I had my moment of analyzing Erykah Badu’s latest video, and then – like most things pop culture – I was over it.
Until…
I just so happened to read Naked & Unashamed, and catch this quote at the end:
“People have to be comfortable in their own skin before they can be comfortable with someone else’s.”
Since this is a website about embracing oneself, being aware of one’s shortcomings and loving oneself enough to put in the effort to make ourselves better, I had to take a stab at it.
In all honesty, I’m beyond the video. I do enough analyzing all day… I’m not really moved by a music video, no matter how compelling it may be. I’m way more interested in the reactions to the video than I am the video itself.
Among one of my favorites, we have this:
“Typical…black women stripping nude in a video and debasing themselves. And you wonder why you are the least respected and sought after.”
Obviously, I don’t agree with that, but there’s a larger issue at play, here.
Sports Illustrated can have an entire magazine devoted to white women in swimsuits – suits, mind you, made of much less fabric than what Badu was wearing before the blurring began. SpikeTV can host some of the most misogynistic garbage I’ve ever seen (though, full disclosure, I do my fair share of laughing at it, too… What? They show CSI repeats.) Playboy has women showing their cookies, their cupcakes, their twinkies and their muffins. That’s just what they do. They model... They act – it’s a job… It’s Playboy – what do you expect?
A Black woman appears in a music video – saying nothing about whether or not she’s fully clothed – and she’s “just a video ho.” A Black woman poses in a bikini in a magazine, and it’s “She couldn’t wear more clothing than that?” A Black woman working on her flexibility must be doing it for sexual reasons. Don’t let her admit she takes a pole dancing fitness class.
Hell, Badu even tweeted the link to the video that inspired hers – a white male/female duo running Buck. E. Naked through Times Square, NYC. They’re just lovable, playful scamps running ’round an already sinful city, though. No big deal there. Erykah, however, is showcasing why no one loves Black women… by doing what the hell she wants to do in her music video.
There’s “debasing” going on, alright. It’s not self-imposed, though.
“People have to be comfortable in their own skin before they can be comfortable with someone else’s.”
Either we’re apologists for the sexuality of our non-Black counterparts, or we have set standards so high for Black women that exploring ourselves is no longer acceptable. We’re doomed to be one monolithic mass, regardless of our individuality… because someone we don’t know – someone who, essentially, doesn’t really give a damn about us – insists on trying to save us from ourselves. Since, y’know, we’re turning ourselves into whores. We’re always seeking to make a Black woman somebody’s Jezebel, in dire need of our “help.”
Not familiar with Jezebel?
The portrayal of Black women as lascivious by nature is an enduring stereotype. The descriptive words associated with this stereotype are singular in their focus: seductive, alluring, worldly, beguiling, tempting, and lewd. Historically, White women, as a category, were portrayed as models of self-respect, self-control, and modesty – even sexual purity, but Black women were often portrayed as innately promiscuous, even predatory. This depiction of Black women is signified by the name Jezebel.
There’s also this one, that I love:
Next, there is Jezebel, the bad-black-girl, who is depicted as alluring and seductive as she either indiscriminately mesmerizes men and lures them into her bed, or very deliberately lures into her snares those who have something of value to offer her.
I can’t help but wonder if our need to make a Black woman into a Jezebel comes from our failure to understand ourselves: what parts of us are sexual in nature, what is not; what should be seen as sexual, what should not; what should be considered hazardous, and what is harmless exploration – the kind from which lessons are learned.
Am I an advocate for sexual irresponsibility? No. Am I saying it’s ok to “be a slut?” If we share the same definition of “slut” (see: sexual irresponsibility), then I’ma go on and say “no.” Make no mistake, I don’t give passes for behavior that is not my own. However, I am a hippie at heart, and while I have my own standards for how I behave and interact with others in public, I can’t force those standards on others. I’ve never turned down the opportunity to offer up my opinion when asked for it, but making judgments and imposing those judgments on others as guidelines by which they must abide… are two different things entirely.
And while there are many who might not see – nor care about – what I’m saying here (and that’s okay), it’s worth pointing out – when we, as Black women, insist on reducing even the most innocent of our actions to Jezebelism, we perpetuate the notion that that’s all Black women are. That’s all you can expect of them. Being the Jezebel. Being the sirene.
Having said that, all I have from here are questions. Are so many of us so uncomfortable with the concept of sexuality – our own sexuality – that we can’t even identify when something is sexual or not? Has it stifled our intellectual understanding of sexuality? If we have “passes” to dole out, why are we not doling them out for ourselves? Do we often see inherently sexual messages in inherently non-sexual situations? Collectively, are we so repressed and limited in our self-comfort, that we can’t help but to project this repression onto others? Why care so much?
Must we make everything a Black woman does publicly be about her “whoring?” Or, are we really just projecting our own discomfort on other women who look like us? Like I said: from here, all I’ve got is questions. Well, questions… and this:
“People have to be comfortable in their own skin before they can be comfortable with someone else’s.”
17 comments
first off…let me say i died at “their cookies, their cupcakes, their twinkies and their muffins”
it surprised me at how people are so uncomfortable with a naked body. it’s just a body…we all have one. she wasn’t doing anything sexual, just walking. however a naked women will always be seen in a sexual manner, especially one with curves. in the video that inspired it, i honestly could barely tell that the woman was, in fact, a woman, which is why she probably got a pass as an innocent mischievous little scamp.
your history recap is spot on. people are simply projecting their own insecurities and misconceptions onto erykah. there was nothing slutty about that video to me.
I admit I haven’t seen the entire video, but was not bothered to hear about it. I too don’t watch many music videos, just maybe Jill Scott, and she seems to have clothes on. You are certainly right about some of the clothing that is worn (or not worn) by models, actresses, etc. As the respondent above said, a woman is always going to looked at as a sexual object. I remember being in Berkeley years ago, and a man was running down the street buck naked, no body even bothered to look, my eyes are so bad that I didn’t even realize he was naked until he breezed by. Wasn’t there someone in President Bush’s staff that wanted nude statues covered up? Wonderful that Ms. Badu felt comfortable enough in her skin to do the video as she wanted it done. I can’t even imagine her skin color being the cause of discussion.
@Barbara,
I understand where you’re coming from, but there’s a slight difference between what you’re saying (which makes sense) and what I’m saying, here. To “want someone covered up” is one thing; to essentially turn the nude object into a “whore” because of her nudity is entirely another. That’s all. 🙂
Oh, and I remember the stories of the Nude Man at Berkeley. I’m so tickled that you brought that up, LOL. No one ever paid him any mind. It was just “what he does.”
There was absolutely nothing sexual about the video. Nothing at all. Now, had she been gyrating on the grassy knoll while performing acts of… er, well… then maybe my opinion would be different. However, knowing what the song is about and “feeling” Badu, I knew that her stripping off her clothes had nothing to do with sex. It was all about being free.
With that, we all need to be “free.” While I am NOT suggesting that folks start walking about naked or stripping off their clothes in public places (though I wouldn’t mind if Idris Elba gave it a try while I was standing nearby with a camcorder, digital camera and camera phone, but I digress…), I think people, particularly Black women, DO need to learn how to be comfortable in their own skin. Not everything is sexual in nature. In determining when something is artistic expression as opposed to all out “whoring,” I use the old Supreme Court standard for obscenity: “I know it when I see it.” There are times when the nude body is beautiful. Other times, nudity definitely meant to incite arousal, both literally and figuratively.
These days, some folks DO go too far, and that is applicable to ALL races of women. However, that does not apply to this video. I’m sorry for all the rabble rousers that take issue with this video. The energy can be better spent targeting hundreds of other videos, starting with a hour’s worth of 106 & Park.
Oh, If I didn’t make myself clear, the word “whore” is unacceptable to me. I can not even imagine the use of the word, just because a woman is nude or not and as for the color of her skin, that has no relevance at all to me. I could add to this, but I believe I have made myself quite clear on the subject. By the way in my son’s years at Cal I got quite use to seeing many naked men and women. I wish I could be that comfortable and proud of my body.
I saw the video “Window Seat” by Erykah Badu and I saw nothing wrong with it at all. I actually appreciated it because of its deeper meaning but was saddened to hear all of the backlash stemming from it, especially from our own.
You are absolutely correct in your post. For years, black women have been labeled seductresses, sirens, and Jezebels; good enough for only night time affairs and comforts. Nevertheless, it just goes to show where black women still stand in the eyes of society and it also shows how we as black people may be perpetuating the stereotype by siding with those who judged her as such.
Personally, I salute her for this video because the very thing she talks about in her video is the very thing by which she is being criticized. She talks about “group think” which is (in a nutshell) to allow the majority to choose what’s right for the minority without the input of the minority or despite the needs of the minority. She was pleading for individualism and self-thought. Sadly, we can’t see the forest from the trees when it comes to this because we don’t understand her message of group think but we will surely put it into practice when we criticize her for being nude in her video.
Just a thought…why didn’t anyone criticize Alanis Morisette (which I love… Jagged Little Pill rocks!) for being nude in her video “Thank You” or stop revering the nude works of art like the statue of David by Michelangelo but the moment a black woman sheds her clothes like Vanessa L. Williams did back in the late ’70’s, early ’80’s or like Erykah Badu in her video, there is something taken away like the Miss USA title or now the freedom of Erykah Badu should “they” press charges?
Sorry so long and slightly off the point of whether or not blacks are comfortable in their own skin, but I can’t help but to believe that we can’t be at ease in our skin because each time we show too much of our skin it seems as if we are always punished for it. Just a thought…
At least now, I see there are others who feel how I do. Usually when I mention things like this, I am told it is all in my head…
excellent post, Erika.
I actually really loved Erykah’s new video. I strive to have that level of comfort with my body in any shape or size.
Also, I absolutely agree with your points about Black women being sexualized no matter what the content is. It’s been that way from the Hottentot Venus to all the way to now. Part of it is that Black women are often told that they are unattractive and undesirable…unfortunately, many of us begin to believe it (I’ve been there before and sometimes i still struggle with it).
So when we see a woman like Erykah Badu who is completely comfortable with her body, it gives some of us pause….but you’re right, it is because of our discomfort with our own bodies.
Another excellent post!
It is easier to sexualize anything that black women do with their bodies rather than hear their pain, their struggles or their joys. It is easier to categorize us as being “whores” than just being women like every other woman. For years that “Girls Gone Wild” video has been out and about and is filled with young WW running around doing clearly chexual things and there was nothing but amazement, like the videos were not coming out after Spring Break and the summer every year. Eryakh was making a point with her video that was very valid. Black women need to be free in their bodies, in their souls and in their space to be themselves. There shouldn’ve been anything wrong with that.
I completely agree with the beginning and ending quote. I have learned this difficult truth on my own through trial and error. It is a worthy journey not many are willing to take, especially if they come from a conservative baptist upbringing the stifled the very idea that women even had the right to enjoy sex while men had multiple relationships with women. It is a double standard. I do not believe black men have the same problem with their sexuality. The generational gap and indifference between many women has prevented such dialogue from occuring between women struggling with their sexuality and the women who could help them through it. I have no idea what to label my sexualtiy because black women have not even been afforded categories. I do think it is important to be comfortable naked yourself and in front of your significant other.
Okay, I confess, I thought Jezebel was white… I wonder why…? Big strong beautiful black women (and I don’t mean big=overweight, I mean big=healthy w/muscles, not scrawny); powerful. Society is afraid of powerful women. Society is afraid that black women will truly understand and embrace that they’re powerful (I’m not discounting black men, just focusing on the women here). And society has spent so much time and energy into convincing us that we’re powerless, and stupid, and undeserving, and has exploited us for so long that it won’t know what to do once we TRULY embrace our power. Hell, many of US wouldn’t know what to do with it… we’ve been that brainwashed and beaten down and berated every time we assert that we are more than “Jezebel” (e.g. the idiotic outcries about Erykah’s video).
Has anyone ever heard the phrase “big strong beautiful white women”, or “big strong asian women”? Yeah, me neither. I wonder why…?
My ONLY issue with the video is that it was done in broad daylight, where there were families and children walking around and enjoying their day. I’m all for freedom of speech and expression, especially when it comes to sexuality and culture. However, i do think it was slightly irresponsible on Ms. Badu’s part to do it in such a public fashion. She could’ve picked an afternoon when children were in school or the crack of dawn on a Sunday or Saturday. I also think the two people who did the Times Square video could have also had the same courtesy. I’m just saying, as a mother I would’ve hoped she thought of the women who have to explain to her kids why a woman is stripping down naked in the middle of the street. It’s hard enough to explain everyday life to kids (especially little girls) without having to explain something like this as well. But like i said, thats my only issue. Love Erykah Badu otherwise.
Firstly, @ Drea: children know what naked bodies look like. Naked bodies are not inherently sexual. There are many cultures and societies in this world where people exist and live naked or nearly-naked. The children are not traumatized by seeing genitalia – because in those societies, bodies are not inherently sexual.
What measurable harm, exactly, comes to a child seeing a naked body? I posit that the ONLY harm that could come would arise from that child living in a society that TELLS the child what he or she is seeing is harmful and destructive. If that child were raised in a society where naked bodies are just naked bodies and not horrible private objects to be constantly covered or flaunted, depending on your intentions… THAT’S what causes the hang-ups and “harm.”
Erika… this post is amazing and spot-on, as usual. Womens’ bodies – especially female bodies of color – have long existed, particularly in American society, as something to be controlled by others when not exploited for personal gain. Rihanna is “slutty” and Lady Gaga is “creative.” Paris Hilton can flash her hoo-ha and still be invited to some of the most exclusive places in the world, and JUSTIN rips off JANET’S bra and JANET is demonized for months. Completely ridiculous. This comes out in a myriad of ways… even ties into the “welfare patrol” who want to control what food poor (read: colored folk) are able to put into their bodies. Congress trying to control whether or not our bodies reproduce, and the Komen Foundation going so far as to risk the lives and health of poor women of color just to prove a point and assuage the moral mafia.
Please keep shining the light on these corners of darkness!
@Courtney: I tend to agree. I think it’s all in how we socialize our children and the mores of our culture. I mean, I understand as a parent that there are things that my child will see because we are in public that I may not want her to see but it’s my job to address that. I get where parents who were not comfortable with it are coming from and all but I personally feel that the act of being naked is just not as big of an issue for me as what that person is doing while naked would be. I’ve seen people fully clothed engaging in behaviors best left for the bedroom in broad daylight that disturbs me more than this. That’s just me though.
all I can say is job well done. You were really hit on some great points. This is officially my favorite go to site. I get responsible information on so many subjects. I like that I can have my mind and body fed well through your readings. Keep up the great work.
If it’s about the body no one would have an issue in an all female world. The human body is beautiful period. For her to be vulnerable and free to express herself on her own terms great.
Female sexuality is a beautiful thing yet where I have a issue is how it is viewed by men. They seem to need very little to interpret it or take it to another level. Just don’t feel a woman is safe to wear her sexuality on her sleeve around men. They on a whole don’t seem mature enough or physically or hormonally able to handle it. They always think they need to react in a sexually way. It’s just a form of expression to some. There seem to be miscommunication in terms of how they should react is it a signal for us to have sex or is it just you expressing yourself.
Also any women unconsciously or consciously trying to express her sexuality is considered by some a slut. What is that about. Unless there is communication and an actual yes lets get it on, it’s her expressing who she is and what she likes. I guess you can’t put everyone in the same box.
When it comes to being comfortable in my own body yes I am. I didn’t realize I “dress too sexy” I thought it was a cute outfit for casual Fridays instead of my usual work outfit. I guess I was expressing my sexuality without a thought. It wasn’t overly tight or too low but it hugged my body just right. I like the way I looked. No one looked extra hard or was disrespectful. So I wonder if the woman who said that was uncomfortable in her own skin.
If no one was around I would dress the same way I dress to please me. I am not ashamed of my naked body at all.
I just thought Eryka was trying to express her vulnerability but when men get arouse by female nakedness it takes on another meaning and people start making up stories of what the meaning is, what she is trying to prove. Men see it in a different light.
I know this article is pretty old but I can’t help but comment. I just found your website by the way and absolutely love it! I am devouring it and have suggested it to family as well. You are doing an awesome job here.
I am an African American woman who has been living in Spain for 10 years. I had know idea how deep our hang-ups were when it came to the human body until I moved here (I use the past tense because I no longer feel that way). After 10 years I am still amazed how easy it is for women to go topless at the beaches here, and I am not talking always perky or young either, and no one pays attention, it is the norm and accepted in Europe. Americans have so many hangups with nudity and I don’t believe its something that only one culture or race suffers from, but I can only speak from my exposure to both the European and American culture in comparison. I moved here overweight, and have lost weight without really trying because for once I was able to accept my body as it was perfectly designed, without any judgement. I has able to finally see that my health was so much more important to me than what I thought my body SHOULD look like. I was finally able to get out of that cycle. Amazing what our culture (American) is doing to us as women and I allowed and it and it almost killed me!
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