![]() ![]() In one of the most incisive essays I’ve ever read, McMillan Cottom names beauty as one of these institutions. ![]() A throughline in all of her observations is the innate difficulty Black women experience in institutions that aren’t designed for them. Tressie McMillan Cottom explores a range of topics, from the failure of LinkedIn to the presumed incompetence of Black women as medical patients. In her collection of thought-provoking essays, Dr. In reality, they deny women like me a sense of vulnerability and honesty about the way society treats us. As much as these statements attempt to erase the beauty hierarchy, they acknowledge the capital in being beautiful - or at least believing you can be. As a size-16, Black woman, I always felt restricted by language of body positivity that constantly informed me that I was “curvy” not “fat,” “beautiful in my own way” and used other condescending courtesies meant to make me feel good about myself. It’s hard not to roll your eyes at mainstream discussions about body image that only seem to occur at the hands of celebrities and companies vying for attention and profit. Before reading Thick: And Other Essays, I was looking for ways to articulate my body positivity burnout. ![]()
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