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| Image by Flickr |
Many starlets have graced movie screens and magazine covers through the years. Since the beginning of history, humans have had a fixation with beauty, as literature and art is filled with depictions of what is deemed attractive and sexually appealing.
The beauty standard may be considered by some as recently veering towards a more "ethnic" look as the diversity in U.S. demographics have rapidly increased. The saying "blondes have more fun" does not resonate as it did more than 50 years ago when curvaceous Marilyn Monroe became a beauty icon in the 1950's with movies like "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes".
The beauty standard in America and most western societies has been an overall slim, Caucasian woman with light eyes and long straight hair. Although beauty standards vary significantly in different cultures living in America, they have adopted the euro-centric beauty ideals from the predominant white society to a great extent.
As much as society members would like to say that they ignore the media beauty ideal blabber, people have been bombarded since birth with images of white beauty. The clip of Bo Derek running in the beach with braids in the movie "Ten" is ingrained in brains all over the nation.
From the publicity alone, who didn't think growing up that Christie Brinkley and Brooke Shields must be the most beautiful women that will ever walk the face of the earth? Countless of images of women like these have left a subconscious imprint on what the beauty ideal is.
While they are indeed beautiful, the perception of what is deemed physically desirable has been rather limited when compared with other ethnicities in the U.S. and throughout the world.
While they are indeed beautiful, the perception of what is deemed physically desirable has been rather limited when compared with other ethnicities in the U.S. and throughout the world.
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| Christie Brinkley - Image by Google Images |
As celebrities of other ethnicities have stepped into the limelight and reached superstardom, the beauty standard has veered into a more exotic and racially ambiguous look. Today, beauty standards set by socialite Kim Kardashian, Brazilian model Adriana Lima and actress/singer Jennifer Lopez have acquired insurmountable popularity. According to a survey in Allure magazine, 64 percent of people think women of mixed race represent the epitome of beauty.
For some of these celebrities being considered ethnic and extremely beautiful is not enough. After rocketing to fame with her TV reality show, Kim Kardashian has had a few well-publicized nose and Botox surgeries at the tender age of 28. If she were compared to pictures of her taken 5 years ago, today she could very well be confused with her mother, Kris Jenner, who has had similar surgeries.
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| Image by Google Images |
The former beauty standards of a very small narrow bridge nose and high cheekbones remain. While the media may be screaming out "your nose is perfect!" It goes well with your face!", it is almost as if they said to themselves "you have crowned me as beautiful, I must live up to your traditional set expectations."
For African Americans, beauty standards seem to be a combination of the white beauty ideal and black ethnic features. Singers Beyoncé and rapper Nicki Minaj's considerable light skin and voluptuous derrieres have become the epitome of beauty especially in young African Americans. However, do they represent the looks of many other black women? Most likely not. The light skin, long hair and white Caucasian features leave a lot of women out.
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| Beyonce - Image by Google Images |
Popular rapper Lil Kim underwent several radical surgeries in order to change her appearance to a more "Caucasian" look. She is unrecognizable. This surgically enhanced look has become common and easily identifiable. It looks like a new synthetic breed of people that hardly live up to the intended beauty standard.
Halle Berry is another actress coveted by many white and black americans as representation of black beauty. Is she? Ms. Berry, who has a black father and white mother, appears to be more celebrated because of her Caucasian features and "not too dark" complexion.
Halle Berry is another actress coveted by many white and black americans as representation of black beauty. Is she? Ms. Berry, who has a black father and white mother, appears to be more celebrated because of her Caucasian features and "not too dark" complexion.
Although not very drastic, Halle Berry and Beyoncé have also had some minor nose surgeries. How can beauty standards truly change when as soon as black celebrities become famous, they change their features?
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| Lil Kim's transformation through the years. Image by awfulplasticsurgery.com |
Why didn't Lauryn Hill, who went on to sell more than 8 million copies and win five Grammys for the "Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" album, ever graced the cover of People's most beautiful issue or any other coveted mainstream beauty magazines?
She is certainly no less beautiful than Halle Berry or Julia Roberts, who have been on the cover of numerous beauty magazines through the years. The United States history of racism, slavery and segregation contributes to the marginalization of African features and beauty.
She is certainly no less beautiful than Halle Berry or Julia Roberts, who have been on the cover of numerous beauty magazines through the years. The United States history of racism, slavery and segregation contributes to the marginalization of African features and beauty.
How can black women with stronger African features and natural hair that don't have ample butts compete when their representations of African American beauty are not acceptable, as they don't adhere to the familiar standards in both white and black cultures in the U.S.?
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| Lauryn Hill - Image by Google Images |
Is the new beauty standard veering into a more ethnic look signs of a post racial society in which ethnic beauty is readily accepted?
Not necessarily.
It creates room for a new set of feelings of inadequacy in the looks department for many Caucasian women with pale skin, thin lips and very slender figures and dark skinned women that may not have the classic curvaceous figure of these "ethnic" women.
What does this mean for other ethnic groups like Asians? They are even more underrepresented in the media than African Americans. Bleaching creams and eye surgeries are already popular in the Asian countries.
Many women with light complexions are suffering the consequences of tanning booth damage and sun exposure. Women of all ethnic groups are now going under the knife for butt implants. There have already been documented cases of death due to complications from this type of surgery in women of all ethnic groups.
The media is not taking enough risks when it comes representing a variety of beauties from the different ethnicities that now live in America.
When it comes to casting for big budget motion pictures, mainstream production companies make it impossible to greenlight movies with ethnic leads. They fear they won't bring in the crowds. The latest confirmation of this is the production of the Asian comic book movie "Akira", which is now set to cast an all white cast.
The movie Slumdog Millionaire had an all cast from India and it became one of the most successful productions of 2008. Its female lead actress, Frieda Pinto, became celebrated for her beauty and has now a long career ahead.
Why should there be one standard? Society has a long way to go when it comes to understanding and embracing the concept of multiculturalism and diversity. Aren't Reese Whitherspoon, Zoe Kravitz, Gabrielle Union, Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Hudson all standards of beauty?
Popular media proves that it is uncomfortable with types of beauty that do not conform to the "standard". That says a lot about society in general, since it's members are the ones that fuel the media and entertainment business. This country is a melting pot after all, why not be more representative of such?
