I think this subject has been done to death and we should be looking at ways to rectify the situation instead of repeating the same topic over and over again. And one of the ways that we can erradicate this nonsense is to change the way we as black people portray ourselves. We have a tv channel dedicated to black people,BET but look at the contents of this programme? If we want to make a difference why dont we start changing these images that have been sold to us. Why dont we start putting dark black women on pedal stools AS well as light skinned women. Why dont we stop advertising skin bleaching products in our own black magazines. Why dont we vote for a dark skinned woman to be the most beautiful women in black entertainment for a change instead of the tired old light skin straight hair look?

The white media is always going to glorify themselves and you know what thats fine with me, every race should love themselves, but why the hell are we waiting for them to celebrate natural black beauty when we ourselves are not celebrating it? It is obvious that we all know that this mentality of inferiority started from slavery so why dont we just break the chains? There is alot we can do to start changing this nonsense if not for our generation but for our future generations. First know your history learn about africa before slavery, trust me it will give you the biggest sense of pride, learn about slavery and how it has affected us. Second educate the young ones, teach them to be proud of their africanness features and all, take them to africa let them see the beauty of their heritage. Once we have our minds right we will be a force to be reconned with. And second erradicate all negative images that we ourselves continue to perpetuate!

Our black children are already forced to feel inferior by white media, imagine how positive it would be for black media to refute instead of reinforcing the notion that black people are inferior? ie by only promoting the whitest looking black females, by advertising hair relaxers, and skin bleaching creams. These are all sublte messages that have conditioned us into this state of mind, so let us correct it.

In refernce to black beauty isnt it funny how white women are pumping up their lips and bottoms to acheive our looks? And I say funny because black beauty has not been packaged and sold to anybody the way white beauty has but yet they still admire us to the point that they will mutilate their bodies to recreate our natural beauty. I have a friend who is as black as night, this girl is ridiculously pretty, she has all races of men tripping over her, but unfortunatley black menrarely pay her any attention unless they are complimenting her backside, where as other raes of men call her beautiful all day. If others can see our beauty why cant we? Yes we have been conditioned but now is the time to recondition ourselves!

And finally, in response to black women being responsible for black men running to white women. I will say that black women are responsible for reinforcing the notion that black looks are inferior by trying to emulate a white standard of beauty. But essentially black men and women have both been conditioned by the same western values. We are all responsible for our own actions and placing blame on one another is not the answer, acknowledging the problem and finding a solution is!

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I completely agree with your entire post, Nikita. It is a subject which has been done to death which is why I mentally sigh every time it comes up but I think it's about time we ALL (black men AND women) acknowledge just how skewed our attitude to our own race has become and SUPPORT only the businesses, tv stations, music, etc. that support us in ALL our shades of beauty. If they couldn't make money by selling it to us, they would STOP!!! Trying to shift the blame from one sex to the next is getting us nowhere. Let's move forward.

Think about the world we live in and what are the dominant forces of influence from all around you, your environment and the history that makes it so. Europe has undoubtedly been the driving force throughout the world for relatively recently. Day in and day out simply because of the existance, force and dominance of Western Civilisation we're almost forced, subconsciously to a great extent, to swallow and absorb all of the false messages (lies) of greatness and the dominance and superiority of Western Civilisation.

With what force is the Black/African world/civilisation projecting itself and establishing itself as a POSITIVE influence for its people ? Even with the little force it has it projects negativity and does not allow for our minds to grow, build and develop some kind of positivity about ourselves. And most of the time it is not even in our own hands. I feel we almost have a retarded mental growth ability.

The most fustrating thing is that we of all others have the roots and ingredients, the raw, crude power, the ESSENCE to become so so so much. I see beautiful black African women everyday and I get so fustrated and think, ''What the F*&k is up with some of my fellow black men. Who or what the hell in your damn mind is telling you that you must seek anything that is not dark skinned''. These women have a bold beauty that is beyond these inferior standards of European beauty. Maybe that is the problem. Maybe they've been beaten by and succumbed to ''white supremacy'' and being broken by it then then follow its agenda. And so their quest to just ''be'' or to have the right to exist must mean the glorification of Europeans.

grMiss Nellia wrote:

I also know many black men who wouldchase down a beautiful dark skinned sista the minute they lay eyes on one.....