As a young upcoming adolescent, I have suffered countless moments where I did not value my outer beauty. I grew up in a generation where we only focused on how we looked from the outside. People would judge you to connect how you appeared physically to your personality. I was told that I was "fearfully and wonderfully made" by God but yet there were more people that did not make me feel that way. During the period that I was meant to grow into an adolescent, I became a victim of bullying. I was bullied simply because I was "too dark" skinned by the "popular girls" in my class. The group did not only cause shame for me but it also set the bar that I placed for myself to be "perfect" based on the higher standards of society's body image. I started to spiral out of control to be "perfect" and fit in to society's mold of how women should look. I began to close up and hide from the world into my own bubble. It left me a scar on how I viewed myself for a very long time until I started to realize that if I am beautiful inside then it will only be multiplied by how I looked outside. I needed to build myself from my self confidence to my strong perseverance to conquer my obstacles.
It is highly essential that as an upcoming adolescent and young adult that we build healthy mindsets and positivity in order to start changing our perceptions within us, Back in the late twentieth century, Hollywood was finally producing role models for women of color to follow, in terms of entertainment such as music, acting, and etc. The uprising of the black entertainers caused a change within the culture and society in America. However there were still not enough room for the women that were usually told that they were "too dark" or could "not fit" the criteria for the roles that they anxiously awaited to audition. Although they did not usually receive the roles given to women that fit society's standards, there were no grudges, just mutual support to the other women. But it would take almost over a decade, before barriers would be broken and the women that were deemed "too dark" would take control over the reins in the entertainment industry. Now in the twenty first century, women of all color are accepted within the entertainment industry. The sudden surge that the new powerful women of color caused a new outlook on the "too dark" women perspective. Although I may have missed the chance to see these women in the spotlight during a pivotal time in my life. I am very jubilant that they can stand as role models for the next generation of "too dark" girls to view themselves as beautiful. It is always wonderful to see someone that looks like you on television especially if you're an adolescent that has issues with body image. In todays' generation, "too dark" skin, the type of skin similar to color of black coffee is now the trend, mostly in the modeling department and entertainment, and it shows that every color can be appreciated. The controversy over dark skin has now caused a media frenzy including the widely popular known cosmetics brands all over the world.
But it is also important that the environment that an adolescent is surrounded with positivity. The media and entertainment has played a crucial role in complicating how women feel about their body image and skin. Although my past may have caused a scar on how I viewed myself, I started to work within similar to how a constructor draws a building, lays the foundation and slowly build up the masterpiece. In this world, there is a saying that "nobody is perfect", there will be "cracks" in the foundation but it is never too late to smooth out the "cracks" to make you. As a young woman today, I have worked diligently to become the person that I am and I have never felt more happy, confident than now because I finally feel that my black is beautiful. I only hope that in the future, more women would embrace their own skin, no matter the color to impact the younger generations to come. Based on my experiences, I will be able to teach my children that God made us all differently because everyone was created for different purposes and beauty is not defined by society's view but the universal view that beauty is within our hearts. When we define beauty in our means, instead of society's standard, it cause a movement of change in the world for women of every color. So, ask yourself, "Am I beautiful? "How do I define beauty?" and lastly "How could I help to change the world's perception of beauty? The questions can open up a dialogue within communities and make people realize the impact that the world can have on young woman's life.
