COLUMN: Blondes Don't Have More Fun

From O.J. Lima's "Blues for Mr. Charlie," Fall '93 From O.J. Lima's "Blues for Mr. Charlie," Fall '93In 1983, Vanessa Williams shocked the country. After decades of Miss America pageants, she became the first black woman to win the title. In the end, it seemed too much like the cruel disappointment blacks have become so accustomed to. After all, Vanessa Williams was only two shades of beige from looking white. She showed off her green eyes for all of white America to cherish, and was admired in the same manner one would admire an exotic animal at the zoo. She may have looked black, slightly, but she would never be perceived in the same manner as her white predecessors. Honoring a black woman in America was unheard of. But within the last nine years, four black women have repeated the feat which Vanessa Williams had been the first to accomplish. Has the country become that progressive in the past decade? Are these titles merely concessions or have Americans' traditional values of female beauty changed drastically? For as long as anyone can remember, female beauty in this country had been epitomized by white skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. The closer a woman could get to this standard, the more beautiful she was perceived to be. I'm not exactly sure how this came about. But it manifested itself in the South during slavery and has had serious ramifications on African-American self-esteem ever since. The lady of the house was viewed as carefree, fragile, and dainty. She was someone who was not expected to ever lift a finger, and she was someone to be treated with the utmost respect because she was the wife of a powerful man. In the meantime, the black female became known for her endurance, strength, and ability to work in the fields alongside men and do an equal share of the work. She was treated with very little respect, and because of her status as a fieldhand she was deemed almost unfeminine. Because the black woman labored like a horse, she became the antithesis of the white lady of the house and, hence, the antithesis of beauty as well. But slavery ended 130 years ago, and although this country is still feeling the effects, some standards have changed. It's starting to get tough for blonde haired girls these days. Polish and even black jokes are being given a run for their money these days by "dumb blonde" jokes. The aforementioned physical qualities are no longer the key to popularity. Over the past 100 years, immigration has made this country more diverse. Furthermore, as the American empire has begun to recede, our influence over other cultures has decreased as well. American standards are no longer as powerful in shaping the mentalities of other cultures as the had been in the past. Other nations are no longer trying to copy the United States. The result? Physical qualities which defined ideal female beauty are finally losing their pull. If we survey the top female models in the world, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and Linda Evangelista, we notice that none of them fit the mold of traditional female beauty. Though three of them are white, only two have blue eyes, one has a mole, and none are natural blondes. Yet, they're viewed as the most attractive women on the planet. At first glance, this all may sound somewhat silly. Who cares if blonde-haired girls can no longer "have more fun?" Well, the ramifications are actually not trivial. In black communities, social problems have been prolonged because of a lack of self-esteem and self-respect. These deficiencies were caused because black folks were conditioned to believe they were an ugly people. Along with ugliness, stupidity and inferiority have been inferred. African-American women have been taught to be embarrassed of the texture of their hair, the thickness of their facial features, and the color of their skin. The cosmetic and hair-care industries have made millions off of black women coloring their eyes as well as dyeing and extending their hair to achieve a more white look. Black men have not escaped the indoctrination, either. Having been taught that white women were inherently beautiful, black men viewed them as an ambrosia which only the honored could taste. Even a blatantly ugly white girl was better than a black woman. This sentiment was transferred into the African-American race as well. Black men rejected darker black women for their light-skinned counterparts. Peolas were the white women of the race. Fortunately, African-Americans are getting away from these stereotypes about themselves. We have realized that beauty does not necessarily mean white, blonde, or blue. It is this realization which has allowed African-Americans to obtain a greater sense of self-esteem. Black women no longer feel the need to change their hair and eyes. And it is not very often that one sees black men putting white girls on pedestals to be admired. But it isn't only black folks who are re-evaluating. White folks are leaving their own stereotypes behind as well. They did pick five black Miss America's. After all, with so many different types of people in America, it is no longer feasible to portray one look as the standard which all else should imitate. So maybe Vanessa Williams' win was not a fluke. Maybe Americans have finally realized that black is beautiful. So maybe next year we'll see a rarity, a white Miss America. But this time, she'll have braids and a tan. O.J. Lima is a senior English major from Providence, Rhode Island. Blues for Mr. Charlie appears alternate Mondays.