Soul Salon with Ayandastood 19: the myth of inclusive beauty
Today we unpack the prevalent myth of inclusive beauty. This episode is part of my Beauty Bites *insert chews* series, where we think against the Beauty hierarchy. I give 7 reasons why Inclusive Beauty is a myth, including: the way it functions is selectively inclusive which is not genuine inclusion, it leaves the underlying power structure of Eurocentricism untouched, and ultimately it's a profit strategy for corporations run by white western men to make more money!
Sending all my love to you today, sunshine.
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Key quote from episode:
“Inclusive Beauty does nothing to challenge the underlying power structure of the Beauty hierarchy”
Time stamps
(00:00): Intro
(03:49): Selective inclusion = exclusion
(09:45): Underlying power structure remains
(13:24): Barbie as an example
(16:02): Erasure of personhood
(18:35): The broader power structures surrounding inclusive beauty
(19:17): A profit strategy
(20:15): Optimization is not inclusion
(22:30): Beauty is fundamentally exclusive
(24:14): Closing
Sources mentioned:
Book: Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom
IG: @bysahra on the Black best friend trope
Article: Racial hierarchy
Essay: Beauty standards are killing my people by "Rachel"
Chart: Statista Beauty Brand Values by age group, 2021
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