Black Girl Magic

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"It's cool when they do it, but it's a problem when I do it?": Black women and cultural appropriation.

Black women can be known as trendsetters. Most styles you see? A black woman most likely invented or came up with the idea. Great right? However, the reception they receive is not always welcome. A lot of hairstyles black women wear tend to get a lot of criticism, most of it negative. Essence states, “What’s difficult to digest is this “praise” of all things black – from cornrows and large booties to acrylic nails, door-knocker earrings, and tribal fabrics – only becomes “chic,” “trendy,” and “epic” when worn by white women. When these same cultural markers are on black women, they are “ghetto,” “urban,” and “ratchet” – meaning, unpretty.” Such as baby hairs or durags. Many black women have spoken up about how things are different when they are not the ones wearing the style. Many black models could rock these styles, but instead, they would rather have someone outside the culture do it. A factor in this could be that they do not have the proper hairstylists to do it. Many black mode

"You're like a White-Black Girl!": Code-switching

If you do not know what code-switching is, let me educate you for a moment. As a black woman growing up in a predominantly white town? 99.5% of the time you code-switch. Meaning, the way I talk with my friends is NOT the same as I would talk at a job interview. This is a very popular method among the black community, more so among black women. Harvard Business Review states, “For black people and other racial minorities, downplaying membership in a stigmatized racial group helps increase perceptions of professionalism and the likelihood of being hired .” This may also apply in other aspects. Being told that you are different from the other black girls because you speak articulately. It is weird how it is both negative and positive. Actress Golden Brooks spoke up about this in an interview. She stated, “ ‘Code switching’, she says, was also a big part of her childhood. I would go to these private schools and assimilate and then when I got back to my block I would be more the neighborh

A Trailblazer: Marsha P. Johnson

When we discuss the LGBTQ+ community, one name that has to be brought up is Miss Marsha P. Johnson. In today’s society, many people forget how big of an impact she had. Born in 1945 and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Before she had transitioned, she wore dresses at a young age. Marsha stopped wearing them after being sexually assaulted. Marsha ended up moving to New York after graduating high school and her activism began. National Women’s History Museum states, “Once in New York, Johnson returned to dressing in clothing made for women and adopted the full name Marsha P. Johnson; the “P” stood for “Pay It No Mind,” a phrase that became her motto. Johnson described herself as a gay person, a transvestite, and a drag queen and used she/her pronouns; the term “transgender” only became commonly used after her death.” As time progressed, she began to be more involved as an activist. One of her most memorable accolades is her at the Stonewall Raid. Marsha and many others helped hold prot

Colorism in the Media: "Light-skin vs. Dark-skin"

For centuries, there has been a divide in the black community. This divide is called colorism. For those not informed, it is where individuals with a lighter complexion are preferred to those with darker complexions. It is a dysfunctional pyramid that needs to be demolished. Little girls find out at a young age about this from their own family members. Sometimes they are told that it is bad to be darker. Psychology Today states, “For instance, in a 2011 study, researchers found that matriarchal figures such as mothers and grandmothers were often Black girls’ first source of skin-tone socialization during childhood and adolescence .” On that account, we look into how this pans into media. There have been many controversial debates over the topic of colorism, most of them involving black women. Following this topic, there have been many books that have been turned into movies. Such as The Hate U Give or Everything, Everything . However, the main character’s description in the book is

Why the sudden change? - Angela Reese and Team LSU

LSU’s women’s basketball team just won their first-ever national championship, but they also set a record for the highest score in a women’s national basketball game. However, things weren’t all happy. Angela Reese, the team’s captain, began to receive some backlash on social media. During the game, there was a gesture that she had made towards Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. Many people online began to criticize her and say she lacked sportsmanship. Many forgot that Caitlin had made this same gesture in a different game, and the responses were completely different. The media tried to pan out Angela as the bad guy, which is typically how they see black women. More so, they often try to pit women against each other. Both athletes came forward and explained that there is no beef between them. Caitlin stated, “I’m just one that competes, and she competed. I think everybody knew there was going to be a little trash talk in the entire tournament. It’s not just me and Angela.” It wouldn’t be basketb

Is 1st place really winning? - Jennifer Hudson

Miss Jennifer Hudson, a well-known name to many. She first appeared on the scene part of the third season of American Idol. Biography states, “As a finalist, she gained exposure and a fan base, then all but disappeared from the limelight after she was eliminated from the show. Controversy ensued over her departure as she was recognized by legions as an outstanding vocalist who could out-sing other contestants.” (Paragraph 2) Although she did not win the show, she won much more after starring in the film Dream Girls. Going on to win her first Golden Globe and Oscar. Jennifer began to put her name on the map. She, later on, dropped her debut album which won a Grammy for Best R&B Album. After various appearances in different movies and shows, she went on to win an Emmy and a Tony. Therefore, she joined the short list of EGOT winners. She is one of the three Black women to have this honorable achievement. Fast forwarding to 2022, she began hosting her new daytime show, The Jennifer H