While we talk a lot about harmful media beauty ideals like extreme thinness, appearance-focused “fitness,” sex appeal, and photoshopping phoniness, one of the most oppressive ideals excludes anyone who isn’t … white. We call it the whitewashing of beauty.
Vanity Fair's 2012 "Fresh Faces of Young Hollywood" features only white women on the cover ... again. But they were nice enough to include two women of color (Paula Patton and Adepero Oduye) on the inside flap.
In a country where a full one-third of the population is black, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic or Latina, the serious underrepresentation of women of color in media is really disturbing. Further, when you only account for the women of color shown in positive roles or depictions – especially those depicted as beautiful or desirable – the number is almost negligible. Since Beauty Redefined is focused on recognizing and rejecting harmful messages about bodies and beauty in media, we can’t pretend that race isn’t a major factor in the most harmful of beauty ideals. Images of white women dominate all media – especially roles or depictions featuring “beautiful” or desirable women, not funny sidekicks, the chunky best friend, the hired help or other stereotypes. To think this doesn’t have a negative effect on females who rarely see images of their own races depicted in a positive manner is insane. To think it doesn’t have an effect on the way white people (and all people) view women of color is equally insane.
Vanity Fair's "Fresh Faces of 2011" all have one thing in common...
Since researchers have assumed that black girls were immune to the effects of thin-ideal media(1), communication scholar Kristen Harrison (2006) conducted a study aimed at testing this idea. Using survey data from 61 African American teen girls, she studied how TV exposure influenced the girls’ beliefs about others thought of the girls’ own bodies. She discovered that for larger girls, TV exposure significantly influenced their belief that their peers thought they should be smaller. For the smaller girls, TV exposure significantly influenced the belief that their classmates expected them to be larger. In other words, the larger girls in the group assumed their classmates thought they were too fat, while the smaller girls assumed their classmates thought they were too skinny. Interestingly, Harrison found the same result three years earlier when she found white women’s exposure to TV beauty ideals predicted the large-busted women wanted smaller chests and small-busted women wanted larger chests.
Beyonce before and after Loreal's digital manipulation.
Basically, that means for-profit beauty ideals in media are WORKING. Too many industries thrive off women feeling bad about themselves and seeking ways to fix their “flaws,” which women naturally perceive as a result of not measuring up to media standards for beautiful or even “average.” These studies (along with plenty of others) show us that pretty much everyone feels bad. Too fat, too thin, too busty, not busty enough, too tall, too white, too dark …
Queen Latifah Over the Years
The mainstream beauty ideal is almost exclusively white, making it all the more unattainable for women of color. Though beautiful women of color like Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Halle Berry and others have achieved renown in U.S. culture, media representations of these women have become increasingly “anglicized” or “whitewashed” over time, with lighter-colored, straighter hair, lighter makeup, colored contacts and often shrinking figures (5). Though many of these transformations are likely decided by the celebrities themselves or their styling teams, some of the transformations are much more sinister … and more digital. Companies like Loreal and Clairol have come under fire for digitally lightening both the skin color and hair color of black women featured in their advertising, including Beyonce and Queen Latifah, as shown above.
Gabourey Sidibe Elle Magazine, Sept. 2010
Even when the women are being recognized for something other than their beauty, like, say, an Oscar nomination for incredibly talented actress Gabourey Sidibe of “Precious,” magazines like Elle still feel the need to whitewash her in order to feature her image on the cover. While representation of women of color in media has increased slightly over the past decade, finding positive depictions of women with dark skin tones or natural hair is still nearly impossible in mainstream media. Further, when we do see women of color respresented as beauty icons in media, they almost always already fit white ideals –meaning they already have light skin tones, light-colored, straight hair, ideally “white” facial features, thin figures, etc. The most famous examples of black or multiracial women celebrated for their beauty or desirability consistently fit those standards, and coming up with examples who don’t is really tough. Tyra Banks, Halle Berry, Rihanna, Gabrielle Union, Ciara, Zoe Saldana, Brandy, Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys … the list goes on.
Halle Berry
Tyra Banks
For both Latina and black women, research shows beauty ideals include more “feminine curves” than the dominant white ideal (6). Instead of always subscribing to the thin ideal, girls and women of color, in some cases, value a “thick” ideal, comprising a slender but curvy body, with a thin waist, big breasts and hips and a round behind. Essentially, “the feminine ideal is tanned, healthy slenderness, with no unsightly bumps, bulges, or cellulite, and bodily and facial perfection that results from hours of labor: exercise, makeup, and hair care” (Coward, 1985; Kuhn, 1985) ‑ and 25 years later, plastic surgery and digital manipulation.
One recent example of this digital distortion to create (or make women fit) ideals is the notriously curvaceous actress Sofia Vergara (of the TV show “Modern Family”), whose arm was slimmed to the extreme for Pepsi’s “Skinny Can” campaign (barf). Despite a controlling ideal that values “feminine curves” along with the thin ideal, this is still an objectified and unrealistic standard that is a nearly impossible combination for most women, unless extreme photoshopping or expensive and life-threatening cosmetic surgery is performed. Latina and Hispanic girls are still suffering under these controlling standards of beauty.
Jennifer Lopez 2011
Jennifer Lopez (bottom middle) in the mid-'90s as a "Fly Girl" on "In Living Color"
In studies where Latina teenage girls report greater body satisfaction compared to white girls, they still report comparable or higher rates of disordered eating (2). Scary facts: Greater acculturation into mainstream U.S. culture has been associated with preference for much thinner body types among Mexican American women. Studies have found second-generation Mexican Americans had the highest levels of disordered eating among first- through fifth-generation Mexican Americans. In other words, Latinas who are daughters of first-generation Americans were most likely to have an eating disorder, potentially as a result of trying to fit in with U.S. ideals, which may differ starkly from ideas about bodies found in their parents’ native cultures (4). Further, Latina adolescents describe an ideal body type that looks extremely similar to the white norm AND they report the desire to lose weight at similar rates to their white peers (7).
Jennifer Hudson, cover of In Style, Aug. 2010
Jennifer Hudson on American Idol, 2004
Though many studies assume black females are more capable of resisting dangerous thin ideals than white females, plenty of evidence suggests that’s simply not true for too many. Botta (2000) found that for both black and white girls, exposure to TV beauty ideals was associated with a stronger drive for thinness and greater body dissatisfaction. Roberts et al. (2004) echoed these findings, declaring that black girls may be particularly vulnerable to internalizing media messages that emphasize beauty and appearance. Others (8) have found that the number of hours watching music videos increased the appearance and weight concerns of teen girls, with those findings being strongest among the black girls tested. Generally, television watching is related to lower self esteem and higher levels of disordered eating for girls and young women of all races and ethnicities (Harrison & Hefner, 2006; Tiggemann, 2006).
Rhianna on the December 2011 cover of Vogue compared to her as a child
We know different cultures may have different perceptions and definitions of beauty or even thinness, since Asian women considered to be of normal weight and figure in an Asian culture may be considered underweight or anorexic by Westerner ideas of body size. But the central issue here is not so much cultural definitions of beauty or body size – it is the dangerous lengths some people will go in order to achieve those ideals. Essentially, women are viewing a distorted reality and holding themselves to the unattainable standard set by the non-reality of popular media – and most often, those standards are based on oppressive, power-laden ideals of whiteness.
This is, in fact, Beyonce in a newly released photo for her latest record, "4."
Recognizing the ridiculous lack of diversity in representation of media, and particularly when it comes to portrayals of beauty, is absolutely crucial for people of all races. Recognizing is the first step toward rejecting those messages and the negative feelings they inspire about our bodies. After we reject them, we can continuously redefine beauty for ourselves – on our own terms – with the help of the beautiful people in our lives who recognize other forms of beauty as well. For helpful reminders on postcards and sticky notes (and to support the work of Beauty Redefined), check out our uplifting messages here. For more strategies to help take back beauty, check out our list for girls and women and our list for boys and men.
By Lindsay Kite, 2011. “Beauty Whitewashed: How White Ideals Exclude Women of Color.” Published at www.beautyredefined.net/beauty-whitewashed-how-white-ideals-exclude-women-of-color on Feb. 28, 2011. References 1: Adams et al., 2000; Dolamore, 1999; Flynn & Fitzgibbon, 1996, Thompson et al., 19972: Barry & Grilo, 2002; Crago et al., 1996; Granillo et al., 2005; White & Grilo, 2005
3. Cachelin, Monreal, & Juarez, 2006; Jane, Hunter, & Lozzi, 1999; Gowen et al., 1999
4. Goodman, 2002, p.714
5. Cepeda, 2003; Guzman & Valdivia, 2004
6. de Casanova, 2004; Goodman, 2002; Rubin et al., 2003
7. Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2002; Poran, 2002; Rosen & Gross, 1987
8. Borzekowski et al., 2000
I was wondering why I never see black women on magazine covers (besides National Geographic) before you wrote this. Now I know..
I was watching “Bones” the other day, and noticing that although Washington, D.C. (where the show is set) has one of the highest populations of African-Americans, there are very few characters of color on the show. Interesting. And those who are, align closely with more anglicized ideals.
I remember having a similar conversation in an anthropology class, only my classmate’s observation was that in Mexico, nearly all of the famous TV stars are incredibly fair-skinned and light-haired Mexicans, even though they may not represent the tones of the true regional populace.
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What an excellent post! Lots of resources to draw from and things to ponder. The photos are perfect representations of what the author discusses. I’d been thinking for years that black women are increasingly straightening their hair and wondering why they would want to do that when it sometimes even looks odd… even Jewish friends of mine who have beautiful curly locks get them permanently straightened — what a waste! What conformity! What an insidious culture we live in!
This post is awesome! Thank you for taking the time to say what has been on a lot of women’s mind. I live in NYC so there are billboards and posters everywhere of generally white women or whitewashed women of color, and I ask myself, whose representing me. Why do I have to get a “black” magazine to see a women of color on the font page. Why is it when ELLE, or Vogue, puts a women of color on the cover page that its progressive. Are we still that backwards! With the melting pot that is America, how can we not be color blind when it comes to beauty? Its sad, backwards, and it’s keeping us from moving forward. I hope this doesn’t last.
Here’s an idea. If you don’t agree with white ideals, perhaps you should leave white countries.
Here the thing you not from america either so i think you should take yourself back to Ireland or Britan or Germany. Blacks built washington DC and gave free FORCED labor which made America a rich land. Chinese built the railroads which gave people the ability to spread to places like Utah, Denver, and California. Now you have mexicans cooking food and working roads for less pay. Here the thing Richard when you buy your clothing it was made in china …when you buy your diamonds it was mined in Africa and certain foods you eat our a combonation of many Cultures. So in other words grow up and stop being a lil B*tch. If you dont agree go back to where your white roots stem from.
since when has America been a “white country”?
Ummm…perhaps you forgot or choose not to recognize, Richard, that America was originally inhabited by Indians not whites.
Here’s an idea. If you don’t like hearing people speak out about injustice, put your hands over your ears and repeat “I can’t hear you” over and over. That should keep you busy while the world changes around you. If you keep your eyes closed too, you won’t even have to see it. Then nothing can threaten your worldview.
OR you could open your mind to the possibility that being white does not make you better than everyone else. Hopefully you will discover that you have other ways to measure your worth.
On second thought, if being a white male is the only thing you’ve got going on, maybe you better cling to your privilege. If you’re forced to live in a world that doesn’t cater to you because of your race and gender, that could be pretty tough. Imagine how hard it would be to feel good about yourself if people who don’t look like you were actually pictured on magazine covers!
Maybe posting things like “go back where you came from” is your best strategy. As long as you can hold back the tide of change, you can go on forever believing you are something special just because of your skin color. If that’s all you’ve got, I wouldn’t want to take that away from you…
But I don’t think the rest of the world is going to keep their mouths shut just so you can maintain your fantasy. Yep. You better put your hands over your ears. And for heaven’s sake, stay away from the internet. There are so many ideas out there, and you’ve already got one, so you don’t want to be exposed to any more.
Bravo Marisa! You’ve always been one of my favorite people, but I’m not being biased when I say that your comment totally ROCKED!!!
Marisa, I couldn’t have said it better myself! Thank you!!!
That was pretty ignorant to say. Nothing is wrong about standing up for injustice.
Richard,
I’m sorry to inform you that this is a multiracial democracy. It is NOT a white country and it NEVER was. In the beginning you were outnumbered by Native Americans and Africans. Now — despite your centuries of racially exclusive immigration policies — you’re about to be outnumbered by all of us again. By 2042, you will be less than half the population.
Already, we have a black president. Our nation’s changing demographics mean you should get ready for more national leadership by non-white Americans.
I’m sorry to inform you that you will have to learn to share political power and resources with everyone else. Unfortunately, Richard, this means we will be demanding and making some changes to the media organizations that once perpetuated the myth that this is a white country. One of the things we’ll be starting with is ending their efforts to whitewash beauty.
Thanks,
Kelly
Funny thing about the photos of the black and Afro-Latina celebs: even their before photos have been whitewashed. Most were born with — curly, kinky, not weaved, permed or otherwise straightened — hair, which is apparently unacceptable.
I think some of it is true, but the author is clearly manipulating the reader by having purposefully chosen the pictures she chose.
2 Examples:
1)Jennifer Lopez so-called “before” image is what she had to transform to play Selina for the film Selina. That was not Jennifer’s look then or now.
2)Rihanna’s so-called look today. She is on a cover with a wig channeling who knows who, but that is not her look today. She’s very eclectic and creative. One platinum blonde wig image does not define her. And she is already the ideal to many. Naturally tanned, light eye color, and curvy in all of the right places.
One more thing that really bothered me is saying the Latinos and Mexican Americans are the same. Living near the border to Mexico. That’s completely wrong.
I go to Mexico often enough and they, as a society, don’t like so-called “thick” women. Mexicans are slim by nature. They eat smaller portions than Americans. When you mention 2nd generation Mexican American women may be struggling with acculturation and choosing Mexican way of eating and fast food culture I would have bought it. The way it is phrased is bullshit. All women in America as teenagers struggle with their weight. It’s an issue for all women regardless of race or ethnic background.
Interesting to see that 5th generation Mexican Americans can’t be American by then…but Jews, Poles, and Italians can.
I usually like these articles but I have to call bullshit when I see it.
Emma, Wow. I don’t mind some healthy criticism every now and then, but calling this very well-researched piece “bullsh**” (more than once) and saying I’m “manipulating” readers is completely out of line and entirely false.
#1) Yes, the first image of J.Lo is from the same time period as “Selena,” but that is also extremely similar to what she looked like in her actual life. I’m including an additional photo above showing her from the same time as a “fly girl” on “In Living Color” – same dark hair color (only this time curly), same dark eyebrows and makeup coloring. The individual photo was chosen so readers could see a good, clear shot of her (rather than the group shot from the TV show), and NOT to manipulate them.
#2) I never said the second photo is how Rihanna looks all the time. Obviously she’s ecclectic and changes all the time – but this is a very clear example of a woman of color who has been made to look white on the cover of a very popular magazine. I also never attributed blame to who made her look that way. The example stands.
#3) I would never say Hispanics and Latinas are the same. Please do not put those words in my mouth. Those findings are on acculturation and cultural ideals and are backed up by extensive peer-reviewed research and are not my opinions. If your opinion on what body types most Mexicans or Mexican Americans have or prefer happens to differ from these findings, then that is fine, but it doesn’t negate the findings.
#4) Your statement about 5th generation Mexican Americans not being Americans is unclear, but it sounds as if you’re insinuating that I (and the researchers behind the studies) don’t consider them “Americans.” This is false. Those are studies of differences among generations of Americans whose families originated in Mexico, and it is necessary to differentiate between generations. Obviously they’re Americans.
#5) Last, when you said all American women struggle with weight in their teens and said it’s an issue regardless of race or ethnic background, you proved one of the major points of this piece. But you say it as if I’m saying only black and Latinas struggle, which is clearly not the case. Our culture’s unrealistic ideals are exterting pressure on all women in many ways, including white ideals, as elaborated in this piece.
Using such a phrase as “white ideal” is racism in itself. People of color should really resist the use of such phrases created by white men with power and used widely right after WWII. Ideals have no color, we are free to create them, choose and define our ideals. People may choose different ideals or role models for managing life and its challenges, to succeed in some social context. And of course we flock, but we are all brainwashed, and knowing that can make us freer. It is more challenging, however our brain need some challenges to keep fit.
The change of color created in these manipulated photos are not ideals, they are delusions, made by some with racist beliefs. I cannot understand that these black model-women accept that magazines change their skin-tone. Who are the persons behind the manipulation of these photos? When you find out, you can start asking question and discussing the real causes of racism. Very many women should really start repeating for themselves that they are good enough as they are, and start spending time and energy on more important matters. Do not let skin tone be an issue for success. Take a look at this video: Miss Representation Extended Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S5pM1fW6hNs
Many thanks for this most interesting study!!!
I often quarrel with people, as I try to have them open their eyes. Most don’t mind if a colored girl dies her hair or wear color lenses. They say “it’s just fashion, no racism in that”…but of course, this is a racist fashion: we tell woman that because of their race, they cannot be beautiful! x_x They are implicitly told to do something their white neighbours will never have to do: change their appearance to ‘whiten’ themselves. The pictures are relevant: why do people like Beyonce, Tyra Banks or J-Lo dye so much their hair, in a eurepean color, whereas they should have black hair and be proud of it? Why do they all choose European colors which cannot suit them (on a non-Eureopean girl, brown or blond is in NO WAY better tha green or pink, since it is in no way more natural)?
Why can’t people appreciate beauty WITHOUT asking everyone to look whiter? Especially since the result makes them look like E.T., they are in no way better looking with these colors, who look soooo artificial on them.
And this problem is the same in many countries: Japan, India, Brazil,…where all people want to be more ‘european’ instead of promoting their own beauty. Even in Iran, where woman have to wear a veil, they manage to have some bleach hair escape from their veils. =/
Can you imagine the effect on people, especially young girls? “Not white enough to be pretty”, that’s what they see, althought no one would admit it openly. THey don not een realize that yes, these ‘changes’ are of course aiming at whitewashing them!
And I feel anger, when I think of those many colour persons who could promote a different beauty, tell people that your colors are NOT what makes you look good…no, instead, they merely go on, they want to be those ugly fake blond creatures and don’t even mind if this can have terrible consequences.
Just look for “hydroquinon” on the web, and you’ll see!
My only hope is that more and more people will realize that something is wrong. Especially the many victims who unfortunately promote this ‘fashion’, abiding by its silly laws. In other words, colored people themselves, who should say “No” when they see one of them fllowing this ‘fashion’. If more told Rihanna or Mariah Carey that their look both ugly AND racist with this weird behaviour, I guess things would change quickly!
I have a question: What is the percentage of these underrepresented races in the general population? According to my research, 64% of the population of the US is White (non-hispanic), 12% is Black, and 16% is Hispanic. So shouldn’t it follow that 2/3 of the ads would feature white women, and the other races should be represented accordingly? Am I missing something?
We’re told the grass is always greener. If you have pale skin, youre told to get a tan-real or fake, if you have darker skin they seem to be whitewashing. If you’re too fat lose weight, if you’re too thin, you need curves etc. We can’t win it seems. We need a culture of ‘LOVE YOURSRLF THE WAY YOU ARE’, not a culture of ‘forever criticise yourself for every major or minor detail’. There is, ultimately, no ideal, because everyone wants something different. I’m happy with who I am, but only since I decided to stop listening to what everyone else thinks is ‘perfect’.
@Jordan:
You’re right,we’re always told to be perfect, whatever we are. Photoshop is used to make us think that a woman can be flawless, and this is wrong for anyone…
Still, these is something more that people of color are told: to erase what is not ‘white enough’. A famous white actress will have to look pretty, thin and so on…but she can keep her dark brown hair, and brown eyes.
A famous black girl will most often have to get straight hair, to dye it any color but black and sometimes to use color lenses…so many things her white counterpart won’t have to! She still has to be thin, perfect, and so on, but ALSO to whitewash herself.
So yes, there is a difference. Non-white people are supposed to abide by silly white beauty criteria. Changing colors is a European fashion, this shouldn’t apply to the many people in this world which have black as their eyes and hair color.
@brneyedgrrl:
Well, the problem is not only to be represented, it also deals with HOW they are.
To me, people like Mariah Racy, Beyonce or Rihanna are definitly NOT representing their ethnic group. It is quite the opposite: they are showing something fake, they are openly self-racist, telling their fellows that, even if this looks ugly their need a blond wig to succeed. :-(
So being represented this way is to me far worse than not being represented at all, since what we see are not like us, they are aliens, impossible creatures.
Because, if very few girls are tall, thin like models, still there ARE some. They are scarce but real.
On the other, NO non-white girl could be naturally like what we see. They are as abnormal as if they showed pink hair.
And the very idea of changing their colors is a white fashion, since this variety of color only exists in Europe, and was never promoted in non-white societies before.
Today, on a blog, I posted a comment about those stupid supposed-to-be black dolls. Because, they ALL have pale brown eyes, and sometimes european-colored wig. Is it so wrong to show a doll with eyes and hair as black (and pretty) as the night??? What are we supposed to tell our children when they ask why the doll hasn’t REAL Black People’s eyes?
USA has always been and will always be a white country. to try and pretend otherwise is to only engage is wishful thinking. whitey was here first.
and guess what. Vikings were here before native americans. sux right ?
Imazing
Good