Well, not ugly, but just not a ‘great beauty’, according to famous, black supermodel Iman (David Bowie’s partner). I was FURIOUS when I read what Iman had said. She talks about how typical beauties look worse and worse as they age, unlike Michelle who gets better. Language barriers may have distorted what she was saying, and or maybe she meant that Michelle is attractive but defies the ageing process by looking better and better with age.

I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.

I was on a forum where black women discuss all sorts of things. I had expected them to defend Michelle because there are always topics on dark skin versus light skin, and how they should be seen as equal. Instead they basically sided with Iman by saying that Michelle isn’t attractive but ‘unique’. What is that supposed to mean?

The media always pushes the blonde, blue-eyed, white women to the front of the pack, and the brunettes, blacks, Asians, and everyone else who doesn’t fit the ‘perfect’ image gets forgotten. Here comes Michelle Obama who clearly doesn’t look like the ‘fantastic’ Marilyn Monroe. Finally the media is willing to show a well dressed, well educated, well mannered, classy black woman with a bright future ahead of her, but what happens? People tear her apart!

The hypocrisy is astounding! All the time many black women complain that it’s always Rihanna, Beyonce, and Halle Berry who get the shine because they’re light skinned, but then a dark skinned woman becomes one of the most powerful women in the world and she’s still not good enough!

Returning to the ‘great beauty’ Iman:

5. Get over yourself! Don’t go around judging others because no one is perfect, not even you.

When I pressed play, I didn’t expect much. Most of the songs had leaked almost a year before, and I’d hated what I heard. What a surprise…..

The only songs that I dislike are: Ciara To The Stage, Like A Surgeon, Lover’s Thing, and G Is For Girl. Ciara To The Stage was a pretty boring opening song, so I cut it off. Like A Surgeon seems to be pretty popular, but it did absolutely nothing for me. Ciara is really trying to sing on Lover’s Thing, but this song also let the ride lose steam. G Is For Girl reminded me too much of Beyonce’s Diva, but a version that just falls flat.

Overall, the album is great! My personal favourites are Turntables and Keep On Dancing, which reminds me of the 80s. KOD is nice and mellow, and I can imagine driving at night with that song flowing from the speakers. Ciara’s voice is not up there with the greatest singers of all time, but I can respect her for pushing her voice further than where it used to be. However, I feel that she will always be known for the Dance music, and if this album flops (predicted to sell 80,000 max, and the last album, Evolution, sold 300,000+) then she should return to her Dance music roots.

I feel that questions like this give white people a ‘power’ over us. It’s like we need their approval, so to make them jealous is supposed to be some sort of an achievement.

Instead of bringing race into it, I’d say that women are threatened by ‘good looking’ women period. Women seem to compete, compete, COMPETE over men like males are rare on this planet, and it’s sad that we’re so divided. Fighting against the competition might work against you; for example, you might think your ‘rival’ is gorgeous, so she’ll end up attracting your love interest, meanwhile your love interest likes YOU but your negative attitude keeps pushing him away.

Generally, I’m sick of hearing women say that they’re given dirty looks because they’re pretty. First, just because you believe that you’re ‘pretty’, it doesn’t mean that the ‘haters’ agree. They may be looking at you thinking, “She’s ugly” or probably, “Why is she staring at me?” The world does not revolve around you.

So back to the original question, Do white women envy pretty black women? Yes, they do. And black women envy pretty white women. And Asian women envy pretty biracial women. And…you get where this is going.

This question comes up time and time again. There seems to be an obsession with Beyonce taking off her weaves. I don’t see people dying to see Britney without her hair extensions or Jessica Simpson before her hairdresser goes to work, so what’s so different about Beyonce?

I can sort of understand the curiosity. Seeing Beyonce twirling her hair on Loreal adverts, telling us to buy that fantastic shampoo or brilliant hair dye, even I wonder about what her hair is really like. Is the hair in those adverts hers?

And then I think, so what?

Beyonce may be bald, have a smooth fade, or long, healthy hair, but what does it matter?

A black woman’s hair is her crown. Time and time again we’ve had to battle stereotypes that our hair doesn’t grow, isn’t easy to ‘manage’, and many other insults. Some women turn to relaxers, perms, or weaves. It’s very rare to see a black woman with natural hair, even though it is becoming more common. However, relaxers and weaves still dominate our community…so why is Beyonce picked on so much?

Because she’s Beyonce. If a gorgeous, rich, seemingly happy woman in a secure relationship comes along, you’ve got to find some bone to pick. For many women, it’s her hair…even though most of the women complaining probably haven’t aired out their own hair in a long while. I don’t know what Beyonce’s real hair looks like, but if you’re weaved up or relaxed, I won’t know what your real hair looks like either. Why should Beyonce show her hair when you aren’t showing yours?

Someone asked me whether I could handle being a celebrity. I thought about it.

My thoughts:

PROS
The money would be nice.

Free stuff e.g. expensive clothes, shoes, jewellery, etc.

Get to meet your favourite celebrities, and possibly become friends.

More likely to meet your idols e.g. Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, etc.

Help millions through your job e.g. sing a song that inspires people through tough times.

CONS
There was a video of Britney surrounded by the press, and it was really scary to watch- no wonder she’s seen crying from time to time.

Privacy would be gone. It’d be so creepy going out without knowing that someone taking photos of you.

Ridicule. I’d hate having people waiting to tear me apart.

False friends and hanger ons would come out of the woodwork

Overall, for financial security (it’d be nice for close family and friends to not worry about paying their bills), free stuff, and meeting people who will go down in history for doing something important, instead of sex tapes, fashion and other trivial things, I’d be famous.

Wanna be famous with me?