Are you comfortable with your sexuality? A lot of people in the U. S don’t really have the courage to express their own sexuality for many reasons. Some may fear the outcome of certain individuals views on their sexuality whether straight of gay. Sometimes for some people it may be difficult to accept who they are as a person because people may already be looked down upon by loved ones. People are being judged everyday based off of how they represent their sexuality.
In Cornel West essay, “On Black Sexuality,” he pontificates deeply upon whites views on African American sex.He argues that Americans are obsessed with sex and yet fearful of black sexuality. Its views are known to be disgusting to many white individuals, and the myths that are told from the past till now made us black people look threatening. As if we were threatening human beings who have the potential for sexual power over whites or even as harmless, desexed underlings of white culture. Today I will be discussing Cornel Wests essay, how sexuality defines us, and how it has become something we fear to fully acknowledge.
I also will be discussing the issues on American views on sexuality.Cornel West views on black sexuality is critically viewed as a game to most individuals. He stated that the myths on black sexuality offer distorted, dehumanized creatures whose lips, types of hair, size in hips are already distinguished from the white norm of beauty (pg. 515).
Today, we do see a lot more light skin toned women exploited on television, for example the make-up artists for cover girl put lighter makeup on, R&B Pop artist, Beyonce. In my perspective, the cover girl franchise want to make it seem as if it sexier to be lighter as opposed to embracing ones natural tone.Adjusting an African American star “be” or seem as if it was cool to trying to be white. Let alone Cornel west said, the norm of beauty. To me in my understanding that would be really light makeup applied to dark skin to make them seem like the white norm of beauty.
we have balck African american women who seek weaves for instance because they may feel that having that kinky thick vintage hair isn’t beauty. Due to the fact that having “white peoples hair,” meaning straight or wavy makes them feel somewhat out of their place even more because of the media having all the white or mixed girls.With all of the fine bouncy straight hair makes certain individuals feel like it may be difficult to express their sexuality by what they look like and what they think beauty really is. Having being said people outside of black African American culture woldnt understand who we are because we are all different as a whole when it comes to sexuality. Cornel West states that black sexuality is is feared, dirty or funky and is considered less acceptable (pg.
515). in other words black sexuality myths are one of the reasons why we tend not to express our sexuality amongst other cultures and different ethnicities.I personally don’t express my sexuality as being disgusting and I confidentiallty don’t go by the myths but I do hold my reputation to parr because it is my private life. Being negatively stereotyped by sexuality this country gives me the advantage to keep certain situations or topics to myself.
Cornel West states that the ideal of female beauty in this country puts a premiumon lightness and softness mythically associated with white women (pg. 519). the media atthat definitely displaysblack women on T. V much lighter than they were to be on the streets.
Being culturally deprived on television is disrespectful, not only to me butto most mature viewers in America. I don’t have an issue with people exploring their sexuality its more of a I mind my businesstype of situation. Unfortunately most people do. I remember my aunty fond out her son was gay and she flipped out. She bluntly called him a fag and without any hesitation kicked him out of her house.
to show how arrogant individuals and even family and friends can be shows that Americans need to lighten up. They shouldn’t be so uptight when it comes down to expressing their sexuality.They should embrace the fact that we are all attractive human beings and when one seeks that potential beauty for a year, a months, perhaps even weeks then tend to let that go by but always respect yourself as a person and stay protected. African Americans are not dirty or funky with their sexuality we are simply expressing ourselves with somebody we feel comfortable with.
Either way it goes, there’s different types of sexuality and people want to downplay the different emotion and work that most people put into it.
