*If you haven't already, read part one here.
"I like big butts and I can not lie" the first line of Sir-Mix-A-Lots 1992 record about big butts. Fast forward to today there is a huge obsession with big butts. The popularity of large butts which was predominantly prevalent in the black community has gone mainstream. Even in todays music there are a lot of songs about derrieres. Nicki's latest song "Anaconda" remixes Sir-Mix-a-Lots record. The single's cover has Nicki's whole butt out. Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea have a song called "Booty" and not forgetting Big Seans song "Ass". It seems that many females from all races want to have a bigger butt. With that has also come the popularity of twerking. This style of dancing has always existed in the black community but was made mainstream by Miley Cyrus.
Butt implants and injections are on the rise. There seems to be an obsession with women doing squats just for a bigger butt (whilst ignoring the fact that squats are also a great exercise for the legs and the body as a whole hence it being the number one exercise for bodybuilders). It seems that many women are doing what they can to get a bigger behind.
Womens derrieres are paraded everywhere! Just look on instagram. Many females have pages where the majority of their pictures is just showing off their behind. One woman called Jen Selter has gained 4 million instagram followers just because of her butt. The feminist in me wants to scream out to these women and tell them that they are worth more than their physical traits and they are not defined by the size of their butt. It is sad that some females do this for attention and for the likes of thirsty men. Yes he will view you sexually but not as the queen that you are.
The parading of the black female body for the pleasure of men is nothing new. Let me tell you the story of Sarah 'Saartje' Baartman aka Hottentot Venus. She was a young South African woman from the Khoisan tribe. In 1810 when she was 20 years old she was sold to a British doctor William Dunlop who promised her fame and fortune and took her to London. During her time in England she was exhibited and paraded. She was perceived by the Europeans as a freak of nature because of her very large butt and enlarged labia. Her body was different from that of a white woman and her physical features were viewed as unusual. She was an object of sexual curiosity. People would pay money to view her butt and pay extra money to poke and touch her body. Sarah was degraded, humiliated objectified and dehumanised just because of her physical traits. Scientists and doctors were fascinated with her body so they examined her and made scientific drawings of her body.
Four years later she was taken to Paris and continued to be exhibited as a freak, she was a part of a circus. As the popularity of her shows declined she was forced to turn to prostitution to support herself financially. She ended up dying a year later at the tender age of 25. A French doctor was interested in Sarah's body and made a cast out of her corpse. He removed her skeleton, brain and genitals which was preserved and displayed in a museum in Paris for 160 years. Nelson Mandela had requested for Sarah's remains to be bought back to south Africa in 1994. Finally in 2002 her remains were returned back to her homeland.
This story shows the exploitation of the black female body. This is something which still goes on today, however females now do this willingly. All you have to do is type in 'video vixens' on google to see many females showing of their bodies for the pleasure of men. It seems that many women reduce themselves to sexual objects. Sarah's story is a tragic one because she was exploited during her life and even in her death her body and genitals were on display for people to see. Historically black women were viewed by Europeans as oversexed, jezebels and promiscuous. When Europeans first encountered African women they perceived them as lewd because of they way they dressed. White slave owners usually had a black female slave that they used for sexual purposes. They also justified the rape of black woman by saying that they always desired sex anyway.
Black women (and women in general) should not have to attribute their worth to the size of their butt. We shouldn't degrade our body's just for the lustful eyes of men. Yes you may have a nice body but it does not mean that is all you have to offer. How about that brain of yours? how about your intellect, skills and talents? We should aim to get respect from men, not attention. We are queens and a true queen will not allow herself to be degraded. Read my post 'The Woman' where I discuss the role of women further. In conclusion we should remember the legacy of Sarah, the video below is a great poem about Sarah Baartman have a listen.
.
Four years later she was taken to Paris and continued to be exhibited as a freak, she was a part of a circus. As the popularity of her shows declined she was forced to turn to prostitution to support herself financially. She ended up dying a year later at the tender age of 25. A French doctor was interested in Sarah's body and made a cast out of her corpse. He removed her skeleton, brain and genitals which was preserved and displayed in a museum in Paris for 160 years. Nelson Mandela had requested for Sarah's remains to be bought back to south Africa in 1994. Finally in 2002 her remains were returned back to her homeland.
This story shows the exploitation of the black female body. This is something which still goes on today, however females now do this willingly. All you have to do is type in 'video vixens' on google to see many females showing of their bodies for the pleasure of men. It seems that many women reduce themselves to sexual objects. Sarah's story is a tragic one because she was exploited during her life and even in her death her body and genitals were on display for people to see. Historically black women were viewed by Europeans as oversexed, jezebels and promiscuous. When Europeans first encountered African women they perceived them as lewd because of they way they dressed. White slave owners usually had a black female slave that they used for sexual purposes. They also justified the rape of black woman by saying that they always desired sex anyway.
Black women (and women in general) should not have to attribute their worth to the size of their butt. We shouldn't degrade our body's just for the lustful eyes of men. Yes you may have a nice body but it does not mean that is all you have to offer. How about that brain of yours? how about your intellect, skills and talents? We should aim to get respect from men, not attention. We are queens and a true queen will not allow herself to be degraded. Read my post 'The Woman' where I discuss the role of women further. In conclusion we should remember the legacy of Sarah, the video below is a great poem about Sarah Baartman have a listen.
.