Corporate America is becoming more interested in the beauty standards set for black women. In her soon to be released book, Black and (A)broad, author Carolyn Vines encourages single black women to reject any blindly accepted societal limitations, including the attempt to set beauty standards set for them
Carolyn Vines, author of Black and (A)broad, encourages black women to reject any and all limitations and identities imposed upon them by society. She offers inspiration to all black women regardless of age.
Black beauty bloggers are gaining more acceptance in American society. Recently Patrice Yursik, founder of Afrobella was chosen to be featured in Fast Company magazine and on The Root. While Ms. Vines sees this as a move forward, she also perceives a danger that obsolete standards may be imposed upon women - black women in particular.
"The recent debates surrounding the sexuality of black women," stated Ms. Vines, "have prompted discussion all over the blogosphere. Moreover, the debates have brought other issues into question, namely America's obsolete standard of beauty. Black women like the late Lena Horne moved beyond this would-be limitation on her identity and inspired countless others to do the same."
Beauty is beauty, regardless where it may be found and black has always been beautiful. Economics appear to be the driving factor in corporate America's interest in the black beauty market, as a recent study showed that black women spend more than three times as much on beauty products as their white counterparts. Today however, unlike the 1960's, television driven, 'hand them what we want them to buy' mentality, buying trends and beauty standards are being determined by buyers themselves through social media and blogs.
Moreover, with America's new-found global awareness, companies that hope to profit must begin to realize that standards of beauty are culturally driven and cannot be imposed by any outside entity, regardless of economics. Ms. Vines, an award winning blogger herself, believes this global awareness will cause companies with obsolete standards of beauty to be dragged kicking and screaming into the new social environment, where failure to accept what black women demand will cause old-school companies to become obsolete themselves.
"Through my travels," continued Ms. Vines "in Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean and Holland, to name a few, I've found that beauty is culturally determined." Furthermore, Vines urges considering the dollars and "sense" of the issue.
"It's a fact that black women spend millions of dollars every year," she said, "to live up to a standard of beauty we had no say-so in creating. Our hard-earned salaries, still well below those of our white and Asian counterparts, continue to support industries that give nothing back to our communities."
Black And Abroad describes how after moving from New Orleans Carolyn finds herself in the land of windmills, wooden shoes and endless gray skies. As she moves away from the remnants of her tragic childhood and America’s obsession with race, she is plunged into the depths of homesickness and depression. She travels through motherhood and a career change, and her determination is put to the test.
On the way to self-discovery, she ends up finding love, soul sisters and is inspired to travel beyond the limits imposed upon her by race. In this mid-life memoir, Carolyn writes candidly about how being mistaken for a prostitute in Austria, losing her passport in Cuba and dealing with Dutch people on their bikes (among other quirky adventures) have changed her ideas about being a black woman in the world. Black and (A)broad is to be released in August 2010.
Ms. Vines is available for interview and can be reached using the information below or by email at carolynvines@yahoo.com. More information on her forthcoming book is available at her website at www.blackandabroad.com.
Profile:
Carolyn Vines hails from Indianapolis, USA. Her passion for language has led her to teach Spanish, English and literature at universities in America and The Netherlands. It has also led her into a career as an author, editor and translator. Her work has been published in local Dutch English language papers and The Telegraph. She speaks Spanish and Dutch and last year translated a novel by a critically-acclaimed Curaçaoan author. As the result of her life experiences, she believes it is possible to travel beyond identity and offers inspiration to travel beyond limitations.
Ms. Vines’s website was the 2009 Black Weblog Award Winner for Best International Blog. She is currently writing her first book about her twenty years’ experience living and traveling abroad. Look for Black And (A)broad early in August of 2010.
Contact:
Carolyn Vines
www.blackandabroad.com
carolynvines@yahoo.com
Friday, June 11, 2010
Author Carolyn Vines Believes Corporate America's Standard Of Beauty Cannot Be Imposed Upon Black Women
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Author Carolyn Vines Believes Single Black Women Must Learn To Travel Beyond The Identity Society Imposes Upon Them
A recent Washington Post article brought to light the fact that public awareness regarding the one-dimensional portrayal of black women is growing. In her soon to be released book, Black and (A)broad, author Carolyn Vines encourages single black women to reject those blindly accepted societal limitations
Carolyn Vines, author of Black and (A)broad, encourages black women searching for meaningful relationships to reject the limitations and identities imposed upon them by society. She offers inspiration to all black women regardless of age.
"Limitations on black female sexuality," stated Ms. Vines, "arguably the most intimate marker of identity, are subliminal and blatant. The media and entertainment industry are examples of the former. They have told us that we're either too matronly or too loud and sassy to be in a legitimate relationship. The black community at large has threatened aggression (stares, comments, violence) or ostracism if our sexuality is disloyal to black men and we choose to date outside the race."
"To protect their daughters," she continued, "our mothers have blatantly warned us never to depend on a man for anything. Too many of our fathers have not been present to teach us how to be intimate with a man, regardless of race. We black women must challenge these limitations on our identity and potential."
Helena Andrews, another author who speaks to the same subject, was recently profiled in the Washington Post. Movie rights to Andrews' book were picked up before the book was finished. The soon to be produced movie demonstrates that public awareness regarding the one-dimensional portrayal of black women is growing. But Ms.Vines believes the problems run even deeper. She believes that much of the problem is the result of black women buying into racism and sexism.
"Americans," stated Ms. Vines, "regardless of race, gender and ethnicity, have bought into racism and sexism. Sadly, this legacy of internalized racism and sexism continues to be embedded in our collective identity despite electing our first black president, Barack Obama. How bleak will the results future be for black female identity, which has historically born the burden of internalized racism and sexism?"
Black And Abroad describes how after moving from New Orleans Carolyn finds herself in the land of windmills, wooden shoes and endless gray skies. As she moves away from the remnants of her tragic childhood and America’s obsession with race, she is plunged into the depths of homesickness and depression. She travels through motherhood and a career change, and her determination is put to the test. On the way to self-discovery, she ends up finding love, soul sisters and is inspired to travel beyond the limits imposed upon her by race. In this mid-life memoir, Carolyn writes candidly about how being mistaken for a prostitute in Austria, losing her passport in Cuba and dealing with Dutch people on their bikes (among other quirky adventures) have changed her ideas about being a black woman in the world. Black and (A)broad is to be released in August 2010.
Ms. Vines is available for interview and can be reached using the information below or by email atcarolynvines@yahoo.com. More information on her forthcoming book is available at her website at www.blackandabroad.com.
Profile:
Carolyn Vines hails from Indianapolis, USA. Her passion for language has led her to teach Spanish, English and literature at universities in America and The Netherlands. It has also led her into a career as an author, editor and translator. Her work has been published in local Dutch English language papers and The Telegraph. She speaks Spanish and Dutch and last year translated a novel by a critically-acclaimed Curaçaoan author. As the result of her life experiences, she believes it is possible to travel beyond identity and offers inspiration to travel beyond limitations.
Ms. Vines’s website was the 2009 Black Weblog Award Winner for Best International Blog. She is currently writing her first book about her twenty years’ experience living and traveling abroad. Look for Black And (A)broad early in August of 2010.
Contact:
Carolyn Vines
www.blackandabroad.com
carolynvines@yahoo.com
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Author Carolyn Vines Believes Black Women Can Move Beyond Identity And Offers Inspiration To Travel Beyond Limitations
Bureau of Labor Statistics report paints a bleak picture for black women in the US in the short term. Author Carolyn Vines believes black women suffer as the result of internalized racism and sexism. She offers inspiration to all who wish to travel beyond identity in her soon to be released book, Black And (A)Broad
A recent article by Bobbi Bowman entitled Black And Income: What We Earn, based on a Bureau of Labor Statistics report, brought some sobering facts to light for black people living in America. The study showed that:
- The second highest employment-population ratio was held by black females at 59.1%
- Only 31% of management or professional jobs were held by black women, compared to 41% for white women and 46% for Asian women
- In 2008, the median usual weekly earnings of black women was $554 compared with $654 for white women. This means that black females' median earnings were roughly 85% of those earned by white females
“Americans,” stated Ms. Vines, “regardless of race, gender and ethnicity, have bought into racism and sexism. Sadly, this legacy of internalized racism and sexism continues to be embedded in our collective identity despite electing our first black president, Barack Obama. How bleak will the results of the 2010 Census be for black female identity, which has historically born the burden of internalized racism and sexism?”
Median household incomes as shown in the 2008 Bureau of Labor report estimates are $69,047 for Asians, $56, 648 for Whites, $41,630 for Hispanics or Latinos and $35,086 for Blacks or African Americans. The article proposes that this may be due to the fact that so many black families are headed by black women.
“Black women,” continued Ms. Vines, “cannot control racism and sexism. We can, however, choose to create an identity that transcends the limitations imposed by their legacy. Black and (A)broad was written to inspire and empower black women to do just that."
Black And Abroad describes how after moving from New Orleans Carolyn finds herself in the land of windmills, wooden shoes and endless gray skies. As she moves away from the remnants of her tragic childhood and America’s obsession with race, she is plunged into the depths of homesickness and depression. She travels through motherhood and a career change, and her determination is put to the test. On the way to self-discovery, she ends up finding love, soul sisters and is inspired to travel beyond the limits imposed upon her by race. In this mid-life memoir, Carolyn writes candidly about how being mistaken for a prostitute in Austria, losing her passport in Cuba and dealing with Dutch people on their bikes (among other quirky adventures) have changed her ideas about being a black woman in the world. Black and (A)broad is to be released in August 2010.
Ms. Vines is available for interview and can be reached using the information below or by email atcarolynvines@yahoo.com. More information on her forthcoming book is available at her website at www.blackandabroad.com.
Profile:
Carolyn Vines hails from Indianapolis, USA. Her passion for language has led her to teach Spanish, English and literature at universities in America and The Netherlands. It has also led her into a career as an author, editor and translator. Her work has been published in local Dutch English language papers and The Telegraph. She speaks Spanish and Dutch and last year translated a novel by a critically-acclaimed Curaçaoan author. As the result of her life experiences, she believes it is possible to travel beyond identity and offers inspiration to travel beyond limitations.
Ms. Vines’s website was the 2009 Black Weblog Award Winner for Best International Blog. She is currently writing her first book about her twenty years’ experience living and traveling abroad. Look for Black And (A)broad early in August of 2010.
Contact:
Carolyn Vines
www.blackandabroad.com
carolynvines@yahoo.com
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