Season 5, Episode 2 of Take heed to Black Girls has dropped, and hosts Lore’l, Danielle Younger, Jessie Woo, Jerrie Johnson, and Torrei Hart are again with an insightful dialog on physique picture and physique positivity.
Titled Curves, Criticism, and All the things In-Between, the episode delves into the advanced terrain Black ladies navigate on the subject of self-image and physique appreciation. The hosts talk about all the pieces from twerking and societal double requirements to weight reduction medicine, surgical procedures, and the relentless stress to evolve to Eurocentric magnificence requirements.
Supply: iOne Digital / iOne Digital – Hear To Black Girls
The episode kicks off with some lighthearted enjoyable as the ladies share a second of twerking collectively. Nonetheless, they emphasize that twerking is excess of only a stylish dance transfer for Black ladies—it carries deep cultural significance. Whereas twerking in its present kind emerged within the Nineteen Nineties from New Orleans’ Bounce scene, it traces its roots to the traditional Mapouka dance from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa, in accordance with Pop Sugar. What began as a robust cultural expression for Black ladies has sadly been weaponized to demonize them for merely celebrating their our bodies. Johnson expressed her frustration, declaring how figures like Megan Thee Stallion are relentlessly criticized for twerking of their performances and music movies.
“What I’ve to say is that we get to resolve what’s an excessive amount of for us, as a result of I’m certain there are some issues that Meg The Stallion gained’t do on stage, yeah? That she gained’t do on digital camera,” the actress shared. “Twerking will not be a type of issues, and that’s her prerogative, proper? Twerking will not be tied to promiscuity.”
Doubling down on the idea, Younger mentioned she believes Black ladies are sometimes judged and “policed heavier” for twerking greater than different cultures, like white ladies for instance, as a result of its tied to Black tradition and our our bodies.
“If twerking was a white sport, would we hear the problems that we hear?” she contemplated.
There are additionally clear double requirements on the subject of twerking, in accordance with Woo. The media persona highlighted that when white ladies interact in twerking, it’s typically celebrated or commercialized, with their capability to “monetize” the dance being a key issue.
Can twerking or different types of physique positivity change into an excessive amount of at instances?
Later within the episode, the women mentioned whether or not there’s some extent the place twerking or different types of physique positivity and self-expression would possibly cross a line into being “an excessive amount of.” Woo expressed her discomfort with Sexyy Pink twerking with college students at a highschool in her hometown of St. Louis again in April, calling it inappropriate for younger teenagers who’re nonetheless navigating physique picture.
The dialog then shifted to Lizzo’s 2019 look at a Lakers sport, the place she sat courtside in a thong. A few of the hosts felt it was an excessive amount of, notably given the presence of youngsters on the sport. Nonetheless, Younger pushed again, questioning whether or not their response would have been the identical if it had been a star like Rihanna in that place. Woo agreed.
“Lizzo’s outfit was supposed, I feel, to spark dialog. She places that on the market. And I really feel like for her, it’s like a manner of physique positivity, but it surely has gotten backlash, and I feel it’s not simply due to her form.”
Younger added that whereas she appreciates Lizzo for encouraging folks to embrace plus-size ladies sporting horny clothes, she believes no single movie star must be seen as the only face of the physique positivity motion.
“I don’t like the concept of simply because any individual is plus measurement, now they acquired to evangelise physique positivity,” she defined. “It’s like, I’m so courageous for being on this physique and loving what it’s. It’s as a result of the usual is skinny, although the common will not be. So, now, it’s you like your physique, versus simply self love.”
This episode of Hear To Black Girls leaves no stone unturned. Watch the total dialog above.
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