America’s Lizzo & The Defense of West African Men.
They say, Black Feminists (both men and women), and this is what they call themselves, will never defend Black Men. This is the trope.
However, like all tropes, this one two is not without some cognitive injustice – the concept does not proceed without some humor. The statement may be true or even stereotypical, but when it comes to Lizzo (image below), I have seen plenty of Black Feminists come to the utter defense of Black Men, particularly, West African Men.
Black Feminists defend Black Men by thinking they are defending Lizzo! This is the cognitive injustice. Is Lizzo pretty? I am no asking for an opinion! Myself, I don’t have an opinion to render one Human Being or another as “pretty”. I have never created a Human Being myself, so I just like the ones I like.
Now, the Black Feminists insist in the west, to their western (grey) audiences, mainly, that Lizzo is pretty. According to what standard is Lizzo pretty? The Black Feminists turn to Black Men, particularly to West African Men, for help. I find the turn (not Lizzo) a bit unnerving!
The Black Feminists claim, in some cultures in West Africa, such “big” women are preferred by men. And so the question goes? Which West African culture? Mende culture? Fante Culture? Ewe Culture? Hausa Culture? Soninke Culture? Yoruba Culture? Igbo Culture? What culture do we speak of? More, which men? Many questions!
But, I think those who insist on answers to such questions are missing the entire humor—Black Feminists love the idea or reality that some Black Men, particularly of the West African cultural leaning, adore “big” women. Whether this is true or not is not the point! It is to establish the notion that some Black Men have certain value systems that are diametrically opposed to “European Beauty Standards.” This is the point.
And so why is it so difficult to accept that some Black Men, particularly of the West African derivation, are also particularly diametrically opposed to the idea of Feminism itself? To this question, I find that the Black Feminists are unwilling to bend. And that is the entire point.
” Myself, I don’t have an opinion to render one Human Being or another as “pretty”. I have never created a Human Being myself, so I just like the ones I like.” (y)
However, Culture bends tastes… this is the grand request. Which taste is a “big” woman. We have asked the question about the height and belly-size of men. It is fair to ask of “big” women.
Dade Afre Akufu I still believe those questions need answers. What cultures in this West Africa does the view belong? We need answers. No doubt. But, I find the run to men to save the day for the West African Beauty standard, especially the view among feminists, a bit hypocritical. Is women’s beauty inherent or prescribed by a culture or men?
I get your drift. Same can be said of men. Is the attractiveness of a man inherent, in his pocket, or is it prescribed by cultural aspects outside of himself? Since we cannot escape the question… we need some insights.
Although men and women are part and parcel of their culture. In other words, men and women are cultural products. Lizzo is as much a cultural product of America as the basketball player, like Lebron James. Both grew up on the same diets with very similar value systems. If the women prefer the Lebron, it seems quite strange to me that the basketball star in Lebron would refuse to find Lizzo attractive. This is why I think that because the US itself is built upon disparate value systems, its cultural products remain in-congruent to its cultural tastes.
Narmer Amenuti Now that is the insight I was looking for. Thank you. In the US, they ADORE, and I mean it in caps, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, etc.. fast food. This is an American culture. And they adore it. Lebron and Lizzo are the products of this culture… and so I find it odd that the women prefer a Lebron (not a male version of Lizzo), yet the men prefer a female version of Lebron (and not Lizzo?) It is a kind of Hyena Culture, meaning a culture turned upside down each and every way. As you say, its tastes are incongruent with its cultural products!
Beauty depends on the beholder. I think it is relative and highly still depends on taste. Taste is also cultural so there you go.
Beauty is relative to how much work the beholder wants to put into their image. If very little, then everyone is beautiful. If very much, then the beholder is entitled to some discernment in choice.