Does the fashion industry tokenise black culture impacting on the selfesteem of black women? Armani Williams 1504709 Research Project
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.1 FIGURES LIST 2.0 INTRODUCTION 3.0 HISTORICAL RESEARCH (THE PORTRAY OF THE BLACK WOMAN) 3.1 THE MARKETISATION OF THE BLACK WOMAN’S BODY 3.2 THE RISE AND DOWNFALL OF THE NATURAL HAIR MOVEMENT 4.0 THE ISSUES OF RACISM IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY
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4.1 REPRESENTATION IN MAINSTREAM FASHION MAGAZINES 4.2 THE PROGRESSION OF INCLUSIVITY 5.O MAINSTREAM MEDIA/SOCIAL MEDIA 5.1 THE NATURAL HAIR MOVEMENT 6.0 SURVEY ANALYSIS 7.0 CONCLUSION 8.0 APPENDIX 8.0 REFERENCE LIST
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LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: JOSEPHINE BAKER, 1920’s (2016) Vogue.com [Online Image] Available from: https://www.vogue. com/article/josephine -baker -90th-anniversary-banana-skirt [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
Figure 2: Kathleen Cleaver (1971) Wikipedia.org [Online Image] Available From: https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Kathleen_Cleaver [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
Figure 3 – 4: Pam Grier and Tamara Dobson (2015) BGLH- Marketplace.com [Online Image] Available From: https://bglh-marketplace.com/2015/01/the -natural-hair -movement-in-the -60s-and-70s-how-it-began-andwhy-it-ended/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
Figure 5: Winnie Harlow (2017) Fashonista.com [Online Image] Available From: https://fashionista. com/2017/09/models-of-color -diversity-backstage -beauty [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
Figure 6: Percent models of color in New York, London, Milan and Paris (2018) thefashionspot.com [Online Image] Available From: https://www.thefashionspot.com/runway-news/786015-runway-diversity-reportfall-2018/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
Figure 7: Vogue Italia, The black issue (2008) Italian Vogue Archive [Online Image] Available From: https:// search.proquest.com/vogueitalia/docview/1870261348/20E10A99D46C40CCPQ/2?accountid=8226 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
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Figure 8: Women of Colour on the September Issues (2018) Teen Vogue [Online Image] Available From: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/black-women-september -covers-racism-fashion-industry [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
Figure 9: Emma Hallberg accused of black fishing (2018) Looptt.com [Online Image] Available From: http:// www.looptt.com/content/swedish-teen-denies-posing-black-woman-instagram [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
Figure 10: Whitney White also known as Naptural85 (2018) Essence.com [Online Image] Available From: https://www.essence.com/hair/essence -fest-2018-holistic-wellness-hair -care -whitney-white -naptural85/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
Figure 11 – 12: (2018)
SurveyMonkey
data from survey, ethnicity of respondents and age of respondents com [Online
Image]
Available
From:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/analyze/
pJdwbsAnBAZgfKplRGOhT53X6E_2FK0FFk_2F8jYtbV_2FBuk_3D [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018]
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2.0 INTRODUCTION
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The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the consequences that black women have had to face due to today’s beauty standards. Are they conforming to it or redefining it? Today’s beauty standards have defined many to follow a standard of beauty that reflects perfection. These standards pushed by mainstream media and the fashion industry has continuously told women that a certain ideal of beauty and appearance is classed as beautiful. Yet, Beauty norms have been targeted to a European standard that emphasises skin colour, body appearance and hair texture which can exclude many, especially people of colour who fall furthest from the standard. The lack of diverse representation for black women is still an issue today and has been an ongoing issue since the 18th century.
This report will analyse the historic and contemporary views of mainstream beauty standards black women faced even though they fell furthest from the spectrum of European beauty standards. The historical research will show how the black woman was treated and how the pressure of white culture affected them before the 21st Century. Following from Slavery to the Civil rights movement, this report will look into the factors black women faced when assimilated into white culture and the revolution of dismissing it. In the contemporary sense, a look into the fashion industry and its ongoing issues with colourism and racism, the fashion industry has been guilty for setting a standard of representation and progressed slowly for true inclusivity. For this report a various amount of research methodologies was used to find the most appropriate sources, using a range of sources like books, journals, websites and videos, I was able to get a fair amount of historic research to understand the past and contemporary research to understand the present. Using books that dated back to the 1990s to 2018 shows the different prospects from 2 decades ago and how much has changed.
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3.0
Since the era of slavery, black women have been stereotyped and devalued of their black womanhood. In Bell Hooks book, Ain’t I a woman she discusses the devaluation of the black woman during slavery. Hooks expresses “Sexism was integral part of the social and political order white colonizers bought with them from their European homelands and it was to have a grave impact on the fate on enslaved black women” (Hooks,1982, p.59) In the early stages of slavery women were not valued or seen as non-threatening. Even so that black female slaves were not chained to one another while on the ships, although white slavers had placed the black males in chains fearing of a possible uprising. Hooks expresses, even before slavery the black women was seen as the obedient gender, “the African woman schooled in the art of obedience to a higher authority by the tradition of her society” African Women were seen as the stereotypical housewives as she had to take care of her family. “…you often see a great, big man walking ahead with nothing in his hand but a cutlass…and a woman, his wife coming on behind with a great big child on her back and a load on her head.” (1982, p.16 - 17). White slave masters had also saw black women as cooks, housekeepers, nurses and etc. “…not only because the could be victimised via their sexuality but also because they were more likely to work intimately with the white family.” (Hooks,1982, p.19 – 20) During the 19th century, Women had struggled to change the image of black womanhood perceived by white people. “In the eyes of 19th Century white public, the black female was a creature unworthy of the title woman” (Hooks,1982, p.59). Black people faced economic and social pressure to assimilate into white culture. In the early 15th Century, hair had signified importance in most western African societies. In the book, Hair story: Untangling the roots of black hair in America, takes a chronological look at the culture behind black hair from 15th century to present day. “When it comes to hair is the social and cultural significance intrinsic to each beautiful strand” (Byrd and Tharps 2001 p.1). The Wolof, Mende, Mandingo and Yoruba tribes used hair to reflect messages. Hairstyles could use to show a person’s marital status, age, occupation, religion, ethnicity, wealth, rank and even mood. In the Wolof tribe of Senegal, young girls who were not if marrying age, shaved their heads to show they were not available for courting. Even washing and styling was very important, if a woman left her hair unkept it signalled something was wrong, it could signify bereavement, depression or lack of cleanliness. In the Mende tribe having messy or unkempt hair could be associated with madness or a woman having loose morals.
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Both women and men were interested in straightening their hair as straight hair was seen as the beauty ideal, Straight hair had translated to economic opportunity and social advantage. In Addition, the first African arrivals mulatto offspring had tried to pass themselves off as free. Lighter skin and looser curls normally signified free status which gave them hope that their European features would be enough. Slaves living on the plantations realised that the light skin slaves worked inside the houses and performed less back braking labour. Those who worked in the houses also got hand-me-down clothing, better food and sometimes a promise of freedom if their master died. A lot of mixed raced slaves were the children of the master and therefore would be allowed to do more domestic tasks. Black people started to recognise their ranks within their diversity. Darker skin black people was seen as unattractive, less intelligent, worth less and had bad hair or otherwise known as ‘negro hair’ (African hair). Whereas light skin slaves were seen as prettier and was bought for a higher rate than dark skinned slaves and even bought as sex slaves. In the middle of the 19th Century, although white culture was the only option for society acceptance. Black people were questioning black identity, Martin H. Freeman voiced his opinion in the Anglo African magazine. “The child is taught directly or indirectly that he or she is pretty, just in proportion as the features approximated the AngloSaxon standard, hence flat noses must be pinched up. Kinky hair must be subject to a straitening process-oiled, and pulled, twisted up, tied down, sleeked over and pressed under, or cut off so short that it can’t curl, sometimes the natural hair is shaved off, and its placed supplied by a straight wig…Now all this is very foolish, perhaps wicked, but under the circumstances it is very natural” (freeman,1859, p.117) Once slavery was abolished in 1865, good hair and light skin had become the requirements to join any memberships. Schools, social organisations and business networks all favoured light skinned black people for first criteria for entry. Even churches would have a fine-tooth comb hung at the door, where anyone who wanted to join the church, the comb would have to pass freely without snagging on any kinks. In the book, The Paper Bag Principle by Audrey Elisa Kerr states “this legendary test is the one most commonly associated with elite black churches” (Keer, 2006, P. 106)
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3.1
THE MARKETISATION OF THE BLACK WOMEN’S BODY The black female body was served as an icon for sexuality “in the eyes of the 19th century white public, the black female was a creature unworthy of the title woman” (Hooks,1982,p. 159) During enslavement, black women were perceived as an object for ownership rather than human, as they were forced to use their body for reproduction, sexual services for slave owners and in the early 19th Century were publicly exhibited, which was the case for Sarah Baartman otherwise known as Hotten Venus. Baartman was exhibited and objectified as a freak show attraction because of her large ‘buttocks’, people paid to see her half naked body displayed in a cage, where she would be an attraction for European men and women. Although Baartman enslavement was atrocious, Janell Hobson study of Baartman in Venus in the Dark explores how Hotten Venus figure shaped representation of blackness and beauty today.
Another example of a historic figure who was objectified due to their sexualization of their body was 1920s dancer Josephine Baker. “White European fascination with the bodies of black people, particularly black female bodies, was manifest during the career at Josephine baker. Content to ‘exploit’ white eroticization of black bodies, Baker called attention to the ‘butt’ in her dance routines.” (Hooks, 2015, P.63)
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FIGURE 1: JOSEPHINE BAKER, 1920’s
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3.2
“In 1952, a black woman proudly wearing ‘nappy’ hair was unfashionable. In 1960, she was a curiosity, in 1965 a militant, and 1968 stylish. In 1970, she might have been arrested for too closely resembling Angela Davis, by 1977, she was an anachronism” (Craig, 2002, cited in Kaiser, 2012, p.78) The definition of black identity was changing, and hair was used as a connection towards black people throughout the diaspora. In the mid-sixties, during the civil rights movement, more black people started to wear their hair in its natural state. According to Byrd and Thraps of Hair story: Untangling the roots of black hair in America, “Negros became black people “and The Afro had shifted from a hair style to a statement as it symbolized the move towards integration and a growth for black power and nationalism. (Byrd and Thraps, 2001, P. 51) Straight hair was decreasing in popularity and “became symbolic of self-hated” for black people “the pressing comb and chemical relaxers became oppressive because they were tools that symbolized the shame associated with black hair in its natural state” (Banks, 2000, p.43). Kathleen Cleaver, a member of the black panther party had this to say about the natural hair movement; “The reason for it, you might say, is a new awareness among black people that their own natural appearance, their physical appearance, is beautiful. It is pleasing to them…For so many, many years we were told only white people were beautiful. Only straight hair, light eyes, light skin was beautiful, and so black women would try everything they could to straighten their hair and lighten their skin to look as much like white women…But this has changed because black people are aware, …and white people are aware of it too because white people now want natural wigs … They want wigs like this [points to her natural hair].” (Kathleen Cleaver, 1968)
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FIGURE 2: Kathleen Cleaver
FIGURE 3: Pam Grier as Foxy Brown During the seventies, The Afro was mainstream and wasn’t only seen on the Black Panther members. It was seen on many activist, Students, musicians and singers like Jimi Hendrix and Diana Ross, and actresses Pam Greir and Tamara Dobson who played the main role characters in their films with their hair in its natural state. As it was becoming trendier, people from other races would try to reinterpret the Afro as it was no longer seen as threatening, which made it lose its significant meaning. During the early 80s, as the afro was losing its mainstream power, a new perm was introduced creating the Jheri Curl. The Jheri curl had become very popular as it gave the appearance of looser curls with a glossy look. Again, black identity was losing its meaning as black people was alternating their curls to a looser texture. FIGURE 4: Tamara Dobson as Cleopatra
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4.0 The fashion industry has been responsible for perpetuating a European standard “From all-white catwalks, to makeup artists not coming prepared to work with black models, to cultural symbols being ripped off and sold to the masses.” (The Fashion Law, 2017). Although there is a progressive improvement for black models and diversity in the fashion industry, the European beauty standard is still very much dominate in the industry. Many black models have accused the industry of being discriminative and not catering to their needs. During Paris Fashion Week 2017, Model Londone Myers posted an Instagram video of her being ignored and overlooked backstage by hairstylists. She expresses her frustration of being a minority at one of the biggest events. She captions, “I don’t need special treatment from anyone. What I need is for hairstylists to learn how to do black hair… I’m so tired of people avoiding doing my hair at shows. How dare you try to send me down the runway with a linty busted afro. We all know if you tried that on a white model you’d be cancelled.” (Londone Myers, 2017) Myers is not the only model of colour to be ignored due to hair texture and skin colour. Respected models in the industry like Naomi Campbell and Iman have stressed the need for changes for black models to be appreciated and represented in fashion.
FIGURE 5: Model, Winnie Harlow
March 2018, B.E.T (Black Entertainment Television) released a 5-part online series about racism in the fashion industry. The series examines the difficulties black models face navigating in the industry as it is predominantly white, it also looks at the influence the industry has on the way society views black beauty. Models Khoudia Diop, Nyakim Gatwech, Ajak Deng and Leomie Anderson voice their experiences with racism within the industry, which discusses topics of hairstylists not being capable of styling afro hair, Makeup artists not able to match darker skin complexions, and colourism within the industry who prefer models with lighter skin tones and loose curls. In one episode, Anderson expressed her frustration with a casting call she waited hours at, who once finally saw her was told “were not looking for any African people” despite her Caribbean heritage. Colourism and racism in the industry seems to be more of a problem in Paris and Milan as each city has been the lowest for diversity of models during fashion week.
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FIGURE 6: Percent models of colour in New York, London, Milan and Paris
Fashion week is the fashion industries biggest event. Thefashionspot.com reveals the seasonal diversity report for Fashion every season. For the Spring 2019 runways, it was the most racially diverse for models. Out of 229 shows and 7,431 runway shows in all four cities, 36.1% of casting was models of colour. Which has the highest number of models casted ever, New York has continuously been the most racially diverse city, nearly half, 44.8% of models casted were women of colour. London is the second most diverse with 34.6% which gave them a slight increase from the previous season. On the other hand, Paris and Milan fall behind with models of colour, Paris made up 32.4% and Milan 29.9%. It seems that Europe have constantly fallen behind with racial diversity and suggest that European standards are more dominate in Europe.
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4.1 In mainstream fashion magazines, they influence an idea of feminine beauty that conforms to the European standard. In Noel Siqi Duan Journal on Black women’s bodies and black face in fashion magazines, explains that race is used as an aesthetic rather than inclusivity and diversity. Duan States, “While fashion magazines claim to celebrate diversity – and indeed, to their credit, there are recently more non-white models in the pages of Vogue than in previous decades – this diversity is narrowly defined.” (Duan, 2017, P.66) her claims suggest although the fashion industry is progressing, it is still heavily dominated on one race. This translates into how black models are perceived in publications and campaigns. “A black model, for example, is more likely to have lightened skin and straightened hair in photographs, while a white model can transgress these normalized standards and be photographed with curly hair and tanned skin…usually to emphasize her so called non-normative or unique features.” (Duan, 2017, P.66) Duan’s case can specifically be relevant to the case of Vogue Italia’s, The Black Issue released in July 2008.
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Vogue Italia launch their black issue to showcase and celebrate black women in the entertainment sector, it had sold out in the US and UK in 72 hours. Despite the success of the issue it received major controversy within the media. A writer for The Guardian, Priyamvada Gopal had this to say “Black models? Sure. But there’s not a “natural” or “kinky” in sight, indeed, barely even a mop of curly hair. This is black girls-aswhite girls…As for “black”, it’s more latte than americano” she also expressed “By simultaneously marking blackness as “special” and yet ensuring conformity to dominant (white and European) ideas of sophistication and beauty, the “black issue” tells us a great deal about race and ethnicity in the media today. To be non-white is to be constantly relegated to a “special issue”, while the regular edition remains determinedly white.” (Glopal,2008). Although, this Issue can be described as problematic, for the year that it was realised it does show FIGURE 7: Vogue Italia, The black issue
a slight improvement of the fashion industry breaking down diversity barriers.
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4.2
T H E PROGRESSION OF INCLUSIVITY
FIGURE 8: Women of Colour on the September Issues
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September 2018, the most mainstream fashion magazines like Vogue, ELLE, Marie Claire, Glamour and more all had black women on their September issue covers. With most fashion magazines, their September issues which are normally their most significant issue of the year, ‘The Fashion Issues’ present the trends for that current season. A Teen Vogue article by Jessica Andrews celebrated the impact of black women dominating these issues while also commenting on the work the fashion industry needs to do to become truly inclusive. Andrews discuses that black models on covers should require more “praise, purchase and repost” as it a milestone in more acceptance. (Andrews, 2018).
Furthermore, the fashion industry has progressed. Over the last year, several black people have got higher respected positions in the fashion world. Edward Enniful became the first black editor in chief of British Vogue, Virgil Abloh took the role of art director for Louis Vuitton, Tyler Mitchell became the first black photographer to shoot a cover for Vogue and Anok Yai was the first black model to open Prada’s runway show, from 20 years ago when Naomi Campbell opened it in 1997.
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5.0 Mainstream media has a massive influence in perpetuating the normalized standard of beauty, but it still continues to publicise the European beauty standards for every woman. As these standards emphasize skin colours and hair types, it excludes the black woman, especially those of darker skin. In ted talk: A New Beauty Standard by Amber Starks, Starks discusses todays beauty standards, where one type of beauty is considered normal and the other popular. She states “a beautiful woman had Eurocentric features, fair skin, long preferably blonde hair, light eyes, is skinny and has a feminine frame and has long legs. She’s also cisgender, abled bodies and heterosexual.” This standard excludes many but is still globalized in the normalization for women. Despite this, Starks goes on to say, “Black women have changed our minds about how we feel about our hair, and using social media, we have told the world” (Amber Starks, 2015) Starks then goes on to explain how the natural hair movement is about more than hair but reclaiming centuries of western beauty oppression. Social media has created an open platform where people of colour have grasped the opportunity to set a new beauty standard that embraces black pride and the opportunity to experiment without the fear of been ridiculed. Even though social media has created an open platform for all types of beauty to be accepted, it sometimes can lead to an appropriation or appreciation from minorities. This is the case for the new phenomenon of ‘Black Fishing’. Black fishing a new headline in the media, where white social media influencers are accused of cosplaying blackness by culturally appropriating black features in attempt to resemble a woman of colour and gain followers and attention, as stated before this can be seen as an appreciation of an age-old culture or the abduction of a style making it more sterile and commercial for the so-called black fishers.
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FIGURE 9: EMMA HALLBERG ACCUSED OF BLACK FISHING
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5.1
Although mainstream trends have had a European standard to idealise, Black women are over coming this as they are no longer following standards. In a recent journal about the natural hair movement by Kamina Wilkerson. Wilkerson states, “Some may argue that the natural hair movement is not revolutionary because black women are substantially insulated from mainstream beauty standards” this suggest that black women can re- define their own standards instead of conforming to it. Black women are over coming this through transitioning to the natural hair movement, Over the past decade the natural hair movement became an alternative trend and transformed into a global movement. According to mintel.com, this is now seen as a shift on how black women wear their hair (Mintel, 2017)
With the natural hair movement, now a global trend. Mainstream beauty department stores in the UK have now included a natural hair product range that is designed for textured hair. Many women have stopped chemically relaxing their hair, According to Mintel.com black women have abandoned chemical relaxers and from this “Relaxer home kit sales have fallen over 30% from 2011 to 2016” (Mintel, 2017). Even Superdrug has expanded its natural hair care after experiencing a demand for it on their website they now produce “more than 90 natural hair care products, expanding its product selection in natural hair care by 70%.” (Cosmetics business, 2016)
Digital media has popularized the movement through social media platforms and natural hair bloggers. In the book, Resistance and empowerment in black women’s hair styling by Elizabeth Johnson, Johnson discusses the popularity of natural hair blogs and the influence of advertising of hair care products on the vlog. Johnson states “Hair blogs are a modern take on group identity because they are created virtually…Blogs and vlogs can provide coherence and insight to the ‘other’s’ viewpoints on hair styling choices and at the same time, can other those who are non-compliant to their definition of natural” (Johnson, 2013). A famous vlogger Whitney white also known as Naptural85 on her YouTube channel. According to CRWN magazine she is known to be “the most influential natural hair vlogger in the world… Since starting her YouTube channel in 2009, Whitney has creatively crafted a digital safe-space that promotes sisterhood and self-care” (CRWN). Social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram have pushed a new movement and community for black women and men.
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FIGURE 10: Whitney White also known as Naptural85
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6.0 SURVEY ANALYSIS To use a range of research, A survey was created to discover other individuals’ views on today’s beauty standards. The survey was conducted on surverymonkey.com and was open to anyone to give their honest opinion. Even though this dissertation is focused on women of colour, it was not limited to a certain gender or ethnicity to include diverse opinions from any age, gender and race. It had a duration of 4 to 5 minutes to complete , depending on how much the individual wanted to write. The survey starts with multiple choice general questions like age, gender and ethnicity to find who was taking the survey and what the most received type of people and answers were, it then follows to the open answered questions where individuals are directed to write their personal opinions. The primary aim of the survey was to find a range of diversified answers of what people thought of beauty standards and the lack of representation today, the issue raised to do this study was to find the problem with European beauty standards and how it can affect individual’s self-esteem due to media, social media or the fashion industry. The survey had received 31 responses, all 31 respondents had answered all 7 question without skipping or leaving a blank answer. The survey was mainly answered by a younger audiences age ranging from 18 – 24 females, although the survey was open to everyone this study is focused for the millennial who has not felt represented due to their appearance. As this study was also focused on women of colour not being represented there was a high number of female respondents whom where not of colour, under these circumstances having a high number of non-women of colour does not negatively impact the study as the survey was open for a diverse range of people. Due to a lack of people of colour respondents, there was an apprehension that the results could fall bias, however due to honest responses the results are left unbiased, which made the overall assessment a success.
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FIGURE 11: data from survey, ethnicity of respondents
In response to question 4: What do you think about today’s beauty standards? This question was open to any opinion and any size answer. Many respondents had filled out and expressed their frustration with media, social media and what beauty standards stand for. It seems that many people agreed to beauty standards being too high and unrealistic to the average person. Many also believe there is a “definitely a ‘look’ to aspire to” and that it may force a younger generation to look a certain way. Author Susan L. Bryant discovered in her study of The Beauty Ideal: The Effects of European Standards of Beauty on Black Women, the journal concludes that “racial beauty standards is a societal problem that begins in childhood and has a significant impact on the self-perception and self-worth of black girls and women throughout the life course”(Bryant,2013) This can suggest, that platforms are not inclusive and effect a young audience that could grow up with an idea of beauty that is not inclusive to their appearance and can affect self- esteem issues later on in life.
In terms of the other open questions, many people had given a one worded response but there was few that have given a small paragraph of their personal opinion. Many responded to question 7: Do you feel that you have to look a certain way because of social media/ media? Many agreed that they did have to look a certain way as both social media and media have been influential in their lives, especially social media as many said that it could affect younger girls to be influenced by the aesthetic that social media platforms portray. Over 40% of the world population use social media, BBC Future did a study to discover if social media was bad, their findings on self-esteem state “Social media sites make more than half of users feel inadequate, according to a survey of 1,500 people by disability charity Scope, and half of 18- to 34-year-olds say it makes them feel unattractive.”(Brown, 2018) This suggests social media is not healthy for young adults but could have a worse impact on people younger as they are more influential.
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Overall, From the respondent’s data, 84% of respondents were aged 18 to 24 and was the most responsive, this may suggest that younger adults may be more inquisitive about today’s representation whereas the 1% of over 65s age range didn’t really have much to say on the topic and left one worded answers. This may suggest that age demographic may not feel that beauty standards don’t have to change and may feel that it has improved since a couple decades ago, or it possible that they don’t think it is as important to comment on it in the present day. It also found that the majority of female respondents are more drawn to talking about beauty standards today rather than the male majority. From the 3% of male respondents, this small amount may suggest men aren’t concerned about beauty standards or possibly feel that it is more female focused. 97% of respondents were female, this can suggest that females are more concerned about representation and beauty standards representing them.
FIGURE 12: data from survey, ages of respondents This survey has helped the research of this dissertation to find out the opinions of the standard beauty many are forced to conform to as social media and media have influenced a dominate definition of beauty. The findings have shown many of the respondents agree that the industry holds unrealistic views of beauty for the average person and that it can affect a younger generation. The main study was focused on women of colour, although the average amount was not women of colour. The prime target audience was female which was the majority of the respondents and who most agreed there are issues with representation in the fashion industry and media, although it helped the study to show that not only one ethic group and age group feels under represented.
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7.0 CONCLUSION
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To conclude, this dissertation looks at the issues black women face due to the lack of representation throughout history to the present day. From the era of slavery to today, this report looks at the effects of European beauty standards and the lack of representation that disuse black women to have a mainstream platform. From each methodology, the report was able to use a range of primary and secondary sources that confirmed that the representation in media and the fashion industry was not inclusive enough for women of colour. The survey taken, and its results suggest that the industry having high unrealistic standards can damage one’s self-esteem, many respondents also said that it can affect a younger generation in the way their themselves and what is required to be beautiful. From this report it seems that the fashion industry forthcoming steps should be to hire people of colour in higher respected roles, for example, Edward Enniful becoming editor in chief of British Vogue. Since 2017, Enniful has made numerous changes to Vogue for more diverse inclusivity. “Naomi Campbell, film director Steve McQueen and model Adwoa Aboah were all appointed contributing editors, diversifying the voice and world view that soon will run through its glossy pages.” (Rayment, 2017) Having a person of colour in higher authority may change the fashion industry standard of beauty especially in cities in Europe who heavy rely on the European standard. Having a standard that is inclusive to all can help create a new definition of beauty. If mainstream trends take this on, then the younger generation will be able to grow without negatively categorising themselves and go through life with a positive self-worth. This dissertation has shown that there is a problem in the fashion industry that does not provide an appropriate platform for black women. Fashion should promote a diverse beauty standard but as they have not it may have major effects on people’s self-esteem and self-image, which in the past lead black women to use extreme measures to change their appearance to fit in with what society wants them to be. There one of the recommendations of this report is that it is important for the fashion industry to provide real black culture within its pages.
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APPENDIX SURVEY - WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON TODAYS BEAUTY STANDARDS?
1.How old are you?
4.What do you think about today’s beauty standards?
Under 18 18 – 24
5.Do you fell that media/ the fashion industry is
25 – 34
whitewashed?
35 – 44 45 – 54
6.Do you think mainstream media represents women of
55 – 64
colour?
65+ 7.Do you feel that you have to look a certain way because 2.What is your gender? Female Male
3.What is your Ethnicity? (please select all that apply.) Asian or Pacific Islander Black Hispanic or Latino White/ Caucasian Other (please Specify)
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of social media?
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REFERENCE LIST Andrews, J. (2018). Black Women on the September Covers Give Me Hope, But There’s Still More Work to Do. Teen Vogue. [online] Available at: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/black-women-september -covers-racism-fashion-industry [Accessed 4 Dec. 2018].
Banks, I. (2001). Hair Matters: Beauty, Power and Black Women’s Conscious. New York: New York University Press
Brown, J. (2018). Is social media bad for you? The evidence and the unknowns. [online] Bbc.com. Available at: http://www.bbc. com/future/story/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for -you-the -evidence -and-the -unknowns [Accessed 9 Dec. 2018].
Bryant, S. (2013) The Beauty Ideal: The Effects of European Standards of Beauty on Black Women. Columbia Social Work Review. Volume IV. Page 88 – 89
Byrd, A and Tharps, L. (2001). Hair story, Untangling the roots of black America. New York: St. Martin’s Press
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