Black Women: Breaking Stereotypes and Achieving Goals - Essay Sample

Introduction

Since time immemorial, the appearance of a person has been used in judging them, especially in American countries. A person, whether black or white in complexity, remains to be a person, and they are both capable of accomplishing significant goals in life. This has, however, not been the view of the white people against black people, especially women. Women have, for a long time, been placed at a lesser place in society in comparison with men. Black women, for example, have been regarded as lesser people and those who cannot accomplish much. This has, however, been challenged by Michelle Obama, who has gone out of her way to prove that black women also matter. In this piece of work, we focus on the article titled 'Under Cuvier's Microscope: The Dissection of Michelle Obama in the Twenty-First Century by Natasha Gordon- Chipembere' and the view portrayed regarding black women.

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Sarah Baartman was a Khoisan woman who was born in the 18th century. Khoisans are an indigenous group from South Africa. Europeans regarded them as stammerers, and people with no language or voice hence did not value them as human beings. This perception resulted in black people, for example, Baartman, to be put under very hostile conditions. Sarah was known for her physical appearance and was referred to as a 'Hottentot' in Europe and was used as an exhibitor in shows (Natasha,2011). This has come to be termed as an insult to black women. Black women's sexuality has been an issue that brings up the question about the existence of humanity. A black woman's body like that of Baartman was disregarded while that of white women was regarded as classical. This thought has, however, been wiped away with white women proving that they are more than what people think of them.

This kind of mentality that white people held about black women was based on a vague idea about them. Complexion does not determine what one can do or the changes they can effect in society. This has been proven by Michelle Obama, who was the First Lady of the United States. In the olden days, women did not have a place in society and, like in the case of Baartman had difficult experiences due to their physical appearance. Europeans have held the feeling of superiority over black people for a long time. This has been carried over to almost two hundred years later, where black women, like Mitchell Obama, are being given negative descriptions about their appearance and social status with the society doing nothing about it.

Any human has the capability of achieving milestones in life as long as they put the effort in whatever they do. The achievements one makes in life are not related to the social or economic background but are dependent on the hard work that anybody puts in. The view that was held by people that Mitchell Obama was able to get to the top seat through her husband is just a vague argument (Natasha,2011). Mitchelle is an educated woman, and despite her husband clinching the top seat in the United States, she would still have a position in society. The fact that she is a black woman does not hold her back from achieving anything in life.

Mitchell Obama and Baartman are just a representation of the black women and the position that she holds in society. The black female body had, for a very long time, been regarded as a location for whatever is forbidden in society. With her emergence in the public eye, Mitchell has managed to prove that it surely isn't what people perceive it to be. The western view of black women has sadly been carried forward to the 21st century, which is evident in most Western countries. The rise of Mitchell to the top in a short time elicited so many reactions and thoughts that were proof that the superiority feeling that the European held has not been done away with two centuries later after Sarah went through the negativity held against black women.

The article is apparent to bring out the negativity faced by the first lady on her rise to fame. The media is seen to be quick to criticize her on every aspect, even on simple issues like exposing her hands. Some bloggers were ready to publish that she got 'man hands' while others focused on her legs, describing them as large, ungainly legs (Natasha,2011). This, in itself, is a very negative trait that any human being should possess. Every individual is wonderfully made and maintains their beautiful. It is vital that society comes up with laws forbidding demeaning of other people as nobody is above the other.

Despite all the drawbacks that Mitchell has faced throughout her career as the first lady, she still managed to keep her head high and rise, beating all odds. Blogs criticized her body and appearance, but she still manages to feature on the cover of various top magazines in America. Since the inception of vogue magazine, very few black women have features, but she has managed to feature in many more. She has proven to the Western world that there is more than a black person, and more specifically, a black woman holds other than being a location of the forbidden as they view her.

The article portrays an essential aspect of life on endurance and rising above the storms. Mitchell is described to have a huge task of rising above the thoughts held by the Western people about black women, which she does so effortlessly. Being in the public eye means very many had their opinion about her and her appearance. It was upon her to choose how she was to take the negativities directed towards her. She has, however, been brought about as a strong woman, and in comparison with Sara Baartman, she has managed to change the perspective by rising above the odds.

In this article, Sarah and Mitchell represent a typical black woman in society. Those who live in foreign countries sometimes tend to go through so many challenges due to their complexity. The western world has been revealed as one that still holds a feeling of superiority over black people. This has resulted in black persons missing on opportunities that they are well suited. This trend has unfortunately been carried forward even to the 21st century. Just like Mitchell, it is essential that black persons and mostly women rise above all odds and achieve their goals and even surpass them.

Work Cited

Gordon-Chipembere, Natasha. "Under Cuvier's microscope: The dissection of Michelle Obama in the twenty-first century." Representation and black womanhood. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2011. 165-180.