The Controversial Impact of Beyoncé's Platinum 'Renaissance' Look on the Black Community
Beyoncé's platinum Renaissance look sparks debate in the Black community, highlighting the persistent impact of racism and colorism in America Holding a cultural icon accountable for societal issues
The recent controversy surrounding Beyoncé's appearance at the Los Angeles premiere of her new film highlights the undeniable impact of racism and colorism in America, as even a cultural icon cannot escape its legacy. The singer caused a stir with her silver gown, platinum hair, and what many interpreted as a lighter skin tone, nearly breaking the internet with the images.
Queen Bey might wake up flawless, but her recent appearance didn't sit well with some Black people. The criticism, mostly seen on Instagram, ranged from accusations of skin bleaching to assumptions that she was trying to look like a White woman with her pale makeup and lighting.
On Instagram, one user questioned "Where did her melanin go?" in response to a post by The Shade Room, while another expressed disapproval of the lightened skin, emphasizing Beyoncé's identity as a Black woman. The comments sparked a backlash, leading Tina Knowles to defend her daughter, denouncing the critics' remarks as "stupid," "ignorant," self-hating, and racist.
Tina Knowles delivered a speech at the Angel Ball 2023, hosted by Gabrielle's Angel Foundation at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on October 23, 2023. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation)
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Beyoncés mom defends her daughters platinum Renaissance premiere look
In an Instagram post that has since gone viral, Knowles wrote, "She does a film, called the renaissance, where the whole theme is silver with silver hair, a silver carpet, and suggested silver attire and you bozos decide that she's trying to be a white woman and is bleaching her skin?"
The post also includes a slideshow of her daughter over the years, set to her song "Brown Skin Girl," a lyrical ode to the strength and beauty of Black women.
Geneva Thomas, a media executive from New York and a dedicated Beyoncé fan, was taken aback by the singer's appearance. She noted that Beyoncé's music is deeply rooted in celebrating Black culture and empowering Black women, making her sudden change in appearance surprising. According to Thomas, Beyoncé's music is authentically and unapologetically Black, which gives her the freedom to present her body as she sees fit. However, Thomas believes that as the audience, they also have the right to respond to Beyoncé's presentation.
Thomas described the experience as distressing and exasperating for Black women who have witnessed the preference for Eurocentric beauty standards, which favor lighter skin and long flowing hair, over the natural physical features of Black individuals. He also criticized the portrayal of Beyoncé as an "extremely pale presentation."
"We are still struggling with beauty standards that are deeply rooted in White supremacy," Thomas said. "Black women are still struggling with and consistently being faced with not being enough."
Colorism - a legacy of slavery even Beyoncé cant escape
JeffriAnne Wilder, the author of "Color Stories: Black Women and Colorism in the 21st Century," pointed out that the controversy surrounding Beyoncé's appearance reveals that the Black community has not yet fully addressed the issue of colorism. Colorism involves bias against individuals with darker skin tones within the same racial group.
Colorism's origins stem from the White supremacy system, which has associated lighter skin tones with more privilege, explained Wilder. Enslaved Africans with lighter skin were often favored by White slave owners, being tasked with working inside the house instead of in the fields. Many lighter-skinned slaves were the result of sexual violence by White men against enslaved Black women. This hierarchy of skin tone led to divisions within the Black community, and the internalized discrimination has inflicted deep and lasting psychological and emotional scars across generations.
In the early 20th century, numerous Black organizations at college campuses employed a "brown paper bag test" to assess if someone's skin tone was sufficiently light to be admitted into their group.
Beyoncé takes the stage at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw, Poland during the "RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR" on June 27, 2023. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood)
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The term "redbones" was often used to describe lighter skinned Black women, suggesting mixed non-Black ancestry and undermining their Black heritage.
Wilder stated that the presence of unresolved skin color politics in Black America is evident. Studies also indicate that colorism is still perpetuated by individuals outside the Black community today.
A survey conducted in 2023 by nonprofit Catalyst revealed that women with darker skin tones are more prone to experiencing workplace racism compared to their counterparts with lighter skin. Furthermore, a study published in the University of Chicago Press Journals found that darker skin is linked to receiving harsher prison sentences. In a similar vein, Beyoncé is not the only Black celebrity who has faced backlash for appearing lighter in images. This was evidenced in 2013 when singer India Arie was accused of lightening her skin on the cover photo of her single "Cocoa Butter."
Arie later took to social media to confirm previous reports that the appearance was a result of the camera flash and angle. However, the image came as a surprise to fans and some Black women, especially considering Arie's previous songs such as "Brown Skin" and "I Am Not My Hair" that celebrated natural Black beauty, similar to Beyoncé.
Beyoncé performs onstage during the "RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR" at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 30, 2023 in London, England.
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Holding a cultural icon accountable
Tina Knowles expressed her frustration in an Instagram post defending her daughter, specifically calling out members of the Black community who promote colorism and other racist stereotypes. "It's disheartening that some of her own people continue to perpetuate these negative narratives out of hate and jealousy," Knowles wrote, addressing the issues of jealousy, racism, sexism, and double standards.
Other celebrities rallied in support of the superstar, with Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer stating, "You have raised beautiful, strong, intelligent black, PROUD TO BE BLACK women. Period. Anyone who says otherwise has their own issues to deal with. I'm sorry you've come across the negative comments that people don't realize is a reflection of how they feel about themselves."
However, Thomas responded that the criticism was not due to jealousy of Beyoncé. In fact, she described herself as a member of the "Beyhive", attending the Renaissance tour this summer and planning to see the concert film in theaters.
Thomas stated that she can still hold Beyoncé accountable for the image she presents to the Black community. "I have the right to criticize Beyoncé," Thomas asserted. "We admire her, but she is not exempt from scrutiny."
As audiences eagerly attend the premiere of "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé" this weekend, Wilder emphasizes the need for the Black community to engage in more profound conversations about the underlying factors of colorism. Without these discussions, she believes that this issue will remain sensitive and unresolved.
"Its highly sensitive," Wilder said. "It has caused a lot of people a lot of pain for generations. It has caused divisions in families."
