Aside from the backhanded compliment, that statement was also loaded with racial prejudice and informed by a culture that promotes a very specific set of images of black women.
Abi Ishola, a multimedia journalist who also happens to have dark skin and natural hair, took this "less classically beautiful" tag as an opportunity to broaden conversations about perceptions of beauty about black women and within black culture. The result is a photo story featuring a diverse group of exceptionally beautiful black women who are all completely different and "beyond classically beautiful."
Ishola says she was inspired by the women who took to Twitter in defense of Viola Davis, all tweeting photos of themselves with the hashtag #LessClassicallyBeautiful as a show of solidarity. "I thought about how diversely beautiful black women are, I couldn't accept that label. From there, the idea for 'Beyond Classically Beautiful' was born."
Beyond Classically Beautiful
Here are some photos from the series:
Vonecia
Nia
Mame
Dionne
The full photo series can be seen on her website and Abi has the T-shirts for sale at her Etsy store. BRB, going to buy one.
(Images by Kunle Ayodeji)
More on beauty
Not every woman has to be 'pretty'
Why I'm grateful my mom never called me beautiful
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