#Eurocentric ideals

[blackgirlslivingwell]

From Spanish Rule To Miss Universe: Why Some Filipinos Still Struggle With Colorism.

Over 400 years of colonization ingrained Eurocentric ideals glorifying lighter skin tones. Examining this legacy is key to understanding colorism's insidious impacts on Filipino society today. The backlash against Chelsea Manalo's win underscores how much more progress is needed.

[slightlycomicobsessed]

still one of my favourite comic panels of all time. this was really the moment that cemented dani as one of my all time favourites and the new mutants as one of my favourite x-teams.

[elbiotipo]

It's also funny that in Victoria 2, if you play as a developing nation outside of the great powers (say, Argentina) and if you implement liberal laissez faire economics, your economy goes to absolute shit. The only good way to play Victoria 2 is with state capitalism or a command economy, because otherwise the invisible hand of the market screws you.

If the Liberals get in charge of Argentina, it ruins the country for generations. 10/10 excellent realism.

[pwurrz]

of course terfs would get mad at a post reminding them that there’s more to being a woman than misery and suffering: they’re misogynists. they hate women. their misogyny is just the ‘woke’ kind where they re-enforce the idea that women are weaker and stupider and generally less capable compared to men but like, in a ‘feminist’ way 🤪💅

when you hate women and genuinely believe they are inferior, that they are lesser, it’s impossible to see that there’s any joy or pride or anything positive about being a woman. especially if you yourself are a woman who believes in this kind of self-deprecating mindset.

[zzzzzzepis]

Genuinely mindboggling to see "x queer identity isn't oppressed" every six months for some new fucking group. I don't give a fuck about it they're all fucking queer and need support from a community that doesn't police them for having a confusing or complex identity. I think that some of you are like mentally puritan catholic schoolteachers masquerading as tumblrinas. Kill the cop in your brain or you're not welcome at pride either lol!

[trans-rights-coastalmangoes]

if you as an artist are going to interpret the plant brothers as white you have to make them at least a little ugly. if you are making them white to make them look perfect/beautiful then i am hunting you for sport!!!!

[stsapphos]

i cant process the fact that the united states doesnt even have direct elections

[jewishcissiekj]

wait why does older Omega look so different than Emerie Karr??? they're literally clones so????

[dughole]

it girls used to have beautiful big noses.. bella hadid’s original face you would do so well if this was 1969 ❤️

[moonfirebrides]

Lookism is prejudice or discrimination toward people who are considered to be physically unattractive. It occurs in a variety of settings, including dating, social environments, and workplaces.

[onefleshonepod]

On Barbie

I'd like to share my thoughts on John’s choice to house Alecto in a body that looks like Hollywood Hair Barbie.

To the best of my recollection over the past year, I've seen several people claim that Barbie being a famously unattainable beauty standard for women and arguably a sex symbol was irrelevant to John's decision to make Alecto a Barbie lookalike, and that rather the main impetus for this decision of John’s was his trauma, gender non-conformity, internalized homophobia, and desire to return to the comfort of childhood. This argument posits that John's decision had little or nothing to do with patriarchy, misogyny, objectification of women, or impossible beauty standards placed on women by men.

I empathize with the above position to a certain extent — it's absolutely crucial to remember and consider in our analyses that John is a queer working-class Indigenous man.

But………....................

John is not a real person. He is a character written to advance plot, themes, and political commentary within a carefully crafted story.

If I'm Tamsyn Muir writing John 1:20 in Nona the Ninth, and the point I want to make about my character is specifically and only that he is struggling with self-doubt, trauma, gender non-conformity, internalized homophobia, and yearning for the comfort of home and childhood — and I want to say nothing about patriarchy and misogyny?

I'm not having him make the soul of the earth into a Barbie!

I'd be having him model Alecto after a completely different popular 1990s toy for girls, like a Polly Pocket, or Betty Spaghetti, or a Raggedy Ann doll, or another doll that doesn't carry the same connotations as Barbie. Or, hell, I’d be having John make Alecto look exactly like his mum, or his nan, or female Māori mythological figures from stories he must have heard from his nan in childhood, like Papatūānuku, or the first woman, Hineahuone, who was made from earth.

I'm not smarter or more creative than Tamsyn, and the above ideas are just the alternatives I thought of in five minutes that would have specifically symbolized John's personal trauma and nothing else.

But Tamsyn didn't do that. Tamsyn picked Barbie specifically. I think that's worth taking into consideration.

Let’s examine exactly what John says in John 1:20.

Hollywood Hair Barbie's physical appearance comes first in the list of reasons why she was his favourite, and her other characteristics come last. He lists two physical traits and one non-physical trait of hers. “My favourite was her old Hollywood Hair Barbie,” he murmured. “I loved her little gold outfit and her long yellow hair. She was the best. She got to have all the adventures.”

He discards as an option a model of a woman who doesn't conform to patriarchal, Eurocentric beauty standards specifically because of her appearance: “There was also a Bride’s Dream Midge, but Mum had cut Midge’s hair into this weird mullet.”

He chooses a blonde Barbie body that he can mould into and mentally map onto glamourized versions of women created by men through the ages. “I made you look like a Christmas-tree fairy … I made you look like a Renaissance angel … I made you Adam and Eve … Galatea. Barbie. Frankenstein’s monster with long yellow hair.”

Our famous cultural images of Renaissance angels are all idealized depictions of women made by men — Raphael, Titian, Albrecht Dürer, etc. Frankenstein's monster, a man loathed and discarded by his creator, is a more nuanced comparison... but the only thing John notes is that his version has long yellow hair.

I'm not even getting into the whiteness (or the plastic-ness) of it all, but three of John's comparisons here are specifically coded as white women considered beautiful by Eurocentric standards in the Western cultural imagination (Christmas tree toppers, Renaissance angels, and Barbie), and the others are often depicted as white.

Galatea specifically is such a telling comparison. This myth is the story of a man caging and controlling his idealized, beautiful female creation, which exactly parallels John’s goals with Alecto: “From my blood and bone and vomit I conjured up a beautiful labyrinth to house you in. I was terrified you’d find some way to escape before I was done.”

Given all of this, I genuinely think that John's choice of Barbie as a model for Alecto was intended to position John as a symbol of patriarchy, misogyny, and objectification of women, through both a political and religious lens. Tamsyn is way, way too smart to have not made a careful, considered, intentional choice here.

John didn’t make Alecto into a Māori goddess from his nan’s stories. He didn't make her into a cheerful Raggedy Ann. He made her into a beautiful, blonde Hollywood hair Barbie.

[maastrichtiana]

lordship tied to land holdings and castle seats, that are run by the lord’s wife

i’m not a medievalist but the whole feudal gender thing in asoiaf is interesting because it really feels like the peak masculine ideal is being a lord which itself is gatekept by class and birth order within the upper class. so if you did not inherit your way into wielding systemic violence over others as a first son you as a second son have to compensate by being really really good at individual violence. but to only benefit from systemic violence without at all demonstrating skill in individual or systemic violence is a female trait. these people are insane

[themonstrousother]

One of the things I love most about Revolutionary Girl Utena is how it explores the relationship between Anthy and Akio, in many regards but I specifically want to talk about the role race plays.

What stands out to me, as a South Asian person, is how Utena shows the oppression, abuse, subjugation, objectification and dehumanisation Anthy faces, as a brown woman, at the hands of a brown man, how their status as racial minorities in their society plays role, and the implications for Anthy’s complex feelings towards him.

Interesting to note the fact that RGU takes a lot of European influences (the architecture of Ohtori, Utena being a deconstruction of European Fairytales), and the implications of Akio and Anthy being Indian what with the Subcontinent’s history of colonisation. Akio who idolises Eurocentricity and attempts to embody that ideal, doing so through his oppression and abuse of a brown woman.

Their race is another way Akio and Anthy are isolated in Ohtori, seen as these otherworldly and exotic beings of eternity (though there is definitely room to discuss how even though Utena subverts this idea, it’s still a problematic one rooted in Orientalism), intertwined and connected. It adds a layer to her abuse, which I think is a very real experience. Utena is not only an outsider to their relationship, but she’s of the racial majority (and will never fully be able to understand Anthy’s position, which would add to Anthy’s resentment and frustration)

I’m not trying to hold RGU as the epitome of South Asian representation and I don’t think it’s above criticism. But that just makes it all the more important for discussion around these themes and aspects

[sankofaspirit]

30 Ways Modern-Day Africans Still Exhibit a Colonial Mindset: A Garveyite Analysis

Marcus Garvey’s Pan-Africanist philosophy emphasized self-reliance, cultural pride, and the rejection of colonial influence. However, many Africans today still exhibit behaviours and attitudes rooted in a colonial mindset. Below are 30 examples, explained and analyzed in depth, from a Garveyite perspective:

1-10: Cultural Influence and Identity

1. Preference for European Standards of Beauty

Example: Many Africans prioritize lighter skin, straight hair, and European features over natural Black aesthetics.

Analysis: Skin-lightening creams and the global embrace of Eurocentric beauty ideals reflect internalized inferiority and rejection of African identity.

2. Disdain for African Languages

Example: African children are often discouraged from speaking native languages in favour of English, French, or Portuguese.

Analysis: Linguistic erasure ensures dependency on colonial languages for governance, education, and international relations.

3. Glorification of Western Education

Example: Degrees from European or North American universities are valued more than African ones.

Analysis: This reinforces the notion that African intellectual systems are inferior, perpetuating brain drain and dependency.

4. Adoption of Western Names

Example: Africans often give their children Western names instead of traditional African ones.

Analysis: This signifies a rejection of African heritage in favour of aligning with Western norms.

5. Colonial Religious Practices

Example: Christianity and Islam dominate African spiritual practices, while indigenous beliefs are demonized.

Analysis: Religion was used as a colonial tool to pacify and control, and its dominance reflects ongoing psychological colonization.

6. Rejection of African Fashion

Example: Western suits and dresses are deemed more "professional" than African attire in workplaces.

Analysis: Clothing reflects identity, and the preference for Western styles reinforces the idea that African traditions are primitive.

7. Accent Bias

Example: Africans with European or American accents are viewed as more intelligent or credible.

Analysis: This bias reflects internalized colonial superiority.

8. Neglect of African History

Example: African curricula prioritize European history over African empires like Mali, Songhai, or Great Zimbabwe.

Analysis: This erasure perpetuates ignorance about Africa’s rich heritage and contributions to civilization.

9. Worship of Western Entertainment

Example: Hollywood and European music dominate African media, sidelining local industries.

Analysis: This promotes cultural dependency and undervalues African creativity.

10. Desire to Migrate to the West

Example: Many Africans dream of emigrating to Europe or the U.S. for a "better life."

Analysis: This mindset undermines the potential of building strong nations on the continent.

11-20: Political and Economic Dependence

11. Reliance on Foreign Aid

Example: African governments often depend on Western aid for development projects.

Analysis: This fosters dependency and allows Western nations to control African policies.

12. Colonial Borders

Example: African nations still adhere to arbitrary colonial borders that divide ethnic groups.

Analysis: The refusal to renegotiate these borders reflects a lack of sovereignty and Pan-African unity.

13. Imitation of Western Governance

Example: African governments replicate Western political systems, often failing to adapt them to local contexts.

Analysis: Blind imitation undermines the development of systems rooted in African traditions and needs.

14. Dependence on Western Currencies

Example: The CFA franc, used by West and Central African nations, is controlled by France.

Analysis: This reflects continued economic colonization and inhibits financial independence.

15. Exploitation of Resources by Foreign Corporations

Example: Multinational companies exploit Africa's oil, minerals, and agriculture with little reinvestment.

Analysis: Africans prioritize Western partnerships over local ownership and control.

16. Outsourcing Security to Foreign Powers

Example: French troops stationed in Africa under the guise of fighting terrorism.

Analysis: This reinforces the narrative that Africans can not secure their own nations.

17. Preference for Imported Goods

Example: Imported clothing, food, and technology are seen as superior to local products.

Analysis: This devalues African production and stifles economic growth.

18. Neocolonial Debt Traps

Example: African nations take loans from institutions like the IMF, leading to perpetual debt.

Analysis: These loans come with conditions that undermine sovereignty.

19. Overdependence on Western Technologies

Example: Africa imports most of its technology rather than building local industries.

Analysis: This dependency stifles innovation and economic independence.

20. Election Interference by Western Powers

Example: Western nations influence African elections through funding or propaganda.

Analysis: This undermines democratic processes and reinforces external control.

21-30: Social and Psychological Patterns

21. Black Elitism

Example: Africans educated in the West often look down on those educated locally.

Analysis: This creates divisions within African societies and perpetuates classism.

22. Hostility Toward Pan-Africanism

Example: Resistance to efforts to unify Africa economically or politically.

Analysis: Colonial powers instilled fear of unity to prevent collective strength.

23. Undervaluing African Labour

Example: African workers are underpaid while foreign workers are overpaid for similar roles.

Analysis: This reflects an internalized belief in the superiority of non-African expertise.

24. Neglect of Local Agriculture

Example: African nations import staple foods like rice despite fertile lands.

Analysis: This prioritizes foreign economies over local food sovereignty.

25. Demonization of Traditional Medicine

Example: Preference for Western pharmaceuticals over indigenous remedies.

Analysis: This reflects distrust in African innovation and healing systems.

26. Preference for Colonial Languages in Art and Literature

Example: Writers and artists creating works in English or French to gain Western recognition.

Analysis: This marginalizes African languages and creativity.

27. Inferiority Complex Toward Western Nations

Example: Africans praise Western infrastructure while criticizing their own.

Analysis: This self-perception hinders the belief in African potential.

28. Overlooking the African Diaspora

Example: Africans often ignore the struggles and contributions of African Americans, Caribbeans, etc.

Analysis: Colonial divisions still separate the global African community.

29. Dependence on Colonial Education Systems

Example: African nations still use colonial curricula with minimal African content.

Analysis: Education is a tool of control, and this reflects ongoing intellectual colonization.

30. Hostility Toward Repatriation

Example: Africans discouraging descendants of the enslaved from returning to Africa.

Analysis: This reflects colonial teachings that Africa is undesirable or unworthy.

Garveyite Call to Action:

Marcus Garvey warned against mental colonization and called for:

Reclaiming African identity: Embrace African languages, cultures, and traditions.

Economic independence: Build industries, control resources, and support local economies.

Pan-African unity: Foster solidarity among Africans worldwide.

Rejection of Western validation: Recognize that Africa’s greatness does not depend on foreign approval.

“Liberate the minds of men, and ultimately, you will liberate the bodies of men.” – Marcus Garvey

[fadetoblacked]

Big, Bold, Black

In a world increasingly aware of systemic injustices, we must question every aspect of our lives and how they contribute to or challenge these systems. One powerful yet often overlooked area where we can enact change is in our personal relationships. As a radical anti-racist and pro-Black activist, I believe it is essential to encourage young European women to date African men. This is not merely a matter of personal preference but a radical act of social justice.

Challenging Eurocentric Beauty Standards

For centuries, European beauty standards have dominated global perceptions of attractiveness, marginalizing and devaluing the beauty of African men. By choosing to date African men, young European women can challenge and deconstruct these oppressive standards. This act of love becomes a statement against the narrow definitions of beauty perpetuated by a Eurocentric worldview. Celebrating the beauty of African men is a step towards embracing diversity and dismantling deeply ingrained biases.

Promoting Cultural Exchange and Understanding

Dating African men offers an opportunity for profound cultural exchange. In a world where ignorance fuels racism, understanding and appreciating diverse cultures is a powerful antidote. Relationships between European women and African men can foster greater empathy and awareness. These relationships become a microcosm of what a more inclusive and understanding society could look like. Through love and connection, we can bridge gaps and foster unity.

Redressing Historical Injustices

The history of Europe’s interaction with Africa is marred by exploitation, colonization, and systemic racism. While individual relationships cannot undo this history, they can be acts of personal reparation. By choosing to date African men, European women make a conscious choice to stand against a history of oppression. This is not about fetishizing African men but about recognizing and valuing their humanity in a world that has often sought to dehumanize them.

Supporting Black Empowerment

In many European societies, African men face significant socioeconomic challenges due to systemic racism. By forming relationships with African men, European women can contribute to the social and economic empowerment of Black communities. These relationships can break down barriers and create networks of support that extend beyond the personal to the community level. It’s about building solidarity and working together towards a more just society.

Rejecting Racial Prejudices

Deciding to date African men is a powerful rejection of the racial prejudices that persist in society. It is a declaration that love and human connection transcend the artificial boundaries of race. Young European women who choose to date African men are making a bold statement against racism. They are choosing to see and value people for who they are rather than the color of their skin.

A Personal and Political Statement

Every relationship is political. By choosing to date African men, European women make a personal and political statement. They declare their commitment to anti-racism and social justice. These relationships become symbols of resistance against the racist structures that seek to divide us. They represent a vision of a world where love, respect, and equality are not just ideals but lived realities.

In conclusion, young European women have a unique opportunity to contribute to social justice through their romantic choices. By choosing to date African men, they can challenge Eurocentric beauty standards, promote cultural understanding, redress historical injustices, support Black empowerment, and reject racial prejudices. This is about more than individual relationships; it’s about creating a world where love and justice go hand in hand. Let us be bold in our love and unwavering in our commitment to a just and equitable society.

[jedi-clone-appreciation]

Truly mystifying take I just saw:

Sorry for bursting in with negativity, but I truly did think that the pro-jedi side of SW was going to be less… like this. This is just Sinophobia at this point. Blaming China for Disney’s American/Western writers’ choices is rather telling of this person’s own biases.

This is not to absolve the CCP of anything. I’m not denying that the Chinese government is in fact a colonial force when it comes to ethnic/cultural minorities in China - but do you truly think that those mostly white writers with an anti-jedi stance is doing good ol’ CCP propaganda? For real? Yeah, no, surely these writers are free from their own, primarily Eurocentric ideals! It’s all Chinese propaganda! You’re so smart(/sarcasm).

And while the Chinese film market is rife in censorship (much like how Disney censors parts of their own shows even in the US, wow!), the media itself is far from actively hostile towards Buddhism as a whole. In fact many aspects of Buddhism, such as Shaolin, etc is rather popular in Chinese (Wuxia) media.

Not to mention the large population in China that believes in Buddhism (3 main branches, Han, Tibetan and Theravada), or follows some of its teachings - according to this 2018 survey, around 4% of the Chinese population are “formally” Buddhists, and 33% of Chinese adults, (~362 million adults!) believe in Buddha and/or a bodhisattva. I myself have grandparents who believed in Han Buddhist ideals and spent a few days every other month at a Han Buddhist temple, and have another friend who diligently follows Tibetan Buddhism.

In the end - blaming anti-jedi writing by mostly white writers on “Chinese propaganda” is truly such an interesting choice. Yeah, sure. That’s what happened. This is a conspiracy theory alright.