Actress Jessica Williams has spoken out about internalising white beauty standards and becoming a feminist.
The BAME comedian and actress, currently touring to promote her Netflix film The Incredible Jessica James, spoke with Allure about the biases prevalent in the media today.
In the interview, Williams discussed how studying feminism helped her to love her natural beauty, and how eurocentrism had a negative impact on her childhood.
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She described struggling to accept her own appearance:
“Growing up as a black girl in a society that traditionally values white European features, I really was down on myself as a kid.”
Williams continued to explain how advertisements for Barbie during her childhood showed a “preferred” way of looking.
“You know in the old Barbie advertisements they would play with the white Barbie first? And the black girls played with the black Barbie.”
“And in the final shot, it would be the white Barbie with the black Barbie behind her.”
“I picked up on those subtle things, and unfortunately I internalised them.”
The Daily Show presenter then remarked on her efforts to accept and love herself as a black woman.
“The more I learned about womanism and feminism, the more I learned to accept myself.”
“As soon as I learned to do that, it was like, ‘Everything about me is valid. Every curve is valid. My skin is valid.‘”
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Finally, she detailed studying feminism and how it shaped her as a woman today.
“I went to college. I read books about women’s and gender studies. I learned there are so many different ways to be a woman.”
“Beauty is personal — and a big part of becoming a woman is standing in your own power and being comfortable in your own skin.”
