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:

1. Real beauty never fades.

2.The most ‘beautiful’ women dont’t need make-up, airbrushing, and validation from the media or supermodels.

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

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.