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Black Women in Fashion and Beauty
Over the years, black people have been subjected to the images placed upon them by oppressors and held to dominant European values when it comes to both fashion and beauty. Black communities still struggle with identity due to slavery. Even now, the underrepresentation of black women is prominent in fashion and beauty industries whether it's a lack of black models on runways, European sizing in clothing stores, or an insufficient variety when it comes to makeup shades for all skin tones. This lack of representation impacts the African American community because it has changed our perception of beauty and embedded levels of colorism in our society. Diversity and inclusion are crucial in beauty and fashion because these industries greatly influence these hierarchies of attractiveness. Having diverse models, designers, and professionals ensures a wide range of backgrounds are represented. This is significant because black people have fought for the right to be seen, respected, and portrayed in a positive light.

The image of a strong black woman creates a gap in which black women aren't perceived as feminine or graceful. Stereotypes like this create depictions of aggressive, masculine, and unfashionable qualities that become associated with black women. These qualities are viewed as undesirable which results in black women being underrepresented in the fashion and beauty industries that ultimately build a foundation on being physically desirable and beautiful. Black women in the United States are arguably the most underrepresented and stereotyped group. Due to these depictions of black women, we are forced to constantly prove ourselves in workplaces and watch how we present ourselves in the fear that these stereotypes may be justified. Even with popular brands black people are used as pons to feed into racial discrepancies. Having diversity and inclusion within systems will give us a sense of security and can help us grow as a community. Black women should be respected regardless of skin color, hair texture, or body type. Representation is important and needs to be taken seriously, especially by huge companies that can use their popularity to show how to include black women properly. As a community, we need to come together and continue to expose the injustices of these industries and shift the definition of beauty.

Fashion and beauty are subjective factors and should be available to everyone regardless of their background. There are many examples of discrimination faced by black women in both the fashion and beauty industries. There is a history of underrepresentation and misrepresentation that affects black communities tremendously. Holding black people to unrealistic beauty standards only causes a gap in our society. The idea of the "strong black woman" is a concept that black women were forced to adapt to because of these discriminations and biases.