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Here's an ugly conversation nobody wants to have....
Alternative beauty is partly built in whiteness.
The systemic racism built within society's beauty standards has seeped into alternative beauty and fashion.
Let's finally fucking talk about it #BlackHistoryMonth 
Alternative beauty is partly built in whiteness.
The systemic racism built within society's beauty standards has seeped into alternative beauty and fashion.
Let's finally fucking talk about it #BlackHistoryMonth
What do I mean?
Well, there's aspects of alternative beauty, and what is deemed "real" or "authentic alternative", that are only suited for white folk.
I don't think white people even realise it because seeing people who look like themselves all the time is their "normal."
Well, there's aspects of alternative beauty, and what is deemed "real" or "authentic alternative", that are only suited for white folk.
I don't think white people even realise it because seeing people who look like themselves all the time is their "normal."
It's not that alternative beauty is intentionally racist, it's just a secondary result of the overarching racist beauty standards in society.
“Could you give examples?”
WELL I'M GLAD YOU ASKED *AHEM*
“Could you give examples?”
WELL I'M GLAD YOU ASKED *AHEM*
EMO:
Though originally a music genre from the 80s, the aesthetics of emo were the first to be built in the dot com boom (when the internet started, yaaay) which arguably influenced the baseline "look" for emo.
Before After
Though originally a music genre from the 80s, the aesthetics of emo were the first to be built in the dot com boom (when the internet started, yaaay) which arguably influenced the baseline "look" for emo.
Before After
When you google emo, look it up on Pinterest, Instagram, and even Tik Tok, the core parts of the aesthetic that are celebrated the most are:
flippy caucasian hair, pale "dead" looking skin, eurocentric features, skinny frames.
How can my, big nosed south asian self compete?
flippy caucasian hair, pale "dead" looking skin, eurocentric features, skinny frames.
How can my, big nosed south asian self compete?
Quite possibly the only place with an organic semblance of diversity is Tik Tok, where I’m currently pushing us as hard as I fucking can.
But that, in itself, has been a fucking nightmare to do with all the racist shit and micro-aggressions I’ve endured.
But that, in itself, has been a fucking nightmare to do with all the racist shit and micro-aggressions I’ve endured.
“Omg I’ve never seen a brown emo!! Don’t you listen to brown peoples like music?”
“Okay but you don’t have the look :/ like you aren’t really emo” *they say as I’m stood there in band merch and skinny jeans.*
Other examples:
“Okay but you don’t have the look :/ like you aren’t really emo” *they say as I’m stood there in band merch and skinny jeans.*
Other examples:
I think the last part stings the most, and this is low-key very sad, but it makes my point.
I don’t have straight hair, I never did.
I was just so tired of white emo kids thinking I was a poser because I didn’t “look” emo that I.... ruined my hair.
I don’t have straight hair, I never did.
I was just so tired of white emo kids thinking I was a poser because I didn’t “look” emo that I.... ruined my hair.
So many BIPOC kids feel like this, we’re constantly questioned on our authenticity because we aren’t represented enough, this is why it matters.
OTHER EXAMPLES.
There’s loads that I could get into, and overtime it is changing!!
I see this issue more commonly with newer subcultures rather than old ones, goth and punk have slowly adapted (that’s not to say they are perfect either).
There’s loads that I could get into, and overtime it is changing!!
I see this issue more commonly with newer subcultures rather than old ones, goth and punk have slowly adapted (that’s not to say they are perfect either).
Though, it’s concerning that we’ve had to build spaces of our own because white people see as “other.” We are secondary. We are not the standard of beauty. We are not the “norm.”
But I find this more commonly with emo, tumblr soft pale grunge, e-girl(ism?).
These aesthetics, when you really boil down to it, favour Eurocentric/yt features.
The whole “pale grunge” movement.... just celebrated white skin.
These aesthetics, when you really boil down to it, favour Eurocentric/yt features.
The whole “pale grunge” movement.... just celebrated white skin.
@ActAdvBand made an amazing video on this, and the comments they receive because they don’t “look” like your typical pop-punk/emo dudes.
“But how can I help?”
A few things, it’s all really down to becoming more conscious and changing your behaviour.
I guess it starts by diversifying your following and taking a step back, is the space you are creating in only full of white creators & faces?
A few things, it’s all really down to becoming more conscious and changing your behaviour.
I guess it starts by diversifying your following and taking a step back, is the space you are creating in only full of white creators & faces?
Uplift poc, I think the more you follow them & listen to them the more conscious you become aware of this stuff.
You have that little voice in the back of your head asking you “is this trend POC inclusive and is it possible TO make it POC inclusive?”
You have that little voice in the back of your head asking you “is this trend POC inclusive and is it possible TO make it POC inclusive?”
DECOLONISE YOUR MIND AND WHAT YOU SEE AS BEAUTIFUL
And moreover, stop treating POC as “other” when it comes to alternative beauty.
Celebrate us, but if the ONLY time you celebrate us is for our skin colour that is also a problem. We should be treated and hyped up for doing literally nothing just as much as white folk lol.
Celebrate us, but if the ONLY time you celebrate us is for our skin colour that is also a problem. We should be treated and hyped up for doing literally nothing just as much as white folk lol.
