he gets right the
internalization of racism by black men, but when it comes to black women,
well I think he had some problems there.  He condemns the black women's
desire for white men as simply a way of moving up the social ladder, while
ignoring that black men (himself as well??) also married white or lighter
skinned women to improve their social standing, while lusting after (and
exploiting) darker women.  That still obtains here as well: ads
featuring white or light skinned, european featured women are for upscale
products or to connote purity, cleanliness, etc.  Ads that rely on female
sexuality feature browner women - triguenas or triguenitas as they are
called
here (although rarely dark or black women, or women with african features -
curly hair & flat nose seem to be the two most prominent ones -- although
the newspaper inserts, weekend flyers tend to represent more diversity in
terms of physical types).  But this duality persists here and
it seems in the Caribbean in general: a high valuation of white or light
skinned women on the social scale, while dark and black women are
sexualized.  I notice that in the Dominican Republic ads - like
billboards -- are very 'white' which sort of shocked me for a while, since
it seemed that Domincans are darker than Puerto Ricans in general and are an
independent nation and all. I was expecting the opposite I suppose. So in a
way US imperialism, ironically seems to mitigate much of this
colorism/racism.  ANd
it also seems to me that large US /multinational companies that have made
recent
inroads into PR -- like Home Depot, KMArt, & WalMart also tend to feature
more diversity in their ads, unlike older companies like JCPEnney and Sears
which also are more upscale stores. I haven't really read anything on this
phenomenom, but I have noticed it.

As for social advancement, while I'm not into climbing to the top of the
heap myself, here and elswhere, moving from the lower class into the middle
class can be a huge improvement in one's life. There's no glory in being at
the bottom that's for sure. So if one had to make use of one's looks, I
think trading it for a better life with more opportunities and choices,
autonomy and being treated better seems worth it if one is lucky enough to
be able to. Very few can trade it for fame, though many are enticed to try.
Sally Everson

-----Original Message-----
From: joanna bujes <joanna.bujes at ebay.sun.com>
To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com>
Date: Saturday, August 03, 2002 7:46 PM
Subject: Re: Beauty


>It's funny you should mention "whiteness" as a synonym for beauty and as a
>means to social "advancement" or privilege. I'm in the middle of reading a
>book by Franz Fanon called "Black Skin White Masks" and it goes fairly
>deeply into the question of the influence of colonialism on aesthetic
>judgment. I recommend it very highly.
>
>I am not surprised that the topic of beauty should elicit sparse and
>nervous responses on LBO; it's a touchy subject. There was a study done
>some years ago, you and others refer to it, and the study revealed that
>physical beauty is not relative: certain aspects-- symmetry, high cheek
>bones, eyes, figure, good skin are universally admired.
>
>But the other issue you raise I think is more key: that life is easier for
>attractive people, that they rise (even that they are forced to rise) above
>the others. Yes, I think that's also a little true. I say somewhat, because
>I'm willing to bet that there are some very beautiful women (and men) whose
>beauty was quickly swallowed by hunger, work, childbearing...and the
>infinite "diabilities" that stalk the poor. For every barefooted Ava
>Gardener that rose up from the Appalachians to be feted as one of the most
>beautiful woman in the world, there were probably thousands whose beauty
>bloomed and was lost in the minute space in which beauty could flower and
>survive under those conditions. But, if you look at the "first" world, it
>is harder to see that beauty is not necessarily privileged.
>
>The real question is, assuming that you have had the good fortune to be
>born comely, what is it worth trading it in for? Money? Fame? And if you do
>will you not become a mere effigy of that beauty....
>
>Or let me put it another way, if beautiful women sell themselves, sell
>their beauty...what reason will men have to be brave? And if there are no
>more brave men in the world, what shall become of the world?
>
>And as for social advancement...what has one advanced to when sitting atop
>a hill of skulls?
>
>Joanna
>
>